Many businesses simply focus on properly addressing customer dissatisfaction after the fact. But you can set yourself apart from the competition by stopping these complaints before they even happen. Here’s what you need to know to implement this strategy successfully and turn a dissatisfied customer into a satisfied customer:
What Are the Most Common Types of Customer Complaints?
Before we discuss how to be proactive about customers who have a negative experience, we need to cover some of the most common sources of customer complaints. Understanding where customer complaints generally come from can help your customer service representatives take the necessary steps to address a bad experience before they become an issue.
Make sure to have your customer support team watch all of your customer engagement channels. Negative feedback from an irate customer can come from:
- Social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc)
- Live chat
- Online forums
- Google reviews
- Online platforms for groups
You’ll want to have your customer service reps monitor all of these when handling customer complaints.
1. Inventory Issues
Common issues of customer complaints can relate to inventory. Customers expect you to have the products that they want to buy in your store. After all, they have put in all the work in terms of research and have come so close to buying — only to not actually be able to.
Not only is this frustrating to customers, but it should also be frustrating to you as a business owner since you’re essentially losing sales. Inventory can be a tricky thing to deal with due to changing supply and demand, but a great inventory management system and strategy can help you consistently stock the right products in the right quantities.
2. Shipping Issues
Another common source of unhappy customers relates to shipping issues. When customers make a purchase, they expect to receive their items in the specified time frame. However, all sorts of things can delay the shipping process — some that you can control and some that simply are not your fault.
For instance, slow processing and picking of the order can delay shipping. You can control this by optimizing your picking process in the warehouse. On the other hand, carrier delays due to things like weather are impossible to control. Instead, in these situations, you simply need to prioritize communication.
3. Product Issues
Perhaps the worst type of customer complaint relates to product issues as it is directly related to who you are as a company. There is a wide range of different issues that upset customers can develop related to your products.
For instance, maybe it wasn’t what they expected in terms of size, color, general description, etc. Maybe they couldn’t figure out how to actually use the product. Maybe the product arrived damaged or broke after a short period of time. In any case, you need to take these customer complaints seriously, ask the right questions, and work to resolve them however you can.
4. Technology Issues
One underrated source of customer complaints relates to technology issues. If you’re an online business, your website is essentially your entire business. As a result, it needs to work properly in order for your business to be successful. A website that is too slow or has server issues is going to turn off customers and end up hurting your business if you’re not careful.
5. Customer Service Issues
A rather serious source of customer complaints relates to customer service issues. Perhaps your customer service agent wasn’t as helpful or interested as they should have been. Perhaps they didn’t follow up with the customer about an issue. Or perhaps they were just flat-out rude.
In any case, top-notch customer service needs to be a top priority for any business. Not only does it help convert potential customers, but it also helps retain and establish loyal customers.
How to Stop Customer Complaints Before They Happen?
Based on some of the common sources of customer complaints, we can now talk about how to be proactive and prevent these issues from developing in the first place. Here are the steps that you need to take to stop customer complaints before they even happen:
1. Utilize Insightful Data
The first thing that you can do to stop customer complaints before they happen is to utilize data. You should be logging and analyzing all of your previous customer complaints. Based on that information, you can effectively pinpoint problem areas and take action to address them before additional issues develop.
For instance, say that you have a high amount of previous complaints about a specific product feature. Based on this information, you can tweak this feature in future versions of the product. Or say that a high number of customers are having issues actually using a product. From there, you can prioritize education and come up with more insightful materials that you can provide to your customers.
2. Incorporate the Best Technology
The second thing that you can do to stop customer complaints before they happen is to incorporate the best customer service software into your business. Some business owners hesitate to invest in technology because it can be hard to see or measure direct results from these investments. However, you should never underestimate the value of helpful technology that enhances your customer satisfaction.
For instance, you may want to invest in a live-chat customer service tool for your website. That way, customers can quickly and easily get the information about a specific issue they need to complete a purchase. You may also want to invest in things like website design, website hosting, website security, etc., to provide a better experience for your customers.
3. Practice Clear and Efficient Communication
The third thing that you need to do to stop customer complaints before they happen is to practice clear and efficient communication. You need to clearly communicate with your customers every step of the way to set expectations. If anything does happen during the processing or shipping processes, you need to keep the customer in the loop to help mitigate the situation.
4. Provide Better Training to Your Customer Service Team
The fourth thing that you need to do to stop customer complaints before they happen is to provide better training to your customer service team. Your customer service team should be a professional team made up of experienced customer service experts. But no matter how much experience or training your representatives have, sometimes it’s helpful to have a refresher course.
Your customer service team should be trained to:
- Stay calm and control their emotions when receiving negative comments
- Show empathy for the customer’s experience
- Provide a sincere apology while handling the customer’s problem
- Overall, strive to make the interaction a positive experience that meets the customer’s needs
However, customer service should extend beyond your actual customer service team. It should be prioritized within nearly every aspect of your business from top to bottom. For instance, warehouse workers should prioritize customer service to get orders out quickly. Higher-level employees should prioritize customer service by promoting positive traits like active listening, understanding, problem-solving, and communication.
5. Ask for and Incentivize Customer Feedback
The fifth and final thing that you need to do to stop customer service complaints before they happen is to ask for and incentivize customer feedback. This approach can get you the information you need to improve your business before customers get to the point of making a complaint. So make it a habit to reach out to customers and ask for open-ended feedback or potential areas of improvement.
The best way to get customer feedback is to use incentives by offering a simple incentive like a 10% off coupon or a free product sample.
Final Thoughts on Customer Complaints
With the right approach, dedication, and consistency, you can address common areas of customer complaints and stop them before they even happen. From there, you can continue to grow your business. For more growth strategies and advice, feel free to reach out to Greg Gillman for expert input.
Sources:
How to Stop Customer Complaints Before They Happen | Shopify
Training Customer Service Employees to Make a Positive Difference | Forbes
