Business: COMPLAINING CUSTOMERS ARE GOOD FOR BUSINESS

COMPLAINING CUSTOMERS ARE GOOD FOR BUSINESS

Written by Bob Leduc

Remember repparttar

Coca Cola marketing disaster a few years ago? They tried to switch Coke drinkers to New Coke. It didn't work. Fortunately, repparttar 106591

company quickly recognized repparttar 106592

problem and had repparttar 106593

resources to recover fast. Their follow up research revealed that only 1 unhappy customer in 50 takes time to complain. The other 49 just quietly switch brands.

It's human nature to avoid unpleasant experiences like customer complaints. Nobody likes bad news. But uncovering customer complaints and satisfying them can give you a powerful competitive advantage.

WHY YOU WANT TO HEAR CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS

Dissatisfied customers or clients can do one of 4 things:

1. Remain silent 2. Complain to a legal or public agency 3. Complain to friends and anybody else who will listen 4. Complain to you

Which choice would you like them to make? The best choice may surprise you.

You certainly don't want them to complain to a legal or public agency. And you definitely don't want them to complain to their friends and associates. Imagine how much business that can cost you.

Remaining silent may seem like repparttar 106594 best choice. But it's not, for 2 reasons. First, because it really won't happen. It's human nature for people to talk about their experiences -- especially experiences involving emotions like those generated by an unsatisfactory business transaction. The other reason you don't want a dissatisfied customer to remain silent is because it deprives you of repparttar 106595 chance to correct repparttar 106596 problem and save your relationship with your customer.

The best choice is to have your unhappy customer complain to you.

COMPLAINING CUSTOMERS ARE DOING YOU A FAVOR

Customers or clients who take repparttar 106597 time and trouble to complain to you are doing you a favor. They're helping you grow your business. They're giving you repparttar 106598 opportunity to resolve their problem and keep them as a customer. They're also alerting you to a problem that may be costing you business from other prospects and customers without your knowledge.

Numbers Low? Your Sales Team CAN Survive A Recession!

Written by Kathi Graham-Leviss

© 2002 Kathi Graham-Leviss http://www.xbcoaching.com

When companies begin tightening repparttar reigns on spending due to a recession, you really have to put your sales skills to repparttar 106590 test. That one simple transaction becomes a tennis match of offer and counter offer that can lead to a failed closing if you aren’t careful. However, with a little creativity, you can still make your goals even during slow economic times.

1. Think outside repparttar 106591 box. You may have sold your product or service to repparttar 106592 same target market for years, but now is repparttar 106593 time to stretch your limits. Find ways to develop new relationships and partnerships with existing clients. Also, take a look at your product/service with fresh eyes. Are you missing a market? Is there someone else you could be selling to that you haven’t approached?

I know of a company who provides computer networking solutions. In repparttar 106594 past, they only offered installation. Now they are considering bringing in a subcontractor to offer repparttar 106595 training clients have requested.

They also previously sold directly to end-users. However, they are now offering their installation services for resale through electricians, video surveillance companies, etc. in order to reach new markets.

2. Expand your relationship with current clients. Look for additional decisions makers within repparttar 106596 companies to call on. If repparttar 106597 traditional decision maker is someone in advertising or marketing you could also approach others in sales, community affairs or corporate communications for additional business.

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