We all make mistakes from time to time. When it comes to running a business, these mistakes can lead to a customer making a complaint. This is looked at in depth in the section entitled ‘When things go wrong’. In this introduction I would like to point out the ten expectations that customers commonly have when it comes to having a complaint resolved. By knowing what your customers expect, you may develop
a greater understanding of the complaint process and of ways to resolve complaints quickly and fairly. Customers expect most of the following whenever they make a complaint:
1. To be treated with respect (acknowledgment that their
business is important).
2. To be addressed by name in a courteous and sincere manner.
3. To deal with someone in authority who can resolve the
complaint quickly.
4. To have the complaint taken seriously.
5. To receive an explanation of how a particular problem
occurred.
6. To be called back when promised.
7. To be given progress reports if a problem can’t be resolved
on the spot.
8. To be given options to resolve a problem.
9. To receive a sincere apology when an error is made.
10. To be assured that the problem won’t happen again.
As business owners and operators, it’s easy to be defensive
when a customer makes a complaint. However, we should all
be grateful, because it gives us the opportunity to do something
about it. Unfortunately, most complaints are never
voiced; unhappy customers simply go elsewhere and tell their
friends to avoid your business. Look at every complaint as an
opportunity.