Get Second Chance for Good Impression

“You have only one chance to make a good first impression.” When it comes to handling customer complaints, consumer behavior findings support the saying. If you respond quickly to address an initial complaint, your customer stays as likely as before to make future purchases from you. In fact, a prompt, thorough resolution of the problem often leads to the customer becoming even more likely to come back to buy more.
     But researchers at University of Virginia find that if a customer has the same sort of problem again, repurchase intentions tend to drop sharply. The customer might not even bother to return to the store to complain, instead just shifting their business elsewhere. This means you might not be aware why you’ve lost the business.
     Here are two tips to avoid this happening:

• Whenever you think you’ve resolved a complaint, ask the customer, “Are you fully satisfied?” If they reply that they are not, see what you can do to change it to yes. Then when you get the yes, say, “If you ever have a problem like this again, please be sure to let me know. Here is my business card.” Use “I,” “me,” and “my” instead of “our store.” Take personal responsibility. Then be sure all staff know that if a customer calls or comes in asking for you by name, staff either get you or say you’re not available now and add, “May I please see if I can help you?”
• If you have a frequent buyer program that allows this, look for regular customers who have not come to your store for a while. Contact them to ask, “Are there any problems with your shopping here that I can solve? What might I do to make it more likely you’ll shop here soon again?”