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Writer's picturePaul W Abernathy, CMECP®

The Disgruntled Customer

Is your business struggling with an influx of disgruntled customers? It can be tough to keep up with customer complaints, especially when you feel like you're already doing everything you can to keep them happy. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to help ease the burden. Try implementing some of these solutions the next time you're faced with a grumpy customer. 1. Offer a discount.



If you're already offering a discount to your customers, chances are that they'll be more than happy with it. However, you can also make sure that they're even happier by offering a small discount on top of their current offer. This will help keep them happy and may even encourage them to come back again.


2. while it may suck to say this, apologize for the inconvenience. No matter what caused your customer to become upset, chances are that they're not going to be happy with it. As such, you'll need to apologize for whatever that may have been and try to make up for it in some way. For example, if you're running a sale on certain items, you could offer to pay for the item in full.


3. you can ask your customer what they want. Sometimes the best way to calm a customer down is just to ask them what they want. This could be a refund, an extra discount, or anything else. By asking them what they want and giving it to them, you'll be able to turn the situation around and hopefully keep your customer. Now, when I say "give it to them" we are not talking about giving away your valuable services. We are just talking about giving them a reasonable portion of their stated expectation.



Offer whatever solution is being requested, which may mean you modify the offer a bit to make everyone involved happy. Sometimes, you'll have a customer who is being unreasonable and asking for ridiculous things. If that's the case, your best bet is to offer whatever solution they're asking for, whether it be a refund or an extra discount, within moderation of course. Remember, word of mouth is king and a customer who is disgruntled will go out of their way to bash you and your services on social media in today's world. So, think on your toes and come up with a win/win for everyone.


We have all been there, put in a herculean effort to please a customer, only to have them leave disgruntled. It is an unfortunate reality that no matter how hard we try, we will not be able to please everyone and boy have I learned that the hard way in my 30+ years of being in the electrical industry. The key is to take criticism constructively and learn from it. Use it as an opportunity to improve your business. Do not take it personally and do not get defensive. Simply listen and try to see things from the customer's perspective.


It is also important to remember that some customers are just impossible to please. No matter what you do, they will always find something to complain about. In these cases, it is best to just let them go and focus on the customers who appreciate your efforts.


In conclusion, though disgruntle customers can be frustrating, they also present an opportunity. By taking the time to listen to their concerns and addressing them accordingly, businesses can turn disgruntled customers into some of their most loyal supporters.

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