Pain in the neck Customers

Everyone has customers who complain. Complaining customers tell you what you have done wrong and how you can improve. If you work to keep them happy, they will keep you in business.

But some customers complain and complain and complain. They never stop complaining. No matter what you do, they still complain. If you work too hard to keep these 'pain-in-the-neck' customers happy, they can run you right out of business.

Pain-in-the-neck customers do not want to be satisfied. They like being unsatisfied. They frustrate your staff and irritate your customers.

Pain-in-the-neck customers are not normal. They are distracting and disturbing. And yet they do exist.

So what should you do when a pain-in-the-neck customer complains and complains and complains?

1. Recognise that most complaining customers are not a pain in the neck. On average, about 2% of your customer base will complain, but only 2% are truly nuts. The rest of your complainers are legitimate customers with specific problems. Solve those problems quickly and you will regain their goodwill and repeat business.
2. If your customer is a persistent pain in the neck, your immediate focus should be damage control. Isolate a pin-in-the-neck customer away from your staff, your other customers and your brand. Only famous theme park uses conveniently located, air-conditioned, pastel-coloured rooms first to isolate and then care for, the occasional pain-in-the-neck. In these rooms, specially trained staff soothe the savage customer with comfortable chairs, cool drinks, healthy snacks and calming music. Only when they regained their sanity, they re released back into the park.
3. When damage control does not work, protect your staff and limit your legal liability. If a pain-in-the-neck uses threats, abusive language or makes potentially harmful gestures, immediately contact Security and let them work it out with your lawyers. Never let a pain-in-the-neck create an unsafe or dangerous situation.
4. If a pain-in-the-neck is not abusive, but remains persistently unhappy, unpleasant and disruptive, consider passing this special customer to your competitors. Maybe they can do a better job.
5. Finally, and most importantly, don't let pain-in-the-neck customers take what they really want from you- which is more and more of your precious time and attention.

If pain-in-the-neck customer throws a tantrum on your floor, do what you can to appease him, but if necessary, show him the door.