Upset Customers: Turning Liabilities Into Assets

by Skip Cohen

Many of you are dealing with upset customers whose expectations regarding their holiday orders were NOT met. Whether they're right or wrong is irrelevant—it's their perception you have to deal with.

I've written about the topic many times in the past; there's no such thing as too many reminders about the importance of dealing with angry customers! What you do to resolve even the smallest issues right now will become building blocks for customer loyalty in the future.

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning!”
Bill Gates

“Statistics suggest that when customers complain, business owners and managers ought to
​get excited about it. The complaining customer represents a huge opportunity for more business.”
Zig Ziglar​

​The reality for many of you is often very different. You're afraid of angry customers. I've even heard a few horror stories about photographers going head-to-head with clients in arguments. You'll never win in that kind of battle.

Here are a few tips and suggestions you can use to help learn from angry customers and, at the same time, become your own bomb squad!

• It all starts with a fundamental understanding of the customer: It doesn't matter if they're right or not; they believe they're right. You also have to accept that something happened that shouldn't have – no matter who or what was the cause, you own it.
• Fine-tune your listening skills. Don't react to anything they say until they're finished. This is a tough one, but it can start with a simple opener: "Hi, this is _____, and I understand you're not happy with something we did. How can I help?"

Modify the opener however you want, but the defusing line is "How can I help?" or another option is "Let's see if I can help fix this for you." Your goal is to demonstrate empathy, kick back, be quiet, and listen. Remember, you've got two ears and one mouth, so listen twice as much as you talk!
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1. Respond promptly – don't let things go more than a day without getting back to your client.
2. Communicate with your client by phone or in person. Email doesn't always work when you've got an argument on your hands. Your customers need to hear your voice.
3. Take the blame – seriously, even if the problem wasn't directly your fault, it's still your business.
4. Don't delegate the battles. There's nothing more frustrating to an angry customer than to feel you're hiding behind one of your employees. And if an employee is on the frontline of "battle," give them the power to resolve the issue.

Resolve issues quickly with solutions that add value to consumers. Come up with a resolution fast and work towards having one that your client feels is fair.

I know I've used this example in previous posts over the years: Years ago, living in the Chicago area, we tried carry-out from a new Chinese restaurant. Halfway through dinner, there was a small, dead cockroach in the fried rice. I immediately repacked everything and went storming back to the restaurant. Instead of immediately apologizing and doing a refund, the owner argued that the food was half-eaten! Then, she wanted to give me a gift certificate to come back! We never ate there again, but to argue with me about the merits of their food at that point was far from realistic.

Remember, one angry customer today can turn into a troll and undermine your credibility throughout the community. And the community, especially in cyberspace, goes far beyond your city limits.

On the other hand, a satisfied customer who feels you've been on their side and are working towards solving the problem will help build a foundation for future business.