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Building on last week’s post about negative reviews, it’s worth discussing how to handle direct complaints. This method can be used to respond to negative customer reviews, as well.
When faced with a customer unhappy with the product or service they’ve received, an acronym to remember is BLAST.
1. Believe.
Even if the customer is wrong, they’re not. Dismissing them (or worse, ridiculing them) almost always leads to a PR crisis, usually in the form of a negative review or social media post — which automatically puts you on the defensive. Approach the interaction from a standpoint of believing the customer, because their perception is shaping their perception of you and your company.
2. Listen.
Hear them out. Many times, your customer just wants you to know that something broke and needs to be fixed. Sometimes, it’s so bad that the customer is considering seeking out your competitors — all is not lost!
3. Apologize.
First and foremost, and after hearing your customer out, the next step is to apologize sincerely for the inconvenience and dissatisfaction they’ve experienced. Even if the issue was beyond your control or the result of a misunderstanding, a genuine apology goes a long way in diffusing tension and demonstrating humility. Similar to responding to reviews, avoid making excuses or placing blame. Take responsibility and express your sincere regret.
4. Solve.
With the customer’s concerns understood and acknowledged, then it’s time to work towards a solution. Depending on the nature of the complaint, it might be as easy as replacing a defective product, offering a refund or credit, or providing some other compensation or solution. The key is to focus on restoring trust and satisfaction — this means being proactive in offering solutions and striving to exceed their expectations wherever possible. Similar to responding to a review, your commitment to customer satisfaction here has the potential to turn a negative experience into a positive one — but it all depends on you.
5. Thank.
Finally, thank them for bringing the issue to you. A customer complaining to you instead of going home and writing a negative review has done you a huge favor by allowing you to proactively resolve it instead of starting behind the 8-ball with a bad review.
The beauty of the BLAST method is in its simplicity. All you have to it is your sincerity and dedication to satisfying your customer and you can recover from a hiccup and improve customer loyalty on the other side — all while identifying issues that will help prevent recurrence in the future.
