Every day we come into contact with many different services that help us optimize our tasks. We choose them for a simple reason – they work! (Or they should work).
On the other hand, if that service you use so much starts to malfunction, you'll be very disappointed and will complain, simply because it doesn't deliver the experience you expect, right?
It is also your responsibility to charge for these results, especially since you paid for this service.
And that's where the big question comes in. Unfortunately, the word "complaint" has a negative connotation for most people, but it shouldn't be that way. However, it's worth reflecting briefly on this concept.
For example, if you arrive at the company early in the morning and receive a call from a dissatisfied customer, you'll think: "I already have a complaint first thing in the morning.".
However, this complaint represents a chance for you to fix things and strengthen your relationship with your client. And to change this negative concept about the word "complaint," could we call it "feedback"? So that early morning call was feedback, right?
New consumer behaviors
The phrase "consumers are more demanding than ever, you need to think of something different for this new audience" has become a cliché.
Okay, that's true and everyone already knows it, because the success of any company, regardless of its field of activity, depends on the same thing: customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Another phrase you've probably heard countless times is "the customer is always right." After all, they're the ones who pay the salaries, and they're the ones who bring growth and profitability to your company.
Therefore, you should keep in mind that feedback is valuable information that your customer is giving you about what they expect from your service or product.
Whether the feedback is negative or positive, it will highlight areas you need to improve, such as inappropriate behavior or something that ultimately affects your store's performance.
However, it is the company's role to understand the customer's perspective and provide the necessary support and attention to ensure their satisfaction and loyalty.
Keep loyal customers close
Loyal customers recommend your company to others and also have a high return rate for new business, allowing you to achieve a higher closing percentage than your competitors.
Have you ever heard the saying, "Do you know who the best salesperson in the world is? – A satisfied customer!" They sell your company, brand, and product without charging a commission. Ready to focus more on customer loyalty?
Another very important factor that companies need to pay close attention to is the customer profile. The biggest challenge today is related to the young consumer, who is connected to the internet and has access to all kinds of product and company information with just one click.
Research shows that the younger the customer, the lower their level of satisfaction, since they were born into a society that offers countless options.
Therefore, invest your time in getting to know your company's audience better. The more you know your ideal customer, the better your communication with them will be, and, in addition, your marketing and sales team will have even more compelling arguments to close new sales.
Invest in a customer loyalty program
Just as important as ensuring good service for each of your customers is creating reasons for them to remain loyal to your company and continue doing business with you.
A customer loyalty program is a great idea for this, because through this program your company offers real reasons for the customer to continue doing business with you.
Therefore, it is essential that your company is prepared and creates ways to understand which customers are dissatisfied and why.
It's necessary to understand what's going on in your customers' minds, what their perception is of the product or service offered by your company, and, most importantly, what aspects your company needs to improve to guarantee their satisfaction.
The numbers don't lie
A very interesting statistic, according to Philip Kotler, is that 95% of very dissatisfied customers don't complain; they simply switch suppliers. In other words, if a customer complains, it's because they care about remaining a customer. And that should be taken into consideration.
A case cited by Kotler in his book "Marketing Management" is that of the 3M, where he claims that more than 2/3 of its ideas for improving products and services arise from customer complaints. This shows us another important factor: Simply listening to customer feedback is not enough. Actions for improvement must be taken.
Kotler states: “Of the customers who file a complaint, between 54% and 70% will do business with the company again if their complaints are resolved. The percentage reaches 95% if they feel they were attended to quickly.”.
But, unfortunately, the reality is that only half of those who complain claim to receive a quick and satisfactory solution to the problem.
Another very important statistic about customer dissatisfaction is that, on average, a satisfied customer tells 3 people about their positive experience with your company. Whereas a dissatisfied customer tells 11 people about their negative experience.
I believe that last number is a bit outdated, because today with just one click it's possible to impact thousands of people positively or negatively regarding their brand experience.
Furthermore, we are increasingly inclined to recommend good products and services. But regardless of the number, negative publicity is not good for your company!
Furthermore, here are some other relevant facts about the importance of listening to and acting on your customer feedback:
- 58% never use a company again after a negative experience – NewVoice
- For every dissatisfied consumer who complains, 26 remain silent – White House Office of Consumer Affairs
- It takes 12 positive experiences to offset 1 unresolved negative experience – Glance
- Investing in customer retention is 5-25 times cheaper than acquiring a new customer – Harvard Business Review
- Resolve a complaint in the customer's favor and they have a 70% chance of doing business with you again – Lee Resources
- On average, loyal customers are worth up to 10 times more than their first purchase – Institute of Customer Service
Conclusion
I imagine that by now, it must be clear how important it is for you to build customer loyalty and resolve their complaints, right?
If you don't have any mechanism to gather feedback from your customers to learn how to improve your business, you're wasting time and money. Be sure to listen to and evolve your business frequently, stay competitive, and be attentive to customer needs.
Ensuring the success and satisfaction of your company's customers is no easy task, but it is a factor that can guarantee the survival of your brand in this highly competitive market.
Companies are created to solve someone's problem. Based on this principle, you need to understand the problem to be solved, the best way to solve it, and, most importantly, how people facing the same problem would like it solved. Embrace the consumer's perspective and be the service you would want yourself!