Janelle Barlow is the co-author of two bestselling business books, “A Complaint Is a Gift” and “Emotional Value.” “A Complaint Is a Gift” is currently available in 14 foreign languages. As a speaker, she draws upon her broad educational background and practical management experience. Over 100,000 people from all continents have participated in her training programs and speeches.
You’ve read the statistics: customers don’t complain. Actually, it’s not that customers don’t complain; it’s just that they rarely tell someone who can do something about the situation. Complaining customers tell lots of people about their woes—their friends, family, and just about anyone with whom they are affiliated. Unfortunately, people in businesses who can do anything about the complaint are frequently the last to know when something goes wrong or if there’s a better way to offer their services.
If your feedback enables an organization you regularly buy from to improve its service, then you make it a stronger company.
In order for businesses to be successful, one of the best ways is to keep their existing customers. And this means they have to satisfy customers. That’s not a problem when things are going well. It’s when there is a mishap that businesses benefit from having their customers speak up. In this way, whenever you are a customer, you can think about your complaint as a “gift.” You’re giving them information that can help drive improvement and maybe even keep you as a customer.
Customers may forget that when they are standing in a line and they complain to others waiting with them about slow service, that feedback is not likely to get to someone who can fix this problem. If you encounter a rude waiter on a cruise, or interact with someone who doesn’t follow through on a promise, and you only complain to your spouse or the people who are dining at your table, that cruise line will not get to address the issue. more…
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