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Getting customers to complain

Going beyond comment cards to really understand shoppers is one key to loyalty.

January 4, 2009

For retailers, encouraging customers to lodge complaints in the store, where something can be done, is more complicated than it may seem. The simple truth is that silent customers can be deadly to a business. They regularly disseminate negative word-of-mouth advertisements, and they often choose to stop patronizing the business for good. Meanwhile, they add costs to a retailer's marketing and sales efforts by creating a negative image in the marketplace.

Complaints are ultimately a symptom of a poor customer-service process. So getting customers to complain requires some thought and restructuring of a business in terms of creating strong relationships and trust, creating new ways for them to give feedback and taking a serious look at the staff.

The relationship comes first

A key to getting customers to come back is the level of service and relationship building he has experienced with the staff. But sometimes in the hustle and bustle of running a business, that part of the experience begins

The simple truth is that silent customers can be deadly to a business.
to suffer. To encourage customers to complain, a retailer must take stock of the trust level and overall relationship with its customer base and come up with subtle ways to promote honesty in patrons' opinions of the business.

"Any time we are asking for complaints, we must come across as really wanting the opportunity to serve the client better," said Bob Hausladen, president of New Horizons, a performance-coaching company. If the existing relationship between the retailer and the customer is in fact a relationship and not just a transaction, half the battle is finished.

"Trust begets trust," said Hausladen. "If you've been willing to gently tell them bad news in the past (for example), customers will reciprocate."

Getting them to talk

Retailers should use other tactics to promote honesty from customers, which will help create a strong relationship mentality. Addressing potential business pitfalls also is important.

First, "if you have a good relationship, ask for a referral. If your clients are unwilling to give one, assume that something is not quite where they would like it," said Hausladen.

Secondly, retailers must pay attention to how they ask the question. Asking what is wrong with a business can create an uncomfortable pressure for customers. Said Hausladen, "Ask what could have made their experience even better. People are more likely to respond to a positive spin."

Lastly, it's a good idea to have a third party (other t

How Costly Are Unheard Complaints?
  • 85 percent of customers who stop buying from a company do so because they believe the company does not care about them or their business.
  • Only 4 percent of disgruntled customers report their complaints. The other 96 percent simply take their business elsewhere.
  • Lowering the percentage of customers who stop buying by as little as 5 percent can increase a company's profits by as much as 85 percent.
  • It is 5 times as costly to acquire new customers as it is to keep current ones.
han an employee) helping the customer ask about possible issues. "We do recommend having someone other than the person providing the experience ask the question," said Kurt Mischler, a partner with hiring-assessment company AxiomOne. "The client is more apt to provide critical insight into any negative experience."

Setting the example

A retailer's staff plays the most important role in keeping shoppers happy.

"It is possible for staff to turn off customers so badly that no complaints are received," said Hausladen. While many employees can be trained to perform well in a customer-service role, some personalities simply may not fit.

"When you have the right goals and identify an employee who listens to understand, takes personal accountability, is able to gain acceptance of ideas and senses what others are feeling, you have the foundation for an employee with the right stuff," said Hausladen.

But it's not enough to simply have the right staff — retailers also need clear directives, starting with management.

"Management needs to generate an environment of trust in the organization by walking the walk," said Hausladen. "If employees see that the organization has integrity and tells the truth, they will be more likely to do so."

 In other words, if management focuses on other values, such as short-term profit, those mixed messages will destroy relationship-building efforts on the store floor. But retailers shouldn't misinterpret "walking the walk" as creating a laundry list of rules for employees to follow.

"Ask what could have made their experience even better. People are more likely to respond to a positive spin."—Bob Hausladen, president, New Horizons
"You need to set your people free to solve internal and external complaints on their own, and there is only one way to accomplish it — a clear company vision and values," said Mischler.
 "Employees need to understand what the real values and expectations are for a business. With a good set of values and proper vision in place, you don't have to spend countless hours trying to create processes that account for every issue that will arise."

The bottom line about getting complaints is that they are a reflection of much larger business issues. Many hours and many internal changes often are necessary to create a culture that addresses customer complaints in-store, before the damage is permanent.

The good news is that customer complaints and the way they are addressed are fixable with some forethought and time investment — change takes real effort, and a half-day seminar is unlikely to make much of a difference.

Brian Laythe, Ph.D., is a psychologist, a professor and a partner with Shihan Kye Ambassador Service, a company that behaviorally trains employees to create lasting change in customer service. He can be reached atbrian.laythe@shihankey.com.

 

 

 

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