Our most powerful
instinct is to avoid customer complaints, but they may be the best
thing that happens to your business. Here's why...
Marketing research
shows that only 1 out 50 unhappy customers take the time to
complain... to you. They are likely to let 11 of their friends in on
the fact that they are unhappy, but don't feel comfortable letting you
know. What happens to the 49 unhappy customers who don't complain?
Besides griping to 11 friends and family members, they'll just change
products or places of business.
Complaining
Customers Are A Bonus
Let's forget about
the fact that complaining customers aren't always polite or fun to
deal with. What's really happening when they let you know that you
didn't meet their expectations?
1. They are giving
you the opportunity to fix the problem and keep them as customers.
2. Let you in on
problems that may have turned 49 other customers away.
Encourage
Complaints
Yeah, I know... I
dread them too, but they are tools for growing your business. How
easy is it for your customers to let you know they are dissatisfied
with your product or service? Make it easy by...
1. Offering a
toll-free complaint hotline.
2. Make customer
satisfaction surveys available.
3. Send follow up
postcards after the purchase.
4. Make a place on
your Website for customer complaints.
The Unhappy
Customer's Options
An unhappy customer
can do one of four things:
1. Keep silent
2. File a lawsuit
or report you to an government agency
3. Give you bad
word-of-mouth advertising
4. Complain to you
Remember that your
customers and clients know your businesses strengths and weaknesses
much better than you do! They have first-hand experience to make
their judgment from. When a customer takes the time to let you know
what you need to improve you truly owe them a thank you! And don't
forget... an unhappy customer that you turn into a happy customer
becomes a loyal, life-long customer. Yeah, customer complaints pay
off in the long run.
Who is Allyn
Cutts, and why should you care?
Allyn has spent over
24 years helping businesses like yours find new customers and increase
sales to current customers. Allyn is a marketing and sales fanatic,
providing measurable marketing solutions that drive huge results for
small-to mid-size business clients. Allyn works personally with
clients to design and deliver off-line and on-line direct marketing
strategies that focus on metrics and measurable results. You can learn
more about Allyn Cutts at
www.AllynCutts.com and you can call 610.437.4106 between 10 AM and
4 PM Eastern Time Tuesdays and Thursdays.
