Your small business is facing customer complaints in a crowded marketplace. How can you ensure it stands out?
Dive into the conversation: How do you navigate customer feedback to make your small business shine? Share your strategies for standing out.
Your small business is facing customer complaints in a crowded marketplace. How can you ensure it stands out?
Dive into the conversation: How do you navigate customer feedback to make your small business shine? Share your strategies for standing out.
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I was taught a brilliant way to turn any negative situation into something positive and it works every time. The teacher? Rachel Jones from A470 Training and it's the following. Give them a cup of TEA, as in Thank them for the time they took to bring the complaint to you. People generally only complain if they are really unhappy. Yes, there's always the exception to the rule but something has happened and the customer needs to feel listened to and appreciated. Empathise with them. Put yourself in their shoes. What else is going on with them that your service or products not being up to scratch has had a knock on effect. Finally, what Action are you taking to ensure this doesn't happen again to either them, or anyone else.
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In most cases people just want to be heard. Patiently hear them out, Apologize and make it right. It’s literally so simple, but most businesses fail to do this correctly. If you aren’t in a place to give a refund or don’t feel a refund is appropriate, offer a credit towards another purchase. In doing that you’re actually getting them to come back to your business again and potentially converting them to a loyal customer. Lastly, address the complaint internally. If there’s an issue that needs to be addressed make sure it’s done quickly to avoid future complaints.
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If your customer complains publicly, you should make every effort to also respond publicly. Recently, a local diner complained about the take-home portion size at a very popular restaurant. This diner chose to post that complaint in a popular regional local eats Facebook group. The responses were all over the map from supporting the restaurant to agreeing with the diner. The post was closed to comments before the restaurant could respond. So the next day, when the restaurant learned of the complaint and found they couldn't respond, they started a new post in that same Facebook group asking the diner to give them a chance to make it right. And the accolades poured in. EVERY complaint is an opportunity to do better.
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Benjamin James Collins
Director
(edited)Complaints aren't setbacks; they're stepping stones. What worked for me: Listen and Act Fast: I treated each complaint as precious feedback, quickly responding and fixing issues in no time. The customers appreciated the speed of the action and listening to their problem. Personalize the Experience: Further, this feedback was utilized to make our offerings personal at levels, which made the customers feel special and unique. Turn Complaints into Wins: I followed up with dissatisfied customers, offering solutions or compensations that exceeded their expectations. Many times, this transformed critics into loyal advocates. Standing out begins with listening and with beating expectations.
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To make my business stand out, I always respond quickly and personally to any complaints—it’s a chance to connect and show customers they’re heard. I love finding personalised solutions, making sure each customer feels valued and appreciated. I also make a point of sharing our positive feedback, celebrating the good stuff we’re doing together. By keeping an eye on trends, I’m always looking for ways to improve, and I’m open with customers about how their feedback shapes our growth. It’s all about building trust and creating a loyal community, even in a busy market.
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Firstly, give time and attention to person who came with complaint as that person trusted us to buy our goods/service.We need to maintain that and work on it to level that it increases more when he/she dealt with us firstly. Keep listening without arguing. If possible,offer water and tea/coffee before or in between. Give reasonable commitment that can be provided and a timeline within which it will be made good. Stick to it.If by chance not possible at that time,inform well in advance with new timeline and deliver by that time. Make sure all requirements are noted and properly improved. When it's done,inform that and express sorry for inconvenience and thank you for trusting us.Give us chance to serve u better next time.Loyal customer 🤝
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I learned early in my career to address complaints head-on; responsiveness is one of the qualities of great companies. Most customers who complain are still interested in working with your company, as opposed to those who are dissatisfied and you never hear from again. If you address the complaint and resolve the situation, you can strengthen the relationship and potentially create an evangelist for your brand.
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Navigating customer feedback is essential for small business growth. I prioritize listening to my customers, quickly responding to their needs, and taking actionable steps to address their concerns. Encouraging positive reviews from satisfied clients helps boost my business’s reputation, while engaging with customers on social media strengthens trust and connection. By staying responsive and making improvements based on feedback, I can ensure my business remains competitive and focused on delivering exceptional value.
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It's a very simple way in my opinion. First listen well to the complaint carefully to understand and not just respond. Apologies irrespective even if the customer is wrong, and reply softly and patiently with a genuine and honest reason/explanation. Find a solution to the complaint and offer complete satisfactory support and make provisions for it not to be repeated again.
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