Take it offline.
Businesses often make the mistake of trying to
say too much or fix the problem online in front
of everyone and not only can that blow up in your
face it is also not what other customers want to see.
Customers only are interested if you are reacting
and responding. Tha t is truly what they care about
and if you have reacted quickly and professionally
then they assume the rest of the transaction will
follow suit.
Don’t take it personally.
I know this one is difficult for most people… we
work hard every day helping people with their eye
care and eyewear needs so it is like a personal attack
when someone vents online for everyone to see. Take
a deep breath… understand that in the large scheme
of things only a few of the hundreds of people you
help ever complain and of those most have a valid
concern. It is better to deal with it head on and as
fast as possible. In my experience, when you react
fast and with empathy the person involved usually
responds favourably and feels guilty about complaining. They may even remove the review if it is
handled well.
Own the problem.
Don’t give them any reason to come back and add to
the complaint. Once you have publicly apologized,
do what you know needs to be done to fix or investigate
the issue at hand. Most customers are not expecting full refunds or free eyewear, they are likely just
looking to get the problem fixed and maybe some
small compensation for their time and trouble.
Take ownership and see the complaint handled and
resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Last note: Don’t forget to respond to good reviews
as well. Thank them for their time and comments.
Trudi Charest is the Co-Founder of 4ECPs, a business
resource company for eye care professionals.
www.4ecps.com or [email protected].