Shop NRCA has the industry resources you need
News Feb. 28, 2023

Five tips for handling customer complaints

Handling customer complaints is not always easy, but resolving issues and learning from them benefits your company. When a dissatisfied customer has a positive experience with your company regarding a complaint, it can lead to a long-term relationship.

Uschamber.com offers five ways your business can improve customer satisfaction when resolving complaints.

  1. Have a system. Some companies that do not receive many customer complaints handle each issue on a case-by-case basis, but it is important to use a system so you can address complaints in a timely and effective manner. The process could involve elements such as documenting customer complaints in a customer relationship management program; providing customer service scripts and training for employees; and examining customer feedback, identifying trends or patterns, and fixing the root cause of common problems.
  2. Demonstrate empathy. People just want to be heard; Zendesk found 49% of surveyed consumers “are seeking more empathy from customer support agents.” Listen to the issue and repeat it back to them to show you are listening. Tell them you understand their frustration.
  3. View customer complaints as an opportunity. Many customers don’t report issues, so rather than being offended by customer criticism, be grateful you have a chance to fix it. Khoros found 83% of surveyed customers “feel more loyal to brands that respond and resolve their complaints.”
  4. Practice responding to different situations. Consider various scenarios—long wait times during customer service calls, a staff member offended them, your services did not meet expectations—and the best ways to respond. Be sure employees who interact with customers know your policies and when they may want to transfer the issue to a superior.
  5. Let them know you will follow up. If you are unable to resolve a complaint during your conversation, let customers know what the next steps are and when you will get back to them. Even if you found a solution, following up shows your commitment to their satisfaction and confirms you solved the problem.
Advertisement

Subscribe for Updates Join 25,000+ roofing professionals following NRCA

Subscribe to NRCA