“Pay attention to negative feedback and solicit it, particularly from friends. Hardly anyone does that, and it’s incredibly helpful.” – Elon Musk.
Handling negative customer feedback can be challenging, but it is an inevitable part of selling products or providing customer service.
Moreover, if negative customer feedback is handled prudently, it can provide opportunities to turn unhappy customers into loyal advocates. In fact, a study by the Quality Management Institute found that 70% of customers will continue to do business with a company if their complaint is resolved in their favor.
This article discusses five practical tips to address and respond to negative customer feedback.
Following these tips can turn customer dissatisfaction into an opportunity for improvement and customer loyalty.
What is Negative Customer Feedback?
Negative customer feedback refers to the criticisms of unsatisfied customers who have had bad experiences at a business.
These customers are so upset with a product or service that they take the time to fill out a customer feedback survey, leave negative reviews on websites, or talk to a store owner or manager in person.
How Can Negative Feedback Impact A Business?
Positive feedback builds credibility and trust with customers. In contrast, negative customer feedback can deter potential customers and damage a store’s reputation.
For example, negative online product or service reviews not only discourage potential customers from shopping at a store but can also lead to the loss of existing customers.
Thus, company leaders must take responsibility for all activities that have led customers to leave negative feedback. One of the most effective ways is by responding to negative customer feedback.
“Empowering your customers to comment on your company and taking the time to respond to them makes customers feel valued and wanted. Reviews are a great way to show that you are listening and responding to all feedback and that you truly value your customers’ business.” – Vels Jensen.
Top Five Tips for Responding to Negative Feedback
Tip #1: Respond Promptly
Addressing negative customer feedback ASAP sends a strong message to customers that their concerns are taken seriously and that the business values their input.
What’s more, prompt responses help prevent issues and negative emotions from escalating.
Recommended Action
Train staff to monitor and respond to negative feedback as soon as it is received, whether in person, online, or through surveys.
When replying, use the same platform (medium) on which the customer posted their initial review/complaint. Managers and employees can also contact unhappy customers privately, through business channels. But, they should not avoid a public response to negative feedback.
Past, present, and future customers must feel as though they are valued.
Implement a system to alert relevant team members immediately when a negative review or complaint is logged.
Tip #2: Show Empathy and Apologize
Expressing genuine empathy and offering a sincere apology for the customer’s negative experience.
A genuine apology can help to defuse the customer’s anger and frustration, showing that the business cares about their feelings.
A study conducted by the Journal of Marketing found that an empathetic response to negative feedback can turn a negative experience for customers into a more positive one.
Therefore, when store managers and employees demonstrate empathy toward customer complaints, they are more likely to retain the frustrated customer’s loyalty.
Recommended Action
Train employees to use empathetic language and to apologize sincerely when a customer is unhappy.
For example, use phrases like:
- “I understand how frustrating that must have been for you.”
- “I’m very sorry this happened.”
Tip #3: Take Responsibility and Offer Solutions
Acknowledging customers’ complaints and providing a clear, actionable solution to address their concerns demonstrates accountability and a commitment to the customer.
When company managers and employees take responsibility for a customer’s poor experience, they can work toward rebuilding their trust.
Recommended Action
Managers should empower staff to make decisions regarding negative customer feedback and have the ability to offer solutions on the spot.
For example, employees should have the authority to process refunds, exchanges, or provide discounts to unhappy customers.
Additionally, managers must ensure that employees understand the importance of communicating the steps to resolve the customer’s issue before following through.
Customers should have a clear idea of what action is being taken in response to their issue and how it solves their concerns.
Tip #4: Follow Up With Customer
Checking back with the customer after addressing their complaint to ensure they are satisfied with the resolution.
This shows the customer an ongoing commitment to ensuring their satisfaction and helps confirm that the issue has been fully resolved.
Recommended Action
Decision-makers should implement a follow-up system where staff can contact customers after their issue has been addressed.
For instance, managers or customer service staff can conduct follow-up sessions via phone calls, emails, or in-person visits to gather feedback on the resolution status.
Tip #5: Learn and Improve
Negative customer feedback can be used as a learning tool to identify areas for improvement and to help prevent future issues from occurring.
Continuous improvement based on customer feedback enhances the overall customer experience and can prevent similar problems from arising.
Recommended Action
Regular reviews and analyses of negative feedback help to identify patterns or recurring issues.
Store managers should conduct training sessions for staff based on insights learned from negative customer feedback.
The aim should be to address the root causes of negative feedback by changing policies, practices, or procedures that do not provide value to customers.
” A customer’s negative perception of your brand can change if you show them that you’re willing to make things right. And while your response is important to the person who left the negative review, it’s even more impactful for the 89% of other customers who will read it over the next few weeks or months.” – Impact Group Marketing.
Final Comments
In sum, promptly addressing negative customer feedback with genuine empathy is crucial for maintaining customer trust and loyalty.
When leaders and employees take responsibility for poor experiences and offer actionable solutions, businesses can resolve individual complaints and demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement.
Consistently refining procedures to handle and learn from negative customer feedback can prevent future issues and enhance the customer experience.
Thank you for reading our article!
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