Service Recovery

A customer complaint is an opportunity to win back a loyal customer. Many people are more likely to stay with a business, and refer them to others, if their complaints are handled well. Service recovery situations are golden opportunities to build your loyal customer base.

Customer Service Carnivale: June 22, 2009

June 22, 2009

Welcome to the June 22 edition of the Customer Service Carnivale. This week we have contributions from across the globe with ideas and suggestions to help you improve your customer service. We start with Shaun Sayers at Capable People. Shaun asks what has happened to great customer service as he shares some of his recent [...]

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Make it Personal But Don’t Take it Personally

May 27, 2009

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service: Make it personal but don’t take it personally. And here are some additional thoughts on this topic… One of my favorite lines in one of my favorite movies (You’ve Got Mail) is when Meg Ryan’s character says: Whatever else anything is, it ought to begin by being [...]

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How to Handle Customer Complaints: Tip 1

May 22, 2009

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service: When handling a customer complaint, listen completely. And here are some additional thoughts on this topic… The number one thing customers tell us they want is employees who LISTEN. This is in ALL customer interactions, not just those involving complaints. But it’s even more important when a [...]

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How to Handle Customer Complaints: Tip 2

May 21, 2009

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service: When handling a customer complaint, let them vent. And here are some additional thoughts on this topic… When you deal with a customer who is complaining (or as I prefer: “offering feedback”) often they’ll be angry. And even if they’re not visibly upset, they still want to [...]

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How to Handle Customer Complaints: Tip 5

May 20, 2009

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service: When handling a customer complaint, assure them you’ll fix the problem. And here are some additional thoughts on this topic… Customers complain for a couple reasons. One is to be heard, because they felt wronged. Another is to help you. I know it does not always SEEM [...]

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How to Handle Customer Complaints: Tip 3

May 19, 2009

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service: When handling a customer complaint, apologize and mean it. And here are some additional thoughts on this topic… This is often hard especially if you did not cause the problem. When you apologize in this situation you are not necessarily taking blame for causing the problem. You [...]

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How to Handle Customer Complaints: Tip 4

May 18, 2009

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service: When handling a customer complaint, ask them how you can make things right. Then do more. And here are some additional thoughts on this topic… Too many employees have either no response to complaints or a generic, stock response, like taking money off the bill. But that [...]

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Never explain defend or justify (part 1)

May 4, 2009

When a customer is complaining, it’s natural to want to explain why something went wrong. Sometimes it’s a defensive move; we’re deflecting the blame to the responsible person. More often though, it’s because we want to let them know we’re aware of the problem and it will not continue. Assuring them you are fixing the [...]

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How to reduce customer complaints

December 8, 2008

Here’s a creative way to keep customers from complaining. As you watch this video you’ll probably say to yourself, of course an employee wouldn’t do anything like that. After all, it’s a ‘candid camera’ type video. But, you’d be surprised. Just last week I had a customer service experience not too different from this. It’s [...]

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Thank your customers for complaining

September 24, 2008

Kevin Stirtz’s Amazing Service Rule #48: Thank your customers for complaining One of the situations people hate most is dealing with customer complaints. This is too bad because customer complaints offer a goldmine of information to companies, if they deal with them effectively. The first step to making better use of customer complaints is to

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Apologize quickly and sincerely

March 11, 2008

Amazing Customer Service Rule #32 Apologize if the customer feels you or your company let them down An apology is a bridge-builder. It can mend a broken relationship faster than anything else. And it shows the customer you are willing to take responsibility for helping them get what they want. Often people are not looking [...]

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Give customers your complete attention

February 26, 2008

Amazing Customer Service Rule #6 Give customers your complete attention. Customers consistently tell us they hate dealing with employees who don’t listen or pay attention. It’s a common and yet preventable complaint. When you begin talking with a customer, stop whatever else you are doing and focus on them. Make appropriate eye contact, listen, nod [...]

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How to Handle Customer Complaints

February 17, 2008

Fifteen years ago I had a complaint at a very well known Italian restaurant in Minneapolis. I still remember how badly the employee responded to my concern. In fact, I’ve used it in my customer service seminars. It shows the power we all have to give our customers a memorable experience. Here are some rules [...]

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