2.  When customers are unhappy with service they have two options:  They can say something (talkers)  Or they can walk away (walkers). 20092© Jacqui Knight

3.  Walkers give businesses no chance to fix what was wrong.  Research tells us that walkers tell twenty people about the bad deal they/think they got – about five times as many as a satisfied customer would tell! 20093© Jacqui Knight

4.  It’s cheaper to keep customer loyal than to acquire new customers.  A cellphone company calculated it cost $200-$300 to acquire a new customer, including advertising, direct marketing etc.  But keeping that customer cost only $20-$30! 20094© Jacqui Knight

5.  Talkers give us an opportunity to return them to a state of satisfaction so they are more likely to buy from us again.  So as much as we might not like negative feedback, customers who complain are giving us a gift. 20095© Jacqui Knight

6. If we see complaints as gifts we can more readily use the information complaints generate to grow our business. 20096© Jacqui Knight

7.  Customer complaints are one of the most available and yet under-utilised sources of consumer and market information.  As such they can become the foundation for a company’s quality and service recovery programme. 20097© Jacqui Knight

8.  Many people find it hard to accept criticism.  According to statistics up to half the buying public has some type of complaint each year.  15-25% of all purchases involve a problem. 20098© Jacqui Knight

9.  We cannot possibly try and keep everyone happy.  What we can do is ascertain why some people aren’t happy… and try to address that.  Welcome constructive feedback as a way of gathering free marketing data and use it to increase sales and profits. 20099© Jacqui Knight

10.  By caring about the customer enough to ask what is wrong, and how we can fix it we can turn that complaining customer, the walker, quite quickly into a friend.  We just have to look at things from their point of view.  Sometimes it means we have to admit we ‘stuffed up’. 200910© Jacqui Knight

11.  If customers get good service when they’ve complained, they will come back.  They’ll go out of their way to go longer distances.  They will be willing to pay higher prices and say good things. 200911© Jacqui Knight

12.  BUT If they walk away... they will tell all their friends. 200912© Jacqui Knight

13.  Those friends will remember if your name comes up in conversation  and the story will grow too! 200913© Jacqui Knight

14.  The point is to not alienate people that aren’t happy.  Or for that matter, people you don’t like… people who your friends don’t like…or people that have grudges against you, your family or friends.  Treat everyone the same when you’re in business. 200914© Jacqui Knight

15.  It can be an educational and rewarding experience turning walkers into talkers.  Learn to look at body language as you deal with customers. 200915© Jacqui Knight

16.  Perhaps they’re confused as to how you calculated the charge.  Or they don’t understand your service or product. 200916© Jacqui Knight

17. There is a process for dealing with irate customers. 200917© Jacqui Knight

18.  Firstly, thank the person for the complaint and explain why you appreciate it.  This tends to disarm the person. 200918© Jacqui Knight

19.  It is difficult to perceive you as the enemy when you are expressing appreciation for the chance to do something constructive about the problem.  It also helps you adjust your own attitude. 200919© Jacqui Knight

20.  Justifiably or not, the angry customer’s perception is that you have disappointed her or him.  Sometimes you can fix the problem. 200920© Jacqui Knight

21.  At least you can provide more information – the background for understanding the realities that are perceived as the problem.  Sometimes you can’t achieve anything – but at least you have the opportunity to try. 200921© Jacqui Knight

22.  Customers who complain can be seen as troublemakers or assets.  The choice is yours! 200922© Jacqui Knight

23.  If you choose to see their message as useful information and an opportunity, then the interaction is less stressful for us and more productive. 200923© Jacqui Knight

24. See COMPLAINTS as GIFTS Turn the TALKERS into WALKERS and they’ll come RUNNING back. 200924© Jacqui Knight