On Wednesday, January 25, 2012, the Wisconsin BBB hosted a networking and customer service luncheon for BBB accredited businesses and their guests. Below is a list of typical customer service problems, and the solutions offered by experienced customer service personnel who attended the luncheon:
Problem: A customer complains about the price after the work has been completed.
- Give the customer an estimate
- Create an experience
- Establish trust and credibility
- Meet in the middle
- Offer a gift with purchase
- Price Guarantee
- Refund
Problem: A false negative report is posted.
- Respond to the report
- Call a competitor
- Report the email
- Call the client
Problem: There was a mix-up on the appointment time, and it was the client’s fault.
- Ask client how they want to communicate (via text, phone, email, mail)
- Use non-traditional methods (conference call, video call) to make up the meeting
- If the client is late once, try to accommodate
- If the client is late often, maybe it is time to end the relationship and send the client elsewhere
Problem: Work was not completed on time.
- Have specific contractual terms
- Open communication with customer
- Inform client/Customer
- Explain
- Go to a secondary supplier/vendor
- Apologize
Problem: Unrealistic expectations.
- Outline the scope of the work
- Written expectations/signature
- Consistency of message/reinforcement
- Do not over promise-reconfirm service if issue arises
- Resolve quickly (before they can retaliate)
Problem: There is a complaint about a company employee.
- Generate a way to hold everyone to a higher level of responsibility
- Make employees take ownership of actions
- During the initial contact with the customer, make sure he or she understands who manages whom and how to contact these people
- Talk to the customer/client and make sure that they understand that you will take care of the situation
- Answer on the web with the person responsible
Problem: A negative remark is posted online before it can be fixed.
- Be proactive
- Use customer surveys immediately after job completion
- Have a plan in place to handle negative posts and empower staff to handle the situation
- Let customers know whom to contact with concerns
- Have a rebuttal to negative online posts
Problem: The customer is required to write a review and it’s negative.
- Contact the source (website or customer)
- Post a response or comment to the review
- Find out where the review came from
- Post a rebuttal (via social media, website)
- Google search how to help
- Be proactive
