Complaints can be a good thing…if you manage them correctly
Chris Randall, Director of Client Management, ResponseTek
A customer who has complained and had their issue resolved is more likely to be an advocate than a customer who has never had a complaint.
| On average, 96% of people who have a complaint never complain to the organization that delivered the experience. (TARP) |
Why is this? The process of having an issue resolved strengthens a customer’s trust in, and loyalty to, the organization. Customers know that organizations, like themselves, are not perfect. What customers evaluate is how organizations manage and resolve issues when they do occur.
Is it easy for a customer to have their issue heard? Are customers responded to in a relevant timeframe? By proving to a customer that you care about their experience and their satisfaction, you are establishing a lasting trust.
Many organizations are not armed to respond to customer issues. In most cases, they do not have the infrastructure to efficiently manage the volume of complaints. The average time to respond to customer complaints ranges wildly across industries and from company to company, with some averaging over a month to get back to their customers, and others never getting back to them at all.
ResponseTek clients see the value of responding quickly to customer issues – they have more satisfied and loyal customers, and have continuously reduced their response time to these issues. On average, ResponseTek clients resolve their customer complaints in a day-and-a-half. ResponseTek:CEM’s real-time alerting, communication and action management tools have helped these organizations demonstrate their commitment to their customers. Their customers respond with increased loyalty and advocacy.
| Complaining customers exhibit worrisome levels of being “At Risk”, with one in three having one foot out the door. (Ombudsman for Banking Services) |
Xerox and T-Mobile USA are two examples of organizations that have chosen to proactively manage customer issues using ResponseTek:CEM and use responding to customer complaints to differentiate themselves from competitors.
Xerox has made its name delivering high quality products and services, and the Managed Services Group is no different, with close to 95% of their customers satisfied with the services they receive. While their satisfaction rates are enviable, it is how they manage the other 5% that sets them apart. Xerox currently takes less than 12 hours (including evenings and weekends) to respond to customer issues. Xerox feels that the resources and time spent in resolving customer issues is a well-founded investment in the relationship with the client, and sees increased loyalty and profitability as a result.
T-Mobile USA, one of the largest mobile telecommunications companies in the United States, looks to ensure that their customers get off on the right foot. All customers who purchase a mobile device online at T-Mobile.com are encouraged to provide their input upon completion of the purchase. Complaints are dealt with immediately – resolved, on average, in less than 24 hours. That these customers are new to T-Mobile increases the impact that this resolution has on their expectations of the company. If that customer should ever have another issue, they know that T-Mobile not only has the tools to listen, but cares enough to respond quickly, a powerful and profitable combination.
While many organizations despise having to deal with customer complaints, the best customer service companies embrace them, seeing them not as a burden, but as an opportunity to build a trusting and profitable relationship with their customers.
For more information about differentiating your company through service, email us, with ResponseTek:CEM in the subject.
