A bit of unpleasant and unfortunately true wisdom
Today I spent the day at Advanced Product Training. We do this training once a quarter and I make it a point to be there because the product get broken down torn apart and dissected so we truly know what we offer our clients. The smart associates go over and over again. A lot of times we have guest speakers and today it was one of the attorneys from our Texas Law firm.
Well He gave us a bit of wisdom during his speaking time:
"Compliments are nice, Complaints are necessary."
Like I said unpleasant but true. No one wants to get complaints but they can serve a purpose.Now I'm talking about justified complaints not those who are simply trying to milk the system or unfairly discredit a person.
The thing is complaints are your warning when something is wrong. Suppose you had a long time client who has in the past been nothing but satisfied with your business. These clients will almost never make unjustified complaints. You find that these are people who complain when something changes and the quality of your service or product declines. This should be a red flag, a signal to look at what has changed and honestly evaluate why your clients who have been happy for years are suddenly disgruntled.
A good case in point was Crystal Pepsi. Some of you might just remember that God-awful liquid. Long time Pepsi drinkers complained, some switched to Coke. Now Pepsi had two choices ignore the complaints from people who had been loyal to the brand for decades or honestly look at the complaints, realize that they had made a mistake and correct it. Pepsi chose the latter option and Pepsi is still on the shelves and even won back the clients that they had lost by listening to the complaints.
Now what would have happened if Pepsi had ignored those complaints and pridefully persisted in continuing down the path that they had chosen with Crystal Pepsi? Well they were losing clients, clients who had been supporting them for years. They would have continued losing clients perhaps even getting bought out by Rival Coke or even shutting their doors permanently.
So when you get complaints do a few things.
1. Honestly evaluate them. Are these long time clients who have been happy with your service and supported because they were happy?
2. Have you changed something recently and do the complaints coincide with that change?
3. Is it something that you can fix?
4. Determine your options to prevent the loss of your clients and win back the clients that you have lost.
It may not be easy, You may have to swallow your pride and admit you were mistaken. Businesses do this every day and the ones that do survive the complaints. The ones that don't well some of those are not businesses any longer.
The absolute worst thing that you can do is ignore it.
Well He gave us a bit of wisdom during his speaking time:
"Compliments are nice, Complaints are necessary."
Like I said unpleasant but true. No one wants to get complaints but they can serve a purpose.Now I'm talking about justified complaints not those who are simply trying to milk the system or unfairly discredit a person.
The thing is complaints are your warning when something is wrong. Suppose you had a long time client who has in the past been nothing but satisfied with your business. These clients will almost never make unjustified complaints. You find that these are people who complain when something changes and the quality of your service or product declines. This should be a red flag, a signal to look at what has changed and honestly evaluate why your clients who have been happy for years are suddenly disgruntled.
A good case in point was Crystal Pepsi. Some of you might just remember that God-awful liquid. Long time Pepsi drinkers complained, some switched to Coke. Now Pepsi had two choices ignore the complaints from people who had been loyal to the brand for decades or honestly look at the complaints, realize that they had made a mistake and correct it. Pepsi chose the latter option and Pepsi is still on the shelves and even won back the clients that they had lost by listening to the complaints.
Now what would have happened if Pepsi had ignored those complaints and pridefully persisted in continuing down the path that they had chosen with Crystal Pepsi? Well they were losing clients, clients who had been supporting them for years. They would have continued losing clients perhaps even getting bought out by Rival Coke or even shutting their doors permanently.
So when you get complaints do a few things.
1. Honestly evaluate them. Are these long time clients who have been happy with your service and supported because they were happy?
2. Have you changed something recently and do the complaints coincide with that change?
3. Is it something that you can fix?
4. Determine your options to prevent the loss of your clients and win back the clients that you have lost.
It may not be easy, You may have to swallow your pride and admit you were mistaken. Businesses do this every day and the ones that do survive the complaints. The ones that don't well some of those are not businesses any longer.
The absolute worst thing that you can do is ignore it.
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Comments (6)
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
@Mohann that applies to offline businesses too. Especially those that have a 1-800 complaint 'hotline' People have called those and get put on hold for 30 minutes or have to navigate their way through dozens on menus and never once speak to someone to lodge the complaint.
I sometimes think it is pure arrogance. Businesses forget that they need the customers way more than they customers need them. Very few businesses are in a position where they are the only game in town.
Mohann Krish6
Ignore and get ignored - that's the message to businesses. Unfortunately, in online marketing though most of the websites do have a contact form and/or feedback form, seldom do they respond except sending an automatic general reply - worse with do-not-reply warning! I wonder why people who don't know business enter into one.
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Ambassadors. I like that! And you are right. These are the people who are going to refer you and give you the word of mouth advertising.
Allan Haastrup7
Networker
True, we all want ambassadors instead of just single purchase customers. I've got some VERY good ambassadors in my offline business, just advertising me to their friends and family.
And yes these super clients get special treatment for sure.
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Thanks Allan. A true business looks for clients who will be with them for the long haul and Converting someone to a client is much harder than gaining a 'customer'. a Customer is a one shot deal a client will come back again and again to you because they are happy with you. We need to remember the minute they stop being happy-they will look for other options-someone that will give them comparable service and make them feel like a valued client again.
It's our choice to be the person that f
Allan Haastrup7
Networker
Words of wisdom well to be read, over and over again by all of us marketing anything at all.