N4L 029: "A Complaint Is a Gift" by Janelle Barlow & Claus Møller

A bestseller for more than 20 years, A Complaint Is a Gift: Recovering Customer Loyalty When Things Go Wrong provides guidelines for handling customer grievances. As the subtitle reminds us, when doing business, things can, do, and will go wrong. With a foreword by Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com, the book focuses on pleasing customers by first listening to what they have to say.  Rather than bristling at customers’ unmet expectations, authors Janelle Barlow and Claus Møller encourage us to welcome all feedback, especially complaints. In fact, by reframing criticism as a gift, businesses actually tap into one of the least expensive marketing tools available. Moreover, in contrast to static market research, talking directly to customers in real time can provide razor-sharp insights to hone current products and services. Such interactions can also shine bright lights on a company’s roadmap for the future. Surprisingly, satisfied customers are the ones most likely to complain, yet they’re also most likely to remain loyal. Truly, when they speak up, we know they care. To handle complaints, companies have taken to outsourcing call centers. But reduced expenses can’t compensate for language and culture barriers standing in the way of begrudged customers feeling fully understood and cared for. In the 21st century, we continue to use the phone to express our complaints, but with the advent of technology, we’ve added many other options. Whatever the method of communication--emails, online chats--every response tool should be easy to find and just as easy to use. While reducing common complaints is valuable, we should make hassle-free complaining a business cornerstone. After all, without the gift of complaints, we cut ourselves off from our most reliable, honest, perceptive advice for improvement. Now available in 25 languages, the book covers a wide range of solid principles and practices to help both customers and companies deal with unmet expectations. But perhaps the authors’ greatest gifts to us are their “gift formulas.” Whether verbal or written, these begin with saying “Thank you.” Taking this step alone can begin to help calm even the angriest, most aggressive customers. Barlow predicts the future of business will depend heavily on how well companies can handle customer complaints in timely, personal way. Those who actively seek complaints, act on the feedback and deliver the best solutions for recovering goodwill will thrive. BUY A Complaint Is a Gift: Recovering Customer Loyalty When Things Go Wrong by Janelle Barlow Music Credit Sound Editing Credit Connect with us on social media: Facebook Instagram Twitter Website