Winning Customers With Outrageous Service
Ever wonder how to win back an angry customer? Former fast food executive T. Scott Gross offers four steps to recover unhappy customers and keep them for life in his new book, OUTRAGEOUS! Unforgettable Service ... Guilt-Free Selling (AMACOM, 1998).
The steps include:
Establish rapport. Immediately let the customer know that you are on his or her side. Apologize for bad service and then get angry -- along with the customer -- about what went wrong. Customers who complain want to make things better, and paying attention to their needs and views will encourage them to continue doing business with your company, notes Gross.
Discover the problem. Listen with undivided attention while the customer thoroughly explains the problem. Focus on the facts.
Offer a complete solution. Ask customers how you can make things right. They often require less than you expect. Agree to what they suggest and offer something more as well. Then take concrete steps to fix the problem.
Cement the relationship. Apologize again for the problem. Explain to customers exactly what steps you will take to correct the situation. Thank them for coming forward to let you know about a missed opportunity to serve. Customers who complain and see their problems resolved often become the most loyal customers.
For more information about the book, call AMACOM at telephone (800) 262-9699 or visit the company's Web site at www.amanet.org.
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