10 Tips to Handle Customer Complaints
Author: Lasse Kohau
A) Let the customer get the word. Give them the opportunity to let steam off. Listen closely to the customer, no matter what. Show interest.
B) Say you are sorry to hear, what has appeared and the current situation. Do not admit, that someone from the organization or your organization is wrong, but are sorry.
C) Use active listening; reflect back - what the customer just said! Be smart, say – is it correct understood, that your complaint is this and that. Use active questions.
D) Get to the facts by questioning effectively, make sure to get to the heart of the customers problem, so you can be able to handle it. Remember, sometimes a problem of a customer can be a mix of problems and not listed in order of importance. Make sure, that you are getting in to the two most important problems for the customer, if it is a mix of problems.
E) Keep an open and friendly tone and mine, even though that receiving a complaint could sometime be stressful. Do not make assumptions, based on the customer story.
F) Do not argue with the customer and do not become defensive. This is one of the hardest things to master, in a service-department. This should be trained again and again by the people, who receive the complaints. Do always stay focused and concentrate on the current situation.
G) Try to find out, what the customer really wants. Do they want their money back, do they want another product, or do they want a cut in prize. Try to build on the customer’s ideas and suggestions, if you are allowed to do this by your manager/director.
H) Concentrate on your possibilities for handling the complaint. Explain to the customer, what you can do and what you not are able to do.
I) Do never impose your own solution. Get a solution with the customer, which the customer finds acceptable.
J) Summarize the solution and check that customer understands the solution. Make sure, it’s a helpful solution for the customer. Ask the customer, if the solution is helpful!
No comments Digg thisShort Story- Complaint
Author: Dalip Singh Wasan
It was the month of July and it was too hot. I was travelling from Patiala to Ambala Cantonment. The bus stopped at Rajpura and the both driver of the bus and conductor of the bus informed the passengers that Diesel is no more in the tank. The driver took a mobile from one of the passengers and informed the headquarters at Ambala. He was asked to park the bus there and there shall be a departmental enquiry as to why this happened. As per orders the bus should have full tank of diesel for the whole routes on that particular day and when the bus stopped, it was just half of its prescribed journey.
Because it was too hot and the passengers were not having any other bus of the same Corporation, they agreed that they can collect money for the diesel and with that money diesel be purchased and the bust should reach Ambala Cantonment so that passengers could catch trains from Ambala Cantonment. But the conductor did not agree for this proposal and he started signing the tickets so that the passengers could take up another bus on this route and of that Corporation. I alongwith others remained on the road for about half an hour and when I could not tolerate heat, I took up an auto and reached Rajpura Bus Stand from where I had another bus to Ambala Cantonment and thus I had to suffer mentally, physically and also financially because I had to hire an auto and then had to spend fare charges from Rajpura to Ambala Cantonment. So after returning to my home, I started writing a complaint. I had noted down the bus number and names of driver and the conductor. I drafted a very long complaint and specifically suggested that in such cases, the Corporation may take action against the erring employees, but as far as passengers were concerned, they should have been allowed to reach the destination when actually there was not breakdown. The driver and the conductor should be allowed to purchase diesel from Rajpura where the bus was standing. For the faults of the employees the passengers should not have been made to suffer. I wanted to action against the driver and the conductor because they wanted to have orders from the higher authorities. But in my heart of heart, I calculated that the Corporation shall be taking action against these two employees, because it was their duty to ensure that everything was O.K. when they actually started from their headquarters. So I was hesitating to send this drafted complaints.
And one day I actually put that complaint in an envelop and started for the post office. In the way, my friend Mr. Arora met me. All of sudden I could remember another instance which happened with me in the bus. I was to board the bus from Chandigarh to Patiala and since it was deep evening, only two or three buses were to play from Chandigarh to Patiala. I was in the line to purchase ticket when somebody hinted me towards the standing bus. I noticed that this Mr. Arora was sitting in the bus and was calling me. I left my place and turn in the line and rushed towards the bus. I boarded the bus. During those days this Mr. Arora was Accounts Officer with the Corporation to which the bus belonged. I was happy that I could have a seat. Mr. Arora and I started talking about this rush of passengers. All of sudden a lady passenger reached our three seats. The third seat was vacant. She asked me about the vacant seat and when I assured her that the seat is vacant, she asked me to give her more space. I replied,
“Madam, the third seat is already vacant. We have occupied two seats. You may sit.” But she was still insisting that I should push myself towards the third passenger i.e. Mr. Arora give her more space. When I ignored her suggestions, she started speaking against men-passengers and was still standing and making a long long speech. I still ignored her and continued my talk with Mr. Arora.
The driver of the bus had come and had taken up his seat. He set the mirror right and had a look backside. The lady passenger was still standing there. When the driver noticed her, he caught her arm and pushed her to sit on the seat saying
‘Such wear and tears always happen while travelling in this part of the country because buses are not available as per demand of the people. So we must start bearing al this wear and tear of travelling life.”
I wanted to have laugh on her, but out of fear I could not express my happiness on these remarks passed by the driver of the bus.
In a minute another old lady entered the bus and came straight towards our seat. She was trying to catch the upper rod, but since she was of short height, she was not catching the upper rod. So she went straight towards the engine. She sat there and put here dirty bag on the legs of that lady who as sitting by our side. She asked the old lady to take her bag on her own legs or put it somewhere. But the old lady started passing remarks, “You ladies from the cities are so sophisticated that you cannot bear even a bag. I have also purchased the ticket. I have spent the same amount on purchase of ticket as you have. You could get a seat. I could not get a seat and therefore, I am obliged to have this seat which is hot and it shall not be bearable in this month of summer.” The old lady was speaking. This lady was trying to push the dirty bag towards her. The old lady was pushing the dirty bag towards that lady from the urban side. The struggle continued for sometime and then the lady passed the last remarks, “I shall wait for the time when you people shall learn as to how to travel in buses or trains. It shall take another century. I shall have to take another birth to see all these development…..”
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