Satisfied Customers are Disloyal and as for the Whingers!

If customer service is all it’s cracked up to be, how come customers tell us they are satisfied with the product and the service, but if it’s more convenient or a lower price, they buy from the opposition?

Ever asked yourself that question?  If so, you are not alone.

Does that mean that customers are disloyal or does it mean that we aren’t asking the right question?

Here’s an example of the service provider asking the wrong question. 

One Sunday recently I was out for lunch with three family members.  It’s a place we’d been to once before and enjoyed the outlook, the food and the experience.  On this occasion the service was slow and inattentive.  I was picking up the tab and it wasn’t cheap.  One of the group was happy with her meal but for the other three it was a real disappointment; definitely not worth the wait.  Which is exactly what my wife and I were quietly saying to one another when the head waiter came up and asked, “How was your meal?”

We both turned to him and said, “Fine.”

Why did we do that?  Because we couldn’t be bothered with the hassle of how he might handle our negative comments and we didn’t care enough to give him honest feedback.  We weren’t willing to make the emotional investment.  Perhaps if the staff had demonstrated by their actions that they were concerned about the delay in taking our order, bringing the drinks and eventually bringing the meal, we might have returned the favour, but we didn’t.  Our feedback implied that everything was satisfactory.  Yet in the car going home Gwen and I decided that we wouldn’t be going back there again.

So, when you hear people complain, welcome their comments.  I know a lot of them don’t do it in the most pleasant manner but that doesn’t make their feedback any less valuable.

We need to get across the message that complaints are a gift and we should express gratitude to the givers of those gifts.  If that is our belief, then we can learn and profit from the negative feedback.  Then, we need to ensure that we and all of our team are schooled in the techniques for handling negative comments and unpleasant behaviour (I’ll write an article on this soon).

It’s not natural to be pleasant to people who are being unpleasant to us.

I’ve run a lot of courses over the years on how to handle difficult customers, but I’ve never yet run a course for difficult customers on how to complain constructively and pleasantly in a way that will get them a better result. I’m sure you’ve got some customers you’d like to send along to such a course.  Unfortunately, I doubt that they’d be willing to attend.

Which means that you’ve got to invest the time and commitment to develop techniques that will overcome the natural human reaction of ‘fight or flight’.  In other words, the natural tendency to snap back at snappy customers or do a runner.  When we feel it is inappropriate to do either it often causes us a lot of internal stress.  Not a great result!

So, reduce your stress by attending a conflict resolution course, learn from your customers’ feedback and foster more repeat business from your complaining customers.  Yes, that’s right, turn your complaining customers into loyal customers.  There’s a swag of research demonstrating that if we handle complaints well and resolve them promptly, customers who complain are so appreciative it can make them more loyal than if they never had a gripe with you in the first place.

Isn’t human nature fascinating!

What about that question?
So, what is the right question to ask if we want to find out if customers are happy with the experience of buying from us?

According to loyalty expert Fred Reichheld of Bain & Co, the best question to ask is, ‘Would you recommend us to a colleague or friend?’ (If you’ve not read my article on this click on The Ultimate Question.)

If the answer is, “Yes”, follow up with, “That’s great.  Thanks for the positive feedback.  Tell me, what is it you particularly like about dealing with us?”  Listen carefully to their response and soak up the positive vibes.

If the answer is, “No”, follow up with, “Thanks for your honesty.  Can I just ask, what’s the most important improvement you would like us to make so that this would be your first choice?”  Then listen carefully and make a note of what they tell you.

Jurek Leon is a speaker, trainer and retail commentator.  To subscribe to Jurek's FREE monthly email newsletter go to the Free Articles section of his website www.terrifictrading.com and type in your name and email address.  It’s simple and easy.  Alternatively, email Jurek at info@terrifictrading.com.

Comments

[Richard Rault]

Thanks Leon,

As a Telstra Dealer our customers are often bombarded with cheap offers from our opposition which disheartens our staff. I will print your newsletter and hand it out at our next team meeting to reinforce what we have been saying about quaility and service being an important part of 'Value for money'.

Richard.

[Jurek Leon]

Yes, Kim it's amazing how much more we can be worrying about price increases than our customers. And even if they do comment negatively about the increase, it's a chance to reassure them that they are still getting good value.

My favourite quote on price objections comes from English sales trainer Richard Denny who says:

“Never apologise for your prices. Your product knowledge and the service you give demonstrate that your prices are fair.”

[Peter Rogers]

One of the myths of customer satisfaction is that there is no link between satisfaction and loyalty.

But there is a link!

Loyalty and satisfaction are not separate issues. Loyalty is the result of being VERY satisfied.

If customers defect then they simply were not satisfied enough - i.e. they were satisfied, but in the "zone of indifference" which means that they were open to better offers.

But it's all about the product. When was the last time you heard your partner say (s)he was going to the shops to get some service? Never I'll bet!

Customers buy the products they need to solve some problem or other. However when similar products are available from multiple convenient outlets at similar prices the secret of customer satisfaction (and loyalty) is to “customise” the product with some aspect of customer service. If that service helps the customer locate the product, understand the product, buy the product, or fix the product, we are well on the way to using customer service as the competitive weapon it was always meant to be.

Peter Rogers BSc
Managing Director
Shopping Science International
www.ShoppingScience.com.au

[Kim Woolley]

We have just put up our prices on takeaway food items as our Team have there annual year pay increase. Our Team were bracing themselves for complaints but have recieved not one!

I explained that we provide good value for money food, it is consistantly well made, there is always takeway food available as we make extra if needed, BUT the most important thing is our team give excellent service and with a smile and thats worth an extra 30c a wrap!