The Hindu Business Line : Why you should love a good whine

When a customer complains, show that you are listening. Lean forward, nod, make appropriate listening noises, and don't interrupt. Half the battle is won.

Did you know that the average business never hears from over 80 per cent of its unhappy customers? This single byte of data forever changed the way I viewed client complaints. Often clients simply don't have the will or energy to complain and what is worse may just quietly take their business elsewhere. But it doesn't just stop there. Unhappy clients will talk about their unpleasant experience. That's bad press for you many times over.

If that isn't reason enough to listen carefully the next time somebody comes up with a complaint, chew on this: When a client complains, it really means she/he hasn't given up on you and is willing to stay on if you will just fix his/her problem.

It does take a lot to handle a complaint the right way. Let me show you how this can be done with some grace and tact and not leave you or the complainer bruised and raw.

Atlas shrugged? No way!

One of the prerequisites to being a manager is possessing really broad shoulders. At least, figuratively. In a leadership role you need to share responsibility for slips. During one feedback session, a client told me a colleague had been on the phone taking other calls when in a meeting with him. When he brought it up, she immediately apologised and the matter was ostensibly settled. But, as the head of the company, I felt I had to apologise to him again. It went a long way towards mollifying him. Team leaders should be proactive about sharing the blame. No question of shrugging it off. That is what works best with clients.

Also in this case, the fact that he was bringing it up again, meant he had not been fully appeased. Which brings us to a key thing about handling complaints, learning how to listen.

Keep those ears cocked

Pay great attention to everything the client says. And also focus on your own body language. Show that you are listening. Lean forward, nod, make appropriate listening noises, and do NOT interrupt. Half the battle is won when you let the client get it off his/her chest. Take notes as you listen so you don't forget key points and it also shows you are taking the complaint seriously.

Empathise

"I understand your frustration," "I can imagine how difficult this is for you," such phrases spoken in full show you see and acknowledge the problem and the other person's view. Try not to show scepticism about the seriousness or the truth of the complaint. It is bound to anger the client. Even in cases where you think the complaint has no justification, listen to what is really annoying the client. Ego massages work well for sorting out complainers. But be sincere about it.

Explain and act

Finally sum up the facts and say what you are going to do to solve the issue. "The eject mechanism in your new music system keeps getting stuck and repeated repairs have not solved the problem. What I am going to do is:

1. Give you another number for logging this complaint which makes it a top priority... it is 3456D

2. Next I will send a technician to replace your system with another, while I have the piece tested in our lab for 48 hours. Sorry for the inconvenience, but we want to get it right for you this time for sure.

3. And finally, I will call you on Wednesday with the results and if it is a system fault we will have the entire piece replaced."

And when Wednesday comes around, do call or keep the client informed if there is going to be a delay.

Remember to set the stage

Whether you are having the interaction over the phone or in person, ensure the right setting. Talking to a client with frayed nerves and temper in an open, noisy office is not likely to cool him down. A quieter, closed-door room will automatically bring the stress levels down. If you can't manage that, at least try for a quiet corner or make sure everybody else in the room keeps the decibel and activity level muted. Do offer something to drink if the client is with you. The gesture helps even if the offer is turned down. And it makes it that much more difficult for the client to get abrasive when you are at your gracious and polite best. It's called defusing the situation.

A final word. Indian consumers are getting increasingly conscious of their right to a good product and service. They rarely tolerate shortcomings in either, unlike not so long ago when they would expect things to go wrong as a matter of course. And if you are dealing with a client from a Western culture, again there is no room for mistakes!

(The writer is Founder-Director of Global Adjustments, the Chennai-headquartered cross-cultural training and services company)

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