5 Steps to Dealing with Customer Issues

This post is written by Emma Shannon, a member of Vistaprint’s Social Media team.

It happens to the best of us – the unhappy customer. Whether you are contacted in an explosive email, or approached by a parade of pitchforks, take these simple steps to stay calm while stifling any customer dissatisfaction.

1) Respond: Ignoring a customer’s problem won’t make it go away – in fact, it will probably only make it worse! By acknowledging a customer’s issue, you can avoid any additional issues that will come from ignoring them. (Cue angry Facebook rants, vicious tweets, YouTube videos…you get the gist.)

2) Make it personal again: Don’t fight fire with fire. If you get an angry email, pick up the phone and make the interaction personal again. Customers often forget that on the other side of their dissatisfied Tweet or Facebook post is just another person trying to do their job.

3) Be honest: Did their email go into your SPAM folder? Let them know. If you’ve made a mistake, admit it. People are typically more forgiving if you are honest with them.

4) Listen: Often times, the customer just wants to be heard, and when you listen, you can usually find that the problem was simply a misunderstanding, or is easily fixed. Don’t make the mistake of assuming you know exactly why your customer is upset.

5) “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar”: This mantra isn’t just for Mom – nothing goes further than simply being kind (and appreciative!) to your customers. Ask the age old question: How would you like to be treated if you were on the other line?

These are just a few tips to keep in mind. What’s one tip you use?