BOUNCING BACK: THE ART OF SERVICE RECOVERY
 Look
at this example: You buy a pair of expensive shoes at a small boutique
and pay cash. Go home and, eventually, you throw away the receipt. Two
weeks later as you're walking down the street, the heel pops off and
falls beyond reach into the drain below. So you decide to return the
expensive shoes back at the boutique. But of course you're a bit nervous
since you've thrown away your cash receipt.
Now imagine the sales clerk welcoming you with a smile, and right away
setting you at ease about not keeping your receipt. She promptly gives
you a new pair of shoes and then adds in a free pair of matching socks
"to thank you for coming back, and to apologize for the inconvenience".
Would you return to that boutique again in the future? Would you recommend
that boutique to your friends? Of course you would. Your loyalty has
actually gone up because you had a service problem and it was well handled.
This is the key point: when things go wrong, you have a tremendous
opportunity to build more customer loyalty just by quickly and generously
setting things right.
Use these seven simple steps to gain customer loyalty by "Bouncing
Back" with S-E-R-V-I-C-E
recovery.
- S -ay
You're Sorry.
There's nothing like a sincere apology, delivered right away, to let
people know you really care. There's no need to grovel, nor apologize
forever. One honest and heartfelt apology will suffice.
- E -xpedite
Solutions.
The faster you can fix the problem, the better. This is not the time
to calculate the cost of repairing the damage. Do what it takes to
set things right. Costs will be forgotten or absorbed over time, but
benefits last forever.
- R -espond
to the Customer.
Remember, people are involved, not just products, dates and orders.
Take the time to empathize. Be a listening ear. Keep personal contact;
use the phone, send a fax, stay in touch. And when it's all over,
thank them personally with a note, small gift or other special gestures.
- V -ictory
to the Customer.
Build higher levels of customer loyalty by giving more than what they
expect. Refunds, discounts, special assistance, extra services; it
doesn't have to be money! But whatever it is, do it fast. No loyalty
is gained from a refund or gesture that takes months to negotiate,
authorize or discuss.
- I -mplement
Improvements.
Change your processes and improve training to avoid the problem next
time. Institutionalize improvements.
- C -ommunicate
Results.
Spread the word so that everyone can learn from what happened. Provide
full information about consequences and improvements.
- E -xtend
the Outcome.
Don't stop working when they stop complaining. Stay in touch until
you are sure the customer comes back and their long-term loyalty is
assured.
What else can you do to keep your customers coming back for more? Make
it easy for your customers to complain! Create new ways for customers
to let you know what's wrong. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Set up a telephone hotline for immediate response to customer comments
and complaints.
- Give counter staff the power to take prompt and significant actions
for your customers.
- Conduct focus groups with a cross-section of customers to find out
what they want you to improve.
- Run surveys to keep track of
your customers' changing expectations. Find out what customers are
buying now, and what they want in the future.
- Provide easy-to-use "comment cards" at all points of customer
contact. Insert them in outgoing mail. Show your appreciation for
responses, and reply fast.
- Become a customer of your best competitors. Eagerly seek out what
they do better or differently than you. Then make appropriate improvements
in your business operation.
Source: http://onbusiness.net/cgi-local/pas2.cgi
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