Mistakes Happen in Business. Here’s How to Fix Them.
7 ways to rebuild customer loyalty
From sending the wrong product in an order to poor customer service decisions to delivering a faulty product, mistakes are normal. No business likes making them, but they are bound to happen in the ongoing operations of your business.
Because of the internet, social media, and online review websites, customers have much more power in telling others about their poor experience. How you react to making a mistake goes a long way in maintaining customer loyalty and retention.
Here are seven ways to rebuild customer loyalty after a mistake.
1. Be Transparent
If you take the path of making excuses, your business will look like it doesn’t care about customer happiness. Transparency is essential. Being honest and acknowledging the mistake is the first step in rebuilding customer loyalty. This extends to how customer service agents handle the complaint when it is made. Instead of trying to blame another department, they should acknowledge, apologize and confirm the problem.
2. Be Positive
Reacting with a negative attitude is detrimental to your reputation. Customer service agents and managers should maintain a positive attitude during the follow-up process with a customer. The more positive you are about the situation, they more positive and accepting the customer will be with your solution.
3. Empower the Customer
It’s no surprise that customers already have a lot of power today. After a mistake is made, empower them with an opportunity to suggest how you can fix the mistake. By asking customers what they would like to see occur, you show that you are willing to exceed expectations and put them as a priority.
4. Communicate Effectively
There is nothing worse than reporting a problem or dissatisfaction with a company, only to have them say they will take care of it and then wait days for the results. It is crucial that you effectively communicate and provide updates to the customer, so they don’t think you brushed them aside as unimportant.
5. Make Fixing it a Priority
Don’t wait to correct the problem after a mistake is uncovered. Move these occurrences to the top of your daily priority list so the customer sees you are quick to make it right. They will feel important, and a quick response can turn a negative experience into a positive one.
6. Create New Procedures
Once you have fixed your mistake, review internal procedures to identify if there is room for improvements or changes. By updating policies and procedures, creating new guidelines or implementing new protocols, you can minimize the chance of the same mistake occurring again.
7. Update Customers
Depending on the severity of the mistake, an update to existing and potential customers may be necessary. By publicly acknowledging the mistake and then reviewing steps take to ensure the same mistake doesn’t occur again, your business shows it is willing to take proper precautions to assure customer satisfaction.
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