Handling negative feedback can bring excellent results if approached correctly

Customer feedback significantly influences potential customers' decisions about which provider to trust. However, feedback isn't always positive. Even the most reliable companies will eventually receive some negative comments. The good news is that negative feedback can actually be beneficial for a business. It helps you build consistency and credibility.

A negative customer feedback is the best source for learning what you can do to make your customers like you even more. However, it's crucial to use the correct procedure for resolving the problems customers have highlighted.

Investigating the Exposed Problem

The first thing you should do after receiving negative feedback is to investigate what actually happened. Check if there was indeed a problem and why. Before responding to the customer, you need to get answers to the following questions:

• What exactly happened? Is the cause of the problem within your company, with the employee who interacted with the customer, is it perhaps the product or service, delivery, etc.?
• What can you do to prevent this from happening again? Could even a small improvement rectify the impression?
• How angry and influential is the customer who complained? Was it a minor issue that didn't cause significant damage, or could you lose the customer (or multiple customers) due to the mistake?

With this insight into the problem, you can prepare an appropriate solution. If the issue is poor product quality, you can offer the customer an exchange or a refund. If your employee had a bad day, apologize sincerely and ensure it doesn't happen again. If you need more time for your investigation, don't delay responding to the customer. Apologize as soon as possible and inform them that you will provide a solution as soon as you can. Most customers expect your initial response within one day.

Preparing a Response to the Customer

Dedicate sufficient attention to your response, as you are not only responding to a dissatisfied customer. Your response will likely be read by many potential customers. The cornerstones for preparing a good response are:

• Acknowledgement. Accept the criticism and apologize for the mistake. Show understanding for the customer's dissatisfaction.
• Solution. Offer an immediate and acceptable solution to the customer's problem. Offer an additional benefit if necessary to improve their perception.
• Assurance. Ensure that the problem is resolved and will not occur again.

Remember that your response must be relevant to the customer's problem. Do not send customers pre-prepared generic responses that don't address the issue they have raised.

Encourage the Customer to Return

If you have resolved the issue to the customer's satisfaction, there's a high probability they will remain loyal. Not only that, but customers whose complaints you have successfully resolved can become your biggest promoters. You can even encourage the customer to write a new review explaining how well you responded to their complaint. However, choose the right moment and the right words for your invitation to be effective.

Mistakes happen, and receiving negative feedback is a reality. However, if you handle it quickly and consistently, you can turn negative experiences into positive ones. Every mistake will be forgiven if you are willing to learn from it and prevent it in the future.