3 Ways to Turn a Dissatisfied Customer into a Satisfied Customer

Over the holidays, I ordered a product that cost $399 but never arrived. Assuming the vendor would be a natural ally, I contacted the company, explained the circumstances, and eagerly awaited the obvious response:

“We’re sorry this happened to you. We’ll ship the item again at no cost. Please simply return it if the first one arrives in the meantime.”

Instead, customer “service” produced the FedEx tracking report that showed the package had indeed been delivered. Delivered to whom was the question, because it definitely wasn’t to me. All I received was a $399 charge on my credit card.

A few emails and no resolution later, I was still out $399 and wondering why the company couldn’t simply deliver what I had paid for. In doing so, the vendor would have ended up with a happier and more loyal customer than the one it started with…and probably a few new ones, because I would have been singing the company’s praises from the social media rooftops.

Instead, all the vendor could see was the $399 debit in its account.

Maybe the delivery person made a mistake, maybe someone snatched the package from my front porch. But despite who is at fault when the best-laid plans go awry, a company that puts customer service first can transform the most dissatisfied customer into the most satisfied.

No matter how much a company–even one as committed as Security First Insurance–plans for a great customer experience, sometimes things happen, sometimes companies screw up. How they choose to respond next can mean the difference between losing a customer and gaining one for life.

3 Ways to Turn Dissatisfied Customers into Your Biggest Fans

Make customer satisfaction a top priority–really.

From the start, the company mindset, from CEO to call center employee, has to be focused on putting the customer first. This isn’t a rah-rah football game foam finger kind of No. 1 either. Saying your customer is number one is great marketing, but you better be living that out in every interaction and at every level.

For Security First, this involves being there for customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and being prepared company-wide to respond when challenges do arise. Most issues we experience at Security First never reach my desk. Everyone is trained to respond to customer concerns with efficiency and care to resolve conflicts if they arise.

Don’t take your eye off the customer

The ultimate mission of Security First is to provide superior homeowners insurance protection. Having a top-notch “product” is imperative; and, as with any successful company, there are important aspects of the business involving processes and policy. But our product and our business acumen aren’t objectives in and of themselves.

Delivering a superior customer experience is, and that can only happen when we focus on the people we serve, the people who depend on us to help protect their homes and lives. Security First does this through building genuine relationships with customers, whether that means making it as easy as possible to file a claim or calling every customer affected by a serious storm event to check on their well being.

Ensure great customer service by example

When company leaders consistently handle challenging situations graciously, the more likely team members will be to follow the example. That may involve everything from extending a courteous greeting to responding proactively and patiently when customer challenges arise.

Most important, leading the way in providing the best customer service involves being accountable. Henry Ford is quoted as saying, “Don’t find fault, find a remedy.” When a company spends too much time figuring out who’s to blame, everyone loses.

The mystery is solved…

About a month after contesting the charge on my credit card and receiving a replacement product, I had a visit from a resident in my community. He explained that we have the same house number and that my package had been delivered to his address. He had waited to seek me out, assuming FedEx would return to retrieve the misplaced delivery.

By immediately choosing to hang its argument on the “proof” of the FedEx “delivered” status, the vendor implied I was guilty of fraud, at worst, or irresponsibility, at best. No matter what you do after that kind of decision, it is not going to be as effective as treating the customer as you would expect to be treated if you were in their shoes.

Once you’ve broken the “golden rule” with an already dissatisfied customer, you will never gain the loyalty you could have by first choosing to ensure a satisfied customer. But do everything in your power to own a situation and find a solution, and you’re on your way to turning your most dissatisfied customer into your biggest fan.