In this article, we'll be revealing 10 convictions on how to effectively and sustainably improve customer complaints management.
Win back, loyalty, re-purchase, continuous improvement of company processes and enhanced brand image... There are many issues involved in dealing with customers who complain and managing their complaints! Your most dissatisfied customers are your greatest source of learning, as Bill Gates once said.
You can also discover these 10 convictions in our infographic on 5 steps to managing customer dissatisfaction.
Contents
1. Simplify the expression of customer complaints
A repeat customer is a customer who means well and hasn't yet decided not to use your company again. So don't add to their dissatisfaction with overly complex or cumbersome procedures. For example, only being able to contact the company by mail. One of the keys is to make the process as simple as possible.
- Clarify contact channels and complaint entry points, and display them clearly. Take customer satisfaction questionnaires a step further. In this way, you'll give customers the opportunity to voice their complaints or request a call-back.
- Simplify the claimant's journey. Direct them immediately to the appropriate department. Ensure a smooth transition and transmission of information between the departments with which they will be in contact. Better still, make sure they deal with just one contact person.
2/3 of consumers say they switch to a competitor after just one bad customer experience
81% of customers say that a good customer service experience increases the likelihood that they will make another purchase.
2. Early detection of customer complaints
To better deal with claimants and exploit the wealth of customer dissatisfaction, exhaustive identification of complaints is necessary. To achieve this :
- Clarify and share internally the definition of a customer complaint.
- Educate and train the teams in charge of handling customer queries on how to spot them. Presence of signs of dissatisfaction in the message sent (in the lexicon, punctuation, etc.) or in the customer's claim to an advantage (sales gesture, etc.).
3. Handle customer complaints specifically
Differentiate the handling of customer complaints
- Treat customer complaints differently from "standard" requests: they require specific, even more personalized and attentive treatment.
- Go beyond basic customer expectations (a clear, personalized response within a reasonable timeframe) by being proactive. Prevent potential difficulties in handling a complaint. Inform customers (even several months later) that the malfunction causing their dissatisfaction has been dealt with...
- You should also differentiate between customer complaints. Not all complaints require the same level of processing. This differentiation is based on the complexity of the complaint, the channel used, the reason and the value of the customer.
Certain complaints can be qualified as "sensitive" (quality risk, urgency, sensitivity of the subject for the customer, important customer for the company in terms of value or influence...) and must be treated as a priority and in an ad hoc manner: processing by a dedicated team, reduced lead times, response via an outgoing call or a letter...
Other, "simpler" issues (price dissatisfaction, delivery error, etc.) can be handled in a more "systematic" way by less dedicated teams, based on predefined processing grids.
Integrate customer complaints processes into tools and guidelines
CRMs are invaluable tools for helping employees to implement specific processing methods.
Configured workflows can be used to secure certain key processes (e.g. response to a complaint registered within x days), and the response to certain written complaints can be simplified by configuring standard paragraphs. Finally, by entering all claims into the CRM tool, key indicators linked to claims (amounts, reasons, reoccurrence, etc.) can be reliably managed.
Don't forget to update your guidelines and repositories.
4. Train employees and develop their interpersonal skills
- Train your employees in charge of managing customer complaints to ensure quality of handling and compliance with response times and internal processes: make them aware of the challenges of customer complaints, specific handling procedures, and associated processes and tools.
- Develop their relational attitudes to aim for full satisfaction. Reassurance, empathy, listening.... Various tools can be used to develop these relational attitudes by translating them into concrete behaviors visible to the customer (words to use, postures...), such as role-playing exercises, serious games...
More globally, it's the Customer Culture that needs to be developed within the company and infused into all business lines, beyond Customer Relations.
5. An innovative and differentiating compensation policy
- Over and above the contractual indemnity policy linked to the company's general terms and conditions, define an innovative indemnity policy in the event of a customer claim. It's a real lever for differentiating your company from the competition, and one that you can promote to your customers.
- Put your trust in your employees. It is possible to allocate an annual budget to employees so that they can deal directly with customer complaints (make a commercial gesture, offer a service, send a bouquet of flowers, etc.).
- Trust your customers a priori too. Implement immediate compensation policies, without requiring in-depth study of the case. This sends a strong signal to customers, and is a cost-effective way of limiting the cost of dealing with dissatisfaction.
6. Efficiently qualify customer complaints
Set up a simple classification of the reasons for dissatisfaction, with a maximum of ten reasons linked to their root causes. In this way, analysis of the reasons and their statistical analysis will make it easier to identify the internal dysfunctions at the root of complaints, and to define effective corrective action plans.
7. Analyze the causes of dissatisfaction to continuously improve company processes
Exploit the full content of customer complaints. They are an invaluable source of information on customer expectations, perceptions and sources of company dysfunction. A detailed analysis of the root causes of complaints with all stakeholders is necessary to define and implement improvement action plans that will enable you to sustainably optimize your company's processes and operating methods.
8. Manage customer complaints at the highest corporate level
- Steer customer complaints and improvement action plans at a high level (Codir, Comex...) to obtain a consolidated view, coordinate actions across the board and mobilize all players.
- Involve management in the issue of customer complaints to improve the company's customer orientation. This involvement can take various forms: sharing customer complaints and defining action plans with the Executive Committee, reminding members of management of dissatisfied customers, etc.
9. Measure the quality of service associated with handling customer complaints
Evaluate claims management at 2 levels.
- The actual service provided to the customer, which can be assessed using indicators measured internally or via mystery call/mail campaigns.
- Customer-perceived service, which is measured by regular customer satisfaction surveys.
10. Capitalize on gains linked to customer complaints management (R.O.I!).
- Don't forget that customer complaints are not just a cost to handle, but also a gain! The positive economic impact of managing customer dissatisfaction is beginning to be recognized and assessed: fewer disputes, fewer repeat requests, identification of quality issues, win-back and customer loyalty...
- Measure these elements! This will enable you to demonstrate internally the value of identifying, handling and dealing with complaints, not only to the teams directly involved, but also to all employees in general, and to get them involved in the subject. In fact, everyone may be called upon to receive and detect complaints, and to take action to improve customer satisfaction.
- Enhance the quality of the work carried out on this subject, for example by sharing positive feedback from customers who are satisfied with the way their complaint has been handled.
Further information
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