Entertainment

Home > Entertainment > Entertainment Industry (240 hours) > Compulsory Units > Provide quality service to customers > Provide quality service to customers

Procedures for handling customer complaints

Customer complaints are usually about poor service, faulty goods or goods that don’t meet the customer’s needs. A skilled employee can turn a customer complaint into a positive experience for the customer.

If an employee receives a customer complaint it should be dealt with quickly and sympathetically. The customer should be thanked for taking the time to highlight a problem with service or product. The majority of customers who have a problem with a business don’t complain directly to the business - they just don’t deal with the business again, and they tell their friends about the faulty product or poor service they received. The ramifications for the business are that they have definitely lost one customer and probably many more as the tale of their faulty product or service is spread by word of mouth. The business can’t do anything about it because they don’t know about it. Therefore the customer who complains is a person who is doing a service to the business and they should be treated accordingly.

Here are some basic steps to follow when dealing with a customer’s complaint.

Greet the customer, smile and tell them your name.
Ask the customer for their name (always be respectful and use their title Mr, Mrs etc). Once they have given you their name continue using it throughout the discussion.
Ask the customer the details of the complaint (it doesn’t work, couldn’t hear the microphone or the technician arrived late). Try not to interrupt the customer as people can become stressed when they are interrupted, particularly if it happens in the middle of a sentence.
Acknowledge their distress about the problem. This is important as they won’t be interested in a solution until they have had their chance to vent their anger.
Paraphrase their problem back to them to ensure you have all the facts and they are reassured that you have been listening to them.
Offer a solution (exchange the faulty product, offer a reduction of fees).
Give them something extra (an upgraded product, a discount on their next service, a voucher they can spend in the shop).
Thank them for assisting you by pointing out a problem and apologise for their inconvenience. Take care not to admit liability for the problem, just apologise for their inconvenience and distress.
Record details about the complaint such as customer’s name and contact details, the product or service, how you dealt with it and how the customer reacted.
Ring the customer a few days later to see if they are satisfied with their replaced product. Follow up after a problem ensures repeat business.

Sometimes an easy solution is not possible, and the complaint is beyond your level of authority to solve and must be passed on. If this is the case, write down the customer’s details and the nature of the problem, and, if possible, speak to the person you have referred the customer too. Let the customer know what you are doing so they do not feel excluded. It is important that the customer doesn’t have to repeat the problem to your supervisor, as this can become frustrating to the customer. If immediate assistance from a supervisor is not possible, tell the customer that their complaint will be looked at as soon as your supervisor is available. A follow up phone call after any complaint is a very good way of ensuring the customer will be a repeat customer.

Sometimes a customer can be so angry that they will raise their voice at you immediately. Do not take this personally and raise your voice back at them. Their intention is often to create a ‘scene’ and to make other customers uncomfortable. They hope that this will make you give them what they want immediately, to avoid upsetting other customers. In this situation, do not raise your voice, stay calm and continue to question them about their grievance. Often you will have to repeat a question as they were so upset they didn’t answer it the first time you asked. Use respectful language and don’t be rude to the customer, no matter how rude and inconsiderate they are being to you. Try to move them away from other customers, or maybe take them to the office or a more isolated part of the shop. Without an audience they will settle down.

If you feel the situation is beyond your ability to deal with, call for assistance from your supervisor. When your supervisor arrives, paraphrase the customer’s problems so the customer is made aware that you were paying attention. It also avoids the customer becoming upset again by having to repeat the problem.

The Money Instructor website has a very useful article about dealing with angry customers. You can find it at http://www.moneyinstructor.com >>informational resources>>sales and marketing>>Customer Service:Dealing With Angry Customers

Back to Important Notes