As unpleasant as it might seem, getting a complaint from a customer can actually imply many positive aspects and show how much a business really cares for customers. As a matter of fact, when a customer signals a problem, we should treat it like an opportunity as it might turn into an advantage over the competition. For example, many complain about a long product delivery time or an offer reception time; customers often signal a machine
malfunctioning or a detergent inefficiency because it did not remove a stain. All these issues need a rather immediate solution.
Taiichi Ohno, the founder of Toyota Production System, used to say: “Not having any problems is the biggest problem”. It means that if nobody signals any problems, it could imply that either the IT system of the company has a few “faults” or the critical points are trying to be hidden, or better still, that the company won’t listen to their customers’ complaints. The greater the ability of a business to deal with a complaint and
turn it into a positive experience, the better and longer the relationship with the customer will become. If a customer is satisfied about the way a company dealt with their complaint or a problem, their trust-based relationship with the company will not be undermined but it will only grow stronger.
What is the best way to deal with complaints?
It is definitely necessary to activate an efficient customer satisfaction service that should follow the instructions below:
a) listen to customers carefully, let them speak without interruptions even when they repeat themselves: they need to vent! The aim of this first stage is not to annoy the customers even further as they already have a problem;
b) verify whether the problem has been understood correctly in detail and contain it;
c) once the problem has been delimited, we need to demonstrate that we understand the customer’s point of view. Comprehension is not the admission of guilt;
d) start a pro-active relation with a customer and ask what possible solution they might have in mind or how they would solve the problem. If the customer’s suggestions are 
acceptable, as they often are, it will be enough to support and meet the requests giving a positive closure to the complaint. If the suggestions turn out to be inacceptable, it is important to offer another solution or a compromise;
e) once the solution has been found, the procedure to execute what has been established should start immediately and followed at 100%;
f) we need to ask customers to provide their feedback in relation to their satisfaction.
What tools can we use collect complaints and identify problems?
There are various tools available to businesses that help identify and manage problems and complaints. Among the main ones, we can list the following:
a) A toll-free number or a number dedicated to a client assistance;
b) Whatsapp Business/Messenger/Telegram web services;
c) Front office (customers relations office);
d) Google Form or SurveyMonkey (an online form for complaints management);
e) Facebook/Linkedin/Instagram pages;
f) A website that includes a page dedicated to problems and troubleshooting.
What key information can we obtain from a complaint?
Customers can provide information on something that might be wrong about a product or a service, the type of packaging, order processing, staff organization, the assistance service time, the lines of reasoning by sales people or products’ instructions of use. Thanks to this approach, we can identify some possible improvements or innovations that a product can undergo or improve the way a service is carried out as well as revise an organizational process, control the quality and the methodology used to determine customers’ needs. 
What is more, it is possible to discover different ways a product can be used directly from customers and understand how to improve their product use experience. It also allows businesses to establish a solid relationship with customers and to find out more about their problems and motivation.
A complaint often leads to new ideas and new sales opportunities. It is an occasion to inform customers about the news, new products, events or trade shows. It also is a possibility to update customers and give them some useful advice so that similar
setbacks and situations are avoided.
A customer that makes a complaint does not need to be perceived as an opponent. It is likely that they feel much more positively about the company than it seems. Their complaints offer a possibility to sort the problems out, make things work better and keep
them as customers for ever.
How to arrange the customer service?
Considering the size of a business and its commercial activity, let us indicate some best practices:
a) at some multinational companies, the management is obliged, once a month, to spend an entire day on the phone with customers in order to process the complaints in person;
b) ask customers to present their proposals already in the product design stage or in the execution phase of a specific service. By trying to involve them, we can avoid future quarrelling;
c) it is crucial to authorize the collaborators that deal with customers directly to solve the possible problems immediately and make a useful report about it;
d) while evaluating staff performance, it is necessary to pay more attention to personnel in charge of customer care. It could be a good idea to introduce incentives so that the staff will give the maximum priority to finding solutions to problems.
Also, it might be useful to collaborate and gather information from those customers who work with the competition as well. It would allow to better identify the points of strength of the competition and their products, and on the way they solve some of their issues. Knowing the competitors and the market we operate in are the keys to success. In order to increase the turnover, it is crucial to increase the customer care service. Nevertheless, the management is often unaware of the fact that good assistance is not just helpful and kind
personnel but it is much more that should be offered.
The approach of Lean Marketing towards complaints has got numerous advantages because it allows businesses to innovate starting from some critical points at a cost equal to zero, because the signaling is free of charge. As a matter of fact, the system of
gathering and listening to customers’ feedback through regular surveys on customer satisfaction is crucial.
by
Alessandro Martemucci,
Marketing Consultant
Officinae Marketing Management
DETERGO
MAY 2020
