The Consequences of Neglecting Customer Complaints

We have been frequenting the same neighborhood pizza place I’ll call ‘Sam’s’ for about two decades. The food is great. The price is right. The service is always delivered with a friendly smile. Recently, our local eatery was sold to a family member. The menu is the same, so we ordered what we usually order, salads with grilled chicken.

As I started eating my salad, I commented to my husband that the chicken seemed undercooked. He didn’t notice, so we both continued to finish our meals. Hours later in the middle of the night, those meals came calling in the name of very unpleasant upset stomachs.

As the next day progressed and we both continued to feel ill, I called the restaurant and asked for the owner. I wasn’t looking for an apology or a refund. I simply wanted to let the establishment know that we may have been sickened by undercooked chicken so they could check into it to prevent anyone else from getting sick.

No sooner than I started to explain what happened, than the manager cut me off and started yelling.

“There is nothing wrong with my chicken! I will swear on my first born’s life!”

Trying to cut in and say I wasn’t saying anything was wrong with his chicken, he kept talking.

“You and your husband come to my restaurant right now and I will show you how I prepare the chicken.”

I said we believed he takes great care when preparing, but because we both ordered the same meal and we both got sick, it seemed coincidental, so perhaps he received a bad batch of chicken, or it just wasn’t cooked thoroughly.

He wasn’t interested and just kept yelling at me. I finally hung up.

Owners who ignore customer complaints risk damaging their reputation, losing customer trust, and missing out on opportunities for future business. Even though Sam’s is a popular spot that has been around for a very long time, it was the original owner who built a loyal following. Once word gets out that the new owner doesn’t appear to take customer complaints seriously, Sam’s could have a problem.

Unaddressed or unresolved complaints have always led to negative word-of-mouth, but in today’s connected world, disgruntled customers can quickly share their experiences on social media, review sites, forums or in articles like this one. If I tell ten people who tell ten people who tell ten more people, that can potentially deter hundreds from doing business with Sam’s.

If Sam’s owner had listened and expressed empathy or concern, I may have quickly forgotten about it, and he would have continued to earn our repeat business. Instead, the only repetition is negative-word-of-mouth regarding his unresponsiveness and argumentative demeanor. And it is unlikely we will return to his restaurant.

So even if the customer is not always right, what should a business do to regain a customer’s loyalty and trust? Here are 5 A’s to demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction:

1. Active Listening: You have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Use those two ears to listen before opening your mouth to interrupt. Hearing the customers’ perspective conveys empathy, understanding and validates their feelings.
2. Acknowledge the Complaint: Promptly acknowledge the customer’s dissatisfaction and thank them for bringing it to your attention.
3. Apologize Sincerely: Apologize for the inconvenience or frustration the customer experienced. In Sam’s case, you don’t have to agree that the chicken may have been tainted or undercooked. Apologizing that they are upset shows you are taking responsibility.
4. Action Steps: Investigate the issue to determine if there is a problem and what you can do to resolve it. This may involve proactive steps to prevent similar problems in the future. Or it could involve updating procedures, providing additional staff training, or improving quality control measures.
5. Above and Beyond: Consider exceeding your customers’ expectations with a complimentary refund, replacement, or discount. Encourage them to communicate with you if they ever have a problem in the future.

Certainly, there are some situations where a business owner may not want to do further business with a customer. However, yelling at any customer only exacerbates the situation and makes the owner appear confrontational and unprofessional.

In any situation where rebuilding trust and loyalty with an unhappy customer is a priority, it’s essential to approach it with empathy and a sincere desire to resolve the issue. By taking these steps, businesses of any size can demonstrate their commitment to customer satisfaction so unhappy customers want to continue doing business with your company.