Handle with care: How to take care of customers during a tough time

We have shown you different ways for your business to deal with the pandemic and the weak economy. However, if your business needs to keep going, you need to know how to take care of angry customers.

Yes, you and I have been taught since school that the customer is KING, and one must never forget it. True, but you need not go out of your way to appease your angry customer, because they do not expect you to do the same.

Taking care of an angry customer need not cost you. These proven tips will help you ensure mental peace and keep your sanity when dealing with rude, angry customers.

5 Tips to take care of angry customers

1. Be the bigger person

It’s easier said than done, right? Imagine waking up on a Monday, ready to take on the week, and a customer who is in a bad mood starts to ‘spread the word’ about a faulty product or a bad service? An ill-tempered customer can ruin your day, but not your business.

So, rest assured, your business will continue to have its good crowd. Empathize with the customer, listen to them speak and if their grievance is genuine, apologise in earnest! Remember, it’s NEVER PERSONAL.

An example: 

A customer received their package 3 days late due to bad weather. However, they are irritated and take to social media to unleash their rage. While you know it is not the fault of the shipping partner or your business, you need to step up and apologise. Example phrases:

1. ” I am sorry to know you went through…”
2. ” I’d like to start by apologizing..”

Remember, customers, are spending consciously now more than ever. The economy is failing them too. So, let’s be kind and lend a helpful ear.

2. Give your customers personalised solutions in one go

A survey by SmartInsights shows that over 38% of customers wanted their issues to be resolved in one single interaction. Reduce the back and forth; once your customer takes to social media it can get difficult to track them and resolve their problem soon.

You are not a bot. Do not rely on chatbots and automated responses all the time. If your small business is using a chatbot service, ensure it allows you to get the customers information and email or call them personally to resolve their issue within 30 minutes!

A Tip: Leave your email ID and business contact number on your website and social media bio. This allows your customers to call or message you before taking to external platforms to complain.

3. Go beyond ‘Sorry’ 

Your customers know you are sorry for a bad product. Once you provide them with the obligatory answers, it’s important to take the next steps. This includes:

1. Sending them a personalised email after the issue is resolved. You can simply ask them how they are using the product or service post the solution.
2. When you run discounts for your products or launch anything new, offer it to them first. Collect your customer’s information and mention they are the first to receive an offer before anyone else due to their continued affiliation with your brand.

Related read: How to get repeat customers: 5 proven ways for customer retention

4. Offer them more than just products and services

Your business should not be solely defined by your product and service. Here’s what you can do:

1. Offer ‘pearls of wisdom’ – We are constantly offering tutorials, product updates and market insights for our customers. This prompts them to ask questions and helps us avoid any miscommunication in the future.
2. Customers do not want freebies anymore. They want you to take them seriously. Interact with your customers and respond to every test or message which mentions you. It need not always be a response to a review. Brands like Netflix, Nike and Starbucks know how important it is to keep your customers interested in their brand. 

According to Salesforce, over  63% of your customers expect your business to provide new products/services more frequently now than before.

5. Do a little forecasting

Is your website down? Quickly tweet about it to your followers. Has your shipping partner notified you of a delay? Let your customers know immediately. Own up to any issue before it even happens. Keep your customers aware of updates and glitches in your brand too. If you are bold enough, ask them for advice. Here’s how Adobe tweeted to their followers about a bug in their system.

Hi all, some Adobe services are down due to the AWS outage: https://t.co/U2qtybaT8J Here’s a puppy stampede to take your mind off of it. 😍 pic.twitter.com/Glv6Anavje

— Adobe Care (@AdobeCare) February 28, 2017

Customers are not picky, they are mindful. So it is important to treat them right. If they have taken the time, money and effort to invest in your brand and buy from you, a personal thank you note alone goes a long way.

If you have a business on Instamojo, you can take care of your customers easily. Instamojo’s eCommerce CRM collects customer information in one place for you to send out personalised emails and respond to them quickly.

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