It’s a mistake to think that because a customer has expressed dissatisfaction with your product or service they will not come back to you.

They won’t return if you handle the situation badly. However, some of your most vociferous complainers could become your most loyal customers, because you handled the situation well and treated them with respect.

This means recognising some essential traits:

• Customers want to be respected

• They want attention

• They want to be appreciated and recognised

• Most of all they want to be understood

Losing Customers:

Why do businesses lose customers?

A survey with which you may be familiar, asked customers why they changed supplier/vendor.

Here are the results:

• Developed a good relationship with another supplier 5%

• Less expensive products elsewhere 9%

• Unhappy with service/product 18%

• Because of the poor attitude of the supplier 68%

Your Customers Are The Lifeblood Of Your Business:

It is never easy to win new business, which is why we should nurture existing customers and try to minimise problems and inconvenience.

It’s a good idea to:

• Make regularly visits or calls – spotting trouble early on can help prevent it

• Reply to calls/queries as soon as possible

• Talk to your customers – find out about them

• Keep them well informed

• Conduct regular reviews of your performance - see your service through their eyes

Ensure that the lifeblood keeps flowing through the veins of your business.

Solving Problems:

Suppose they are difficult.

Few people are truly difficult. In any case it is important to make a distinction between difficult people and difficult behaviour, which is often a result of non co-operation on your part.

• Focus on the problem (challenge?) not on them

• Show interest – bring out their likeable side

• Put yourself in their shoes – remember empathy?

• Be personal – use their name if that’s what they would like

• Appeal to their better nature. ‘As a parent of small children you…’

• Cultivate their goodwill

Saying Thank You:

Let your customers know you appreciate them. Find little ways to thank them for their custom, especially when they are not expecting it. This is a great way to attract compliments, especially after sorting out a difficult problem.

• A simple but sincere thank you card – personalised

• Gift vouchers

• Cards at Christmas or other appropriate festivals – Diwali, Hanukah, Eid

• VIP days for special events, launches, dinners

• Social gatherings for key clients

Loyalty cards are very popular now with many organisations. Discounts, bonus points, free samples, all help to make your business stand out.

Compliments & Comments:

Why do we find it difficult to accept compliments?

Is it because:-

• We don’t have enough faith or pride in our product?

• We think it’s probably a back-handed complaint?

• We don’t trust people?

• We don’t know how to react? (How about thank you?!)

Compliments tell us what we are doing right and give a boost to our morale. If we allow it, they bring us pleasure.