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Don't stop bellyaching!
Entrepreneur, August, 2002 by Nichole L. Torres
Contrary to what you might be thinking, you should be pleased when your customers complain to you. That's right. When you actively seek out honest feedback from clients--from the good stuff to the bad--you can use that valuable data to improve your products, services and marketing efforts.
So says Kristin Anderson, founder of Say What? Consulting, a management consulting firm in Burnsville, Minnesota, and co-author of Customer Relationship Management (McGraw-Hill). "Ask personally for feedback," she says. "As you probe, people will reveal their complaints."
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If you suspect your customers don't want to offend you by complaining to your face, hire a third party to get the feedback--customers will probably feel comfortable enough to speak more candidly.
Once you get the data, be sure to use it wisely. Make changes if necessary, but remember, says Anderson, "just because a customer complains about something, doesn't mean that thing is wrong."
Case in point: A hotel she once worked with received a customer complaint regarding the lack of TVs at the resort. Instead of buckling to the customer's wishes, Anderson suggested turning that negative perception around by promoting it as part of the hotel's charm, emphasizing that at this hotel, customers can be free of outside distractions and spend more time with their families.
COPYRIGHT 2002 Entrepreneur Media, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning
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