Dissatisfaction: how to respond to customers?

Dissatisfied customers very rarely contact the brand concerned; according to various studies, only 5% on average do so. On the other hand, they do not hesitate to tell their friends and family about their bad experience, and almost three quarters of them do not return to buy from the offending supplier.

Questioning your customers therefore represents a real opportunity to let the unhappy ones have their say, and to catch up with them. What's more, a dissatisfied customer who has received a satisfactory response or feedback from a brand can turn into a promoter! What's more, being proactive helps to relieve the pressure on your customer service department.

For this feedback loop to bear fruit, it is still necessary to show interest in the customer and try to resolve their dissatisfaction. A 2015 study by Dialog Direct and Arizona State University found that 75% of consumers who submit a complaint want an apology, but only 28% actually get one. Yet by first acknowledging its mistake, the company defuses the conflict and reduces the risk of bad publicity. This proactive management of customer alerts is also a formidable tool for improving your processes and customer paths.

The whole company involved in managing dissatisfaction

The first question to ask is: who should contact these unhappy customers? The truth is, there's no rule. Either it's a member of the operational team who takes charge of the complaint and contacts the customer; this gets them more involved and makes them aware of the importance of customer satisfaction on a daily basis. Another possibility is to let another department - the customer service department, for example - handle the management of dissatisfaction. There is also a hybrid approach in which the management of a complaint is assigned according to its importance.

Finally, it all depends on the nature of the experience being judged, or the reason for dissatisfaction. If it concerns an experience in a sales outlet, for example, it makes more sense for the manager or one of the sales staff to handle the contact. A number of companies have also set up a system whereby members of the CoDir call back dissatisfied customers on an ad hoc basis. By talking to customers from time to time, managers set an example and stay in touch with the field.

The telephone to ease tensions

When it comes to contact channels, anything is possible. Logic would dictate that you use the same channel as the one used by the customer. At the end of the questionnaire, it's easiest to ask customers to choose which channel they prefer.

Admittedly, we have a real preference for the telephone: customers contacted via this channel are generally surprised and satisfied that the company has listened to them. They understand that they haven't wasted time filling in a satisfaction survey, and have the opportunity to express their complaint. What's more, the telephone is often a more relaxed, courteous and constructive way of communicating.

Listening, apologies and empathy

The last question to ask is: what concrete response should I give the customer? The most important quality is listening. If the customer has expressed dissatisfaction, it's because he wants to make it known and be considered. If the dissatisfaction concerns a past event over which the company no longer has any control - a bad purchasing experience, for example - an apologetic message in all empathy is welcome.

There's also nothing to stop you reminding the customer that the irritant he or she has expressed will be passed on to the appropriate department. In this respect, don't hesitate to ask the people in charge to collect verbatims and suggestions and pass them on internally. In cases where the dissatisfaction can still be resolved - a delivery problem, for example - the objective is obviously to recover all the information and deal with the complaint as quickly as possible.

Perfect customer experiences are rare, and consumers know it. But it's also rare to find companies that know how to question themselves and do their mea culpa. Yet this is one of the keys to success and customer loyalty!