Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM OCTOBER 2015 42 I have been such a promoter of "complainers". The ones that go out of their way to make sure things are done properly. The ones who make sure the customer behind them in line does not have to experience bad service. The ones that take a few minutes to show corporations what they need to do to earn their business. The average person today can take a problem viral in hours. Now, thousands hear about problems within 24 hours. The average person has 130+ friends on Facebook and has numerous connections on Linkedin, Twitter, etc., etc., etc. They've got venting down pat but, that does nothing to solve the problem. In my book, The Customer is Boss, I show you how to complain correctly. Most people begin their complaint with the person they are complaining about. Not a good idea. It all starts at the bottom and many people don't believe it will do any good. And, they are right. After all, if the complaint comes in at the bottom level, they surely are not going to send it on up to management to show what a terrible job they did on handling it. "I don't consider people complainers, I think of them as my motivators." Why? Because they motivate me and my staff to give them what they need, to do what is right and to have these same complainers (motivators) leave with a smile on their faces. I tell everyone that they have the right to a good experience, a quality product, and top of the line customer service. I also tell everyone that it's their responsibility to let the appropriate channels know when there is an issue. You deserve quality and top notch performance. A common complaint that I am told about is that people hate their bank but they haven't left yet. I ask them why and they say it will simply take too much time and aren't they all the same anyway? Well, no they are not. Let your bank know that you are considering leaving and what processes, procedures, charges offend you, and let them know you will stay if they make some adjustments. All you have to do is let them know what you want. After all, it's the money you are depositing in their bank that is keeping them in business. You deserve to be treated as a V.I.P. How to be a skillful complainer (motivator) is as simple as letting organizations know what you will accept as good service–or you will not be back. That ought to strike fear into the hearts of business people. I have found that you will get what you ask for almost every time unless you ask for something unreasonable. There are a couple of things that work when trying to motivate a business to give you better customer service: • Ask for good service: "I really need your help." • Act as if you expect good service. • Treat salespeople as friends—a friendly attitude toward sales-people is so rare that clerks treated respectfully jump to attention to serve you as if you were a celebrity. • Change your attitude toward good service. Your chances of receiving good service improve immensely. Speak up. • State clearly your expectations and ask for a speedy resolution to problems. Don't feel sorry for business, government, or non-profit groups when you complain about bad service. You're doing them a favor by complaining (motivating). How else are they to stay in business except by satisfying complaints and by learning about the needs and wants of customers so they can prevent complaints—thereby generating the maximum number of satisfied customers possible. Two companies that I feel have set the bar high on taking care of customers and consistently rating at the top of customer satisfaction are Disney and Amazon. Polls show that their customers are overwhelmingly happy and will continue to come back. Research has shown that customers with issues that are resolved quickly can often turn into loyal customers and even brand advocates. Simply put, a complaint can become very profitable for a company. Remember, complaints are good for business so don't shut up, speak up. John Tschohl Customer Service SKILLFUL COM PLAINING (MOTIVATING) RO John Tschohl—described by Time and Entrepreneur magazines as a customer service guru and service strategist—presents strategic keynote speeches to companies worldwide. He is the author of "Empowerment, a Way of Life." Contact: John@servicequality.com or www.customer-service.com

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