It isn’t uncommon for customers to be unhappy about a business’s products or services. That said, it isn’t difficult for businesses to make the customers happy again either. Replacement, refund, and discount vouchers for the future are some tried and tested methods that can change the perception of a disappointed customer.
However, a customer’s disappointment can be severely difficult to calm when they are unhappy with the employees of a business. For business owners or administration, customer complaints regarding employees can mean carrying out investigations and making some tough decisions. With the employment landscape changing due to employees becoming aware of their rights in 2022, resolving customer complaints regarding employees can be even more difficult.
However, businesses and employers can utilize the following step-by-step method to find the right solution:
Listen to Both Parties Separately
Before blaming either the employee or the customer, it is important to find out the scenario that led to the customer complaint. As an employer, you must also remember that while your customers don’t think twice about complaining about your employees, your employees are trained to ignore difficult customers and move on with their day.
Therefore, listening to both parties calmly and attentively is important. Find the common points between the narratives and focus on the differences to further investigate.
Acknowledge the Difficult Situation
While pleasing customers is important, employees are often termed as the first customers of any business. Instead of worrying about a few customers, employers must realize they can lose all customers if they have nobody to run their business. Employers must also realize that the customers hold the business responsible for what they were put through.
Therefore, employers must acknowledge the difficulty of the situation to both parties and take ownership of their position as the solution provider.
Offer Separate Solutions
Employers must resolve the situation separately for both parties if the customer and employee don’t have any prior relationship outside of the scenario. If the employee seems unbothered about the customer complaint, an employer can simply let them be. The threshold of employees to deal with difficult people is usually much higher than that of employers and customers. However, in case the employee insists that the customer was at fault, employers can allow the employee to refuse service to that particular customer in the future and redirect them to another employee. However, training employees to deal with difficult customers can greatly help.
On the other hand, employers must assure customers that the employee will be provided training to improve their customer handling skills. Employers can also offer refunds or discount vouchers to the customers as a form of compensation for the trouble they went through.
Lastly, one action employers must never take is to make excuses to either party in defense of either party. Employers who take sides with customers inculcate distrust between them and their team. On the other hand, employers who make excuses for their team members to the customers make customers feel that they aren’t valued. Moreover, it also shows lack of responsibility on the employer’s part.
