Customer complaints are a natural consequence of doing business; no matter how good your customer service is, they cannot be avoided. Despite how uncomfortable they might be, avoiding them is not the best option, as they actually provide an opportunity to deepen a customer’s trust in your company, and your relationship with them as a consequence.

Customer complaints 101

The term customer complaint refers to pieces of negative feedback in relation to your company’s product, service, or support experience. With the rise of the internet, higher expectations have been placed on companies, which in its turn has raised the bar for what quality customer service means.

Examples of common concerns

Delayed Responses

When customers are reaching out, whether they are upset or not, it is highly likely that waiting for prolonged periods will make them upset. In the case that they already had an issue, it might even make it worse.

Horatio’s tip: Long wait times are signaling a problem. Either there is too much volume for the number of workers you have assigned to handle customer service or they’re being inefficient with their time. Therefore, to fix it, you will either need to re-train your current workers to improve their efficiency or hire more people.

At Horatio, we can do this, and more, by optimizing and personalizing your CX processes, while providing you with dedicated agents for your company.

Service or Product Issues

Customers generally complain when a service or product does not meet their expectations, which can happen even to the best of companies.

Horatio’s tip: First, make sure that they’ve actually bought the product and are not testing to see your reaction. Once you verify your order, it is important to make the customer feel understood and that their grievances or complaints will be taken into consideration, no matter what your compensation policy is.

Delivery Delays

Even if the product was up to par with the customer’s expectation, delays in its arrival might prompt the customer to complain.

Horatio’s tip: Determine what caused the delay in the first place, so you can both provide your customer with a clear answer and attempt to prevent it from repeating.

A guide to turning customer complaints into a benefit

What prompts a customer to complain is more than a desire to hurt your company, it’s a desire to air out their frustration in hopes of getting a solution. This is where, if things are handled properly, your company can thrive due to customer complaints.

In order to positively handle customer complaints, they need to be properly analyzed and drivers for adjustment and change within the company.

Also, making yourself accessible to your customers is essential. You need to be wherever they choose to be so you can identify and monitor what they’re sharing.

Horatio’s tip: Cultivate the right tone of voice, acknowledge their frustrations, and set realistic expectations. Through these efforts.

At Hire Horatio, we do this and more for you through the constant care and effort of our devoted agents.

A Deep Dive into Common Questions

When do I escalate to management?

The general rule is to stick to your policy. However, when customers refuse to accept this, get out of hand or become overly emotional, escalating to your manager might be the best course of action.

When do I bend the rules?

The old saying “the customer is always right” might sound controversial, and the line must be drawn wherever you are comfortable. Just keep in mind that being right or being at peace are sometimes mutually exclusive in our digital age, where giving in might be the only thing stopping a social media crisis from happening.

When do I offer discounts/refunds/gifts/etc.?

If the company has made a mistake, the best course of action is to pacify the customer with some sort of compensation. This could be a discount, refund, gift, or anything that would serve to show the customer that you are sorry for what happened.

Elevate your Customer Service

At Hire Horatio, we are committed to building a personalized customer experience that feels like an extension of your team. If you wish to increase customer satisfaction and reduce customer churn, contact us to elevate your customer experience!