Welcome complaints.
It's about being better.
We're open about being preachy here: 'Seek criticism… not praise.' We all like praise. But constructive well-intentioned criticism is much more useful: it gives us progress… 'affirmative action toward a kinder, gentler, more honorable & professional industry'.
Hardly surprisingly, this doesn't boost our popularity. So be it—it's too important an issue to trade-off.
Smart folk know the development value of 'dealing with unhappy and disgruntled'. Although sometimes unpleasant to handle, well-founded complaints bring great opportunities for improvement. Encouraging us to 'get excited about unhappy customers!', Zig Ziglar suggests:
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.
Consider this: For every customer who lodges a complaint, there are many more who've had similar unsatisfactory experiences, but didn't complain… at least not to someone in the business—though you can bet they'll have told friends and colleagues of their bad experience.
Consequently, when a customer does complain, get excited about it. This is an opportunity to handle the situation professionally and re-earn that customer's loyalty. Fix the problem (if you can) and enjoy making future sales to that customer.
As most unhappy customers won't complain (to you), be bold… ask them if they're satisfied with your product or service—your business overall.
Through fear of criticism and confrontation, many make it difficult or inconvenient to complain. Get over it! Be pro-active. Invite your customers to give you feedback, even if it's negative. Ask them to grade you on your performance. Give them the opportunity to provide comments in writing, or via voice mail.
Welcome the complaining customer! If you do, you can reduce the overall number of complaints and the negative impact that occurs when dissatisfied customers complain to everyone but you.
Sensible stuff, Ziglar's view is a clear and unambiguous guide to anyone wanting genuine improvement. And, considering the flak directed at Network Marketing, think how much better it could be if we took note and responded accordingly—rather than as is too often the case, ignored or argued.
Filed by g on August 24 2007
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