<p>Ok, here’s your big chance. I need advice on how to handle a customer. I can’t go into the actual details, so I will try to give a story that gets the point across in a similar way.</p>
<p>Let’s call him X. Let’s say X ordered something from my company, and the widget that X ordered must have work done on it by an outside contractor. The contractor went out of the country unbeknown to us. We found out the contractor would not be back for another week, only after X called complaining about the order (and we called the contractor). I can send the widget out to someone else, which I did, as soon as X complained. It is only two weeks since the order, and it is not outside the usual delivery time in any case. X is just anxious to get the widget. </p>
<p>So I apologized profusely, explained what happened. Said I sent it out etc., even though our contractor is preferable to the other one. I tried to be so nice. (No special delivery promises were made originally). However, X just seems like he wants to rant and rave to us over and over and over…</p>
<p>Personally, I think that the customer is lost for the future anyway, but I am looking for your opinions. I am getting the feeling that this customer will never be satisfied. What satisfies a person like this?</p>
<p>X has a legitimate reason to be annoyed (the company should know the status of the contractors it uses) so that needs to be kept in mind. Is X just ranting and raving at the situation, the company in general, or is X being abusive to you personally? If it’s the latter then don’t tolerate it. If it’s one of the others, and if you look at it from X’s perspective and see X’s point, and if you value X (or at least X’s money) as a customer, then you can try the empathetic identifying technique where you tell X you understand, that you’d feel about the same way, that when you’ve found yourself in similar situations you felt about the same as X currently feels, and that gosh darn it, you’re going to do what you can to change your company’s procedures so this won’t happen to X again. People complaining to CS reps often forget they’re talking to an actual person with real feelings and emotions.</p>
<p>It’s not outside the normal delivery time, and you made no special delivery promises. You checked on the status for the customer, and found out it would be another small chunk of time, but still within the normal delivery window. </p>
<p>I would not have informed the customer that your preferred subcontractor was away and that you needed to use a second choice sub. Does the customer need to know that detail?</p>
<p>At this point, you’ve done what you can. Sometimes it flat out helps to say “what would you like me to do?” and shut up and listen. If he wants it yesterday, and you can manage to deliver, I think I’d tell him there would be an extra charge.</p>
<p>Personally, if the customer is going to be obnoxious to me he’s going to get fired. If he’s going to ask for special services and rush deliveries – he’s going to pay through the nose.</p>
<p>Yes, I am feeling cranky tonight, but the customer is not always right!</p>
<p>I order packaging for weddings and other events on a regular basis. I need to know what the expected delivery time is, and whether my deadline will/can be met. Several years ago, I ordered hand-dyed silk ribbon for wedding favors with ample time to spare–I mean months!–according to the website of the supplier. When I called to check on the order, I was blithely informed that they wouldn’t be meeting their published deadline. By months. And the ribbon wouldn’t be ready until AFTER the wedding. I had to order an alternate, unsatisfactory, expensive alternative. When I emailed to cancel the order from the original supplier, they protested that they had pulled out all the stops to get my order filled before my drop dead date. I relented, and accepted delivery from both suppliers. I still have the (highly expensive) backup ribbon on hand, hoping that at some point I will be able to use it and recoup the cost.</p>
<p>My bottom line is that you need to meet your PUBLISHED OR PROMISED delivery deadlines. If you are doing that, don’t worry about it.</p>
<p>Oh for heaven’s sake. Sometimes things happen. I think the important thing in the future is to stay on top of things and try to let the customers know if there is an issue before they contact you. I know that I am still annoyed when I don’t get something when I THINK I’m going to get it…but I feel better if the person or vendor lets me know what the problem is before I get to the point of calling them.</p>
<p>What should you do now? Just listen. I would offer them two choices…a new delivery date…or the ability to cancel the order for a full refund.</p>
<p>Offer him a small discount on his next order. Even though the widget is going to be delivered on time. Even though you don’t have to. </p>
<p>Good, caring customer service is so rare these days. It always makes a huge impression on me when someone goes out of their way for me, or does something they don’t have to. Be one of the exceptions. :)</p>
<p>I ordered a widget from company C in August, with a usual 2-4 week delivery and a requirement that I must take it within 4 weeks of being contacted (large item) </p>
<p>After tons of phone calls (daily) and misinformation, talking to company C and delivery people JB, plus the widget maker, it was the misinformation which was most frustrating. I like having the facts, I don’t think telling him there was a subcontractor switch is a problem.</p>
<p>I finally got the widget about 5-6 weeks after ordering it, but the wrong one was sent, the right one is back ordered at least another two weeks. I asked for an upgraded model, but company C has no way to do that, so I guess I may get some sort of credit.</p>
<p>As a fellow business owner, fact #1, is there are some folks that will never be satisfied with perfection. Second, when I have a customer that reacts this way, I say, “Mr.X, what exactly is it, that I can do for you, that will make you feel satisfied with this transaction?”. Then you will know what his bellyaching is all about, he may want a discount, a three man band apology, or he may say, I don’t really know. It’s probably the later, but at least you’ll know.</p>
<p>I’m with collegeshopping on this: “Mr. X, I’d like to keep you as a customer. What would it take? Would you like a 10% discount and an apology? A credit toward your next order? Or just the knowledge that next time I won’t make the same mistake?”</p>