The joy of customer complaints

When things go wrong, customers complain. And that can be good for you and constructive for your organisation because complaints can:

• highlight area where your systems require improvement
• identify where your procedures need to be improved, updated, or revised
• reveal information that is lacking, is erroneous, or is simply out of date
• identify team members who need more training or closer supervision
• help highlight inconsistencies among shifts, departments, or locations
• get important news and information straight to the top
• educate everyone what your customers experience and expect
• help prevent complacency in a successful organisations
• help focus your attention, priorities and budgets
• work as a trigger for new action, catalysing positive change
• keep you in touch with emerging trends and changing customer expectations
• present new opportunities for raising revenue and solving problems
• provide competitive intelligence by telling you what others are doing
• identify which customers to invite into pilot runs, focus groups and beta tests
• give you content and current case studies for your service education programs
• provide feedback for you to publish, with your replies and actions steps

Most of all, complaints give you an opportunity to reply, respond, and win back customer loyalty. Most upset customers just walk away and complain about you to their friends and colleagues. The few who do speak up are giving you another chance. Take it and appreciate it. They are the next loyal customers.