Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 774 Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 5:20 pm Post subject: Some Thoughts On Resolving Complaints (Part I)
Everyone encounters problems with products and services. When we do, we know how we feel they should be resolved. When the problem is with our services, it is more difficult. From worse to better these are reactions I have encountered when I have had a problem.
1.) Deny that a problem exist.
2.) Cover the problem up without acknowledging it.
3.) Acknowledge the problem but place blame elsewhere.
4.) Acknowledge the problem but offer an excuse.
5.) Acknowledge the problem and correct it.
6.) Acknowledge the problem, correct it and apologizes to anyone affected.
7.) Acknowledge the problem, correct it, apologize to anyone affected and take measures to prevent a future occurrence of the problem.
8.) Acknowledge the problem, correct it, apologize to anyone affected, takes measures to prevent a future occurrence and do something extra to "make it right."
Whether I continue to do business with the company depends a lot on my alternatives. With no alternative I may accept 1, for a while. This leaves me very aggravated with the enterprise. Once I do find an alternative it is very unlikely I will ever return.
As the number of the resolution get higher, I am more likely to stay or at least return in the future. In the case of 8, I may feel better about the company than I did before I had the problem. All of this is common sense and something almost every business person already knows. Why then do so many give responses of 4 or less?
Joined: 20 May 2007 Posts: 20 Location: South Australia
Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:41 pm Post subject:
Louis,
Can you elaborate a little more here on what sort of things you do to "Make it right".
8.) Acknowledge the problem, correct it, apologize to anyone affected, takes measures to prevent a future occurrence and do something extra to "make it right."
_________________ David Vidler
Owner/ Manager - Seaside Automotive
South Australia
Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 774 Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 7:43 pm Post subject:
Hi David,
Seaside wrote:
Louis,
louis wrote:
8.) Acknowledge the problem, correct it, apologize to anyone affected, takes measures to prevent a future occurrence and do something extra to "make it right."
Can you elaborate a little more here on what sort of things you do to "Make it right".
In South Louisiana there is an Acadian word, lagniappe [lon yop]. This is a little something extra and was often given by shrewd merchants to their clients.
For instance a client might buy several meat items in a butcher shop. The butcher would weigh and price the order. Then he might cut just a bit more and put it in the pack with a smile. Sort of an unspoken thank you, beyond the spoken one.
This is similar. When a person has a problem and it is corrected and apologized for, everything is more or less even. But the client has also been inconvenienced. A little something extra appears to me to be in order. The amount depends on the nature of my transgression.
For instance, we performed a service on a vehicle and the client requested a tire rotation. I neglected to note it on the work order and it wasn't done. As I reviewed the invoice with the client he asked about the rotation.
I apologized, rotated the tires immediately and then asked him if he drank coffee. He said he did, so I reached under the counter and handed him a pair of our coffee mugs.
Other times and for other problems, I have sent a letter of apology, a gift certificate to a local restaurant and even given out AGCO T-shirts among other things. The item is not so important as the act. I try to judge what I think is appropriate for the situation.
Once, one of our elderly client's vehicle had a dead battery on a weekend [we're closed]. This would not be so bad, except we had performed a general inspection two days before. She did not want anything, but I could tell she was shaken and a bit disappointed. I gave her a business card with my and my lead tech's home phone numbers on it. I told her if she had a problem and we were closed to give me a call. To her that was enough. The next week her Church group called and asked if I would speak to their widows group. I gained about twenty new clients at that one meeting and an invitation to address a much larger general group in the Church.
Thanks David, I appreciate your interest and your participation on our forum.
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