Customer Service Training Tip – FAQ #6 Handling Customer Complaints

This is the sixth in a series of ten frequently asked questions and answers about customer service. Please feel free to share your answer or comments to these questions.

What is the best way to handle a customer complaint?

There are entire books written with numerous techniques on how to handle complaints. Still, I have a quick answer. What you do to fix a customer’s problem or complaint is not as important as the ultimate goal, which is to re-establish the customer’s confidence.

My simple formula has three parts:

1. Fix what needs fixing. It really doesn’t even matter how, as long as it is fixed.

2. Do it with the right attitude: one with ownership and accountability.

3. Do it fast. Urgency is of the utmost importance.

As long as you are not a company or organization that is constantly having problems, the above formula will help re-establish customer confidence most of the time. Their trust in you will get them to come back, and their trust will grow when you can take a bad situation and turn it around for them (and for you)!

Please share with us your answer or comments to the above question. Thank you!

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert,  professional  speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact (314) 692-2200 or http://www.hyken.com. For information on The  Customer  Focus™ customer service training programs go to http://www.thecustomerfocus.com/. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken
(Copyright ©MMXII, Shep Hyken)