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Complaints Are Actually A Good Thing!
Nobody likes to get complaints. They make you question your judgment, they can ruin your day, and they almost always leave you in a bad mood. But what if I told you that complaints are actually a good thing? Really! I'm not kidding. Complaints are one of the best forms of research you can perform. Complaints are also one of the best sources for new product/service ideas. How so? Most people who complain are upset. When people get upset, they are more likely to speak their minds. Most people who complain also like to tell you exactly what you've done wrong AND tell you how they would do it better. While your customers' attitudes may not be something to look forward to, their hidden suggestions are! Let's look at this complaint: "I can't believe you are sending these huge files through email! How ridiculous can a person be!? That clogs up the emails of those of us who are on dial-up for at least 20 minutes. I don't have time for this. You know, if you had a brain in your head, you'd know about XYZ.com. They burn CDs for about $0.30 each and will ship them to your customers for about $1.00 each. Anybody can afford that price. I've deleted your email. When you decide to operate like a real business and send me a CD, I'll look at it." Yes? it's a harsh email. But most people who complain don't have very good manners, now do they? But take away the emotion. Take away the temper. Take away the insults, and what do you have left? A VERY good resource for CDs! This person has just given you a resource that can: (a) solve your problem with huge downloads (b) be a new product to sell (CDs instead of downloadable files) (c) offer you a solution that can benefit you and your customers All for free! How about the complaints that say, "You know, you really ought to?" Well? Maybe you really ought to. Have you thought about the customer's suggestion? Yes, it was probably hidden beneath a pile of profane words and threats? but look deeper. In all honesty, is this unruly customer doing you a favor? It happens more often than you might think. People, in general, have a bad habit of trying to show those they are upset with how big and bad they are. More times than not, you'll get great ideas buried inside a wrapper of rudeness. The next time you get a complaint, unwrap the package, and you just might find that the complaint is a blessing in disguise. If you remove the ugliness from the message, you could very well have some terrific ideas for improving or expanding your business! Copyright 2004 Diane Hughes About The Author Diane C. Hughes * ProBizTips.com FREE Report: Amazingly Simple (Yet Super Powerful) Ways To Skyrocket Your Sales And Build Your Business Into A Tower of Profits! ==>> http://madmarketer.com/diane
MORE RESOURCES: Spirit Airlines Employees In Philly Take Customer Service To Another Level By Trading Insults Outkick Ada Supports $500B Customer Service Labor Market with AI Agent Powered by Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service Morningstar Can artificial intelligence rescue customer service? The Economist Dialpad Unveils New Contact Center Solution Leveraging AI to Boost Customer Service Efficiency Telecom Reseller CMS to lower importance of ‘call center’ metric in Medicare Advantage star ratings - Healthcare Dive Better living through AI? WORLD News Group The Crappy Service Continues at Idaho grocery Stores News Radio 1310 KLIX Springfield CU needs to know what your water lines are made of. Here's how to find out - News-Leader Ryan Fisher honored for customer service Jamestown Sun Open Position: Customer Service Coordinator (Remote-Part Time) America's Charities Birmingham Water Works warns customers getting service but not a bill, disconnection could be coming WBRC Ada Supports $500B Customer Service Labor Market with AI Agent Powered by Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service PR Newswire America's Best Customer Service 2025 Newsweek Entergy New Orleans’ commitment to proactive service Entergy Newsroom Using the power of AI to improve customer support Inside INdiana Business Claims Processing Outsourcing Canada: Cynergy BPO – The Backbone of Canada’s Leading Insurance Companies Insurance Edge ServiceNow and Five9 Expand Partnership With Turnkey AI-Powered Solution for Unified Employee and Customer Experiences Business Wire Consumers embracing AI-powered customer support Retail Customer Experience From the Web: ‘AI Giants Deploy Digital Customer Service Agents’ ACA International Westney customer service desk to be temporarily closed November 16-17 Durham Region Transit Generative AI’s Potential to Improve Customer Experience Bain & Company Senior Property Tax Freeze program offline until Monday due to overwhelming traffic - Spectrum News Tennessee theme park beats out Disneyland for favorite theme park, best customer service titles KTLA Los Angeles Duck Creek Establishes Center of Excellence in Poland to Enhance Global Support for Customers GlobeNewswire Updated Customer Service Hours - Several Departments Downtown Riley County Official Website CSPI & Nutrition Action Customer Service CSPI Newsroom My experience as a Customer Service and Sales Intern Toby Shapiro's Experience at A.D. Sutton and Sons Chapman University BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE Forbes Parking Customer Service Center: Temporary Relocation for Renovations City of Norfolk (.gov) Dallas Water Utilities customers receive notification letters about their service lines Dallas City News Fifth Third Private Bank Named Global Private Banking Award Winner, Honored as Best for Customer Service Business Wire Good customer service does exist Houston Herald Customer Service & Support Hillsborough County (.gov) Phone Tap: You Didn’t Say Goodbye MOViN 92.5 Dollywood beats Disney, Universal and other popular theme parks again! Here’s why Knoxville News Sentinel Charter Names Robyn Tolva Senior Vice President, Customer Service Reliability | Charter Charter Communications PHL Impression Makers - American Airlines Customer Service Agent Shatara Hester Philadelphia International Airport A faster Customer Service in Thailand Saint-Gobain President Biden Announces New Customer Service Actions, Targets Subscriptions and ‘Doom Loops’ CX Today Drycleaning Automation vs. Customer Service (Part 1) American Drycleaner Fulton County Recognizes National Customer Service Week Fulton County Government Welcome to Riverside Public Utilities City of Riverside (.gov) Southwest Airlines to offer buyouts at LAX, Burbank, Long Beach and John Wayne Los Angeles Daily News 8 strategies for using AI for customer service in 2024 Sprout Social Want better customer service when you travel? You must be joking Elliott Advocacy Banks with 24/7 Customer Service Business Insider |
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