Handling Unhappy Customers
August 30, 2006

No one can avoid dissatisfied customers, but how you react to their frustration is crucial if you'd like to keep their business.

The first step is to take immediate action. Don't put it on your "to do" list. Just do it. Never argue with them, keep your cool and listen to the criticism. Try to empathize with them.

Tell them what you plan to do to rectify the situation and prevent the problem from happening again. Once you've done it, tell them you've done it. They need to know that their request was important enough for you to follow up. And if you really want to make a good impression, follow up once more to make sure that all is well and they're satisfied with the new outcome.

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