I own an Edible Arrangements franchise in Los Angeles with a manager, several employees and, fortunately, a whole lot of customers. My favorite customers are those who complain.
Angry customers who voice their concerns are much better than upset customers who don’t express their dissatisfaction. When people complain, it’s because they care and want things made right. For a smart business person, that’s an opportunity.
No one expects perfection. People understand that mistakes are made. But when they complain, they expect to hear resistence and defensiveness. Let’s face it, there’s not a lot of good customer service out there, and even fewer people who want to take responsibility.
When someone complaints, don’t make it about right and wrong. It doesn’t matter whose mistake it was. What matters is satisfying the customer. Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because of the impression it makes on customers. It’s easy to please these people. Offer to serve them again with a little more personal supervision. Offer a credit or a refund, and still provide the product or service to show them how good it supposed be. Most importantly, validate their concerns and apologize. They’re complaining because they care. When they see you care, it demonstrates your commitment to quality and customer satisfaction.
In my experience at my store, when we can please an angry customer, they return over and over over. And they tell their friends. Embrace these people and serve them well. It’s the right thing to do, and it’s just good business.
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- Purpose Over Politics
