Managing customer complaints

In the world of eCommerce, customer satisfaction is paramount. However, no matter how well you run your online store, there will be instances when there will be some customer complaints. How you handle these complaints and resolve them can make a significant impact on your business’s reputation and success.

Understanding Customer Complaints and Their Types

The formal expression of a problem or dissatisfaction by customers while using your product or service is known as a customer complaint. While every business faces complaints, too much of it can be dangerous to your growth.

Customers may choose any available communication medium to contact you. God forbid they go all guns blazing on social media. Social media complaints have serious repercussions. A single word of mouth manifests into the butterfly effect, eventually becoming loud enough to shut your business down or hurt it significantly.

Other sources for receiving complaints include support email, contact number, live chat, WhatsApp, ticketing, on-comments, reviews, and more. Customers approach social media only when they can’t find a quicker complaint resolution method.

Those who have an organized custom support system on their websites can turn obstacles into opportunities. First, it helps you avoid getting negative feedback as internal communication lessens the chances of the matter going into the court of public opinion.

Second, you are able to solve customers’ problems and improve their experience. Therefore, you can increase customer satisfaction & retention by solving customer problems. Deploy what you must, but nip the issues in the bud.

Types of Complaining Users

Aggressive Complainer: These customers express their dissatisfaction in a forceful and confrontational manner. They may use angry or abusive language and may demand immediate solutions to their problems.

Passive Complainer: These customers express their dissatisfaction in a more subdued manner, often avoiding confrontation. They may communicate their dissatisfaction through nonverbal cues or hints.

Chronic Complainer: These customers are never satisfied, and seem to complain about every aspect of their experience with a company. They may have unrealistic expectations or may simply enjoy complaining.

Constructive Complainer: These customers voice their dissatisfaction in a manner that is more constructive and offer suggestions for how the business can enhance its offerings. They may be more patient and understanding but still expect a satisfactory resolution to their issue.

Regardless of the type of customer complaint, companies need to have effective procedures in place for handling customer complaints. This can include training staff to listen actively, empathize with the customer, and offer solutions that meet the customer’s needs. By addressing customer service complaints timely and effectively, companies can reduce customer complaints overall and improve customer satisfaction.

Common Causes of Customer Complaints

1. Making Users Wait Too Long for Help

A frustrated customer needs immediate help, however minuscule their problem is. But addressing every customer complaint on a priority basis is impossible for you. So it results in long waiting periods.

The longer a user waits, the more they turn against you, more so if the matter impacts them financially.

If it takes too long, then customers would prefer to leave you. A chunk of customers you can lose simply because of not providing proper support. 90% of Americans use customer service as a factor in deciding whether or not to do business with a company.

2. Needing to Repeat Their Query

72% of customers say that explaining their problems to multiple people is poor customer service.

This often happens when you are reaching out to an ISP operator. The first sales rep understands your query and starts suggesting the same old fixes that you have already tried on your end.

Failing to solve your problems, forwarding your call to another person (probably a higher-level representative who has the required expertise) but you have to explain your problem from the start again.

It might even entail spending a considerable amount of time on the phone or in conversation while repeatedly repeating yourself before receiving the response that “Our experts are working on it as we speak.” However, the complaint resolution period is 48 to 72 hours”.

3. Poor Product or Service

Sometimes we are quick to blame the laymen for not reading the well-written resources and point to their general lack of knowledge in handling the product or services.

But the fault may lie within you as well. What if you have a bad product and users are genuinely fed up with it?

It might be good if you listen to customer complaints more carefully and work on perfecting the solutions you offer.

Assuming innocence on your part can limit you from gaining crucial insights because no one will give you a better review than the end users.

4. Unsupportive Support Agent

To give your sales and customer service department a human face, you hire a support agent or representative. But human beings are flawed. Your agent may have these problems:

Lack of Empathy: If a support agent does not show empathy toward the customers’ issues, it can cause frustration and make the customers feel unheard, leading them to make a complaint about the agent’s behavior.

Inadequate Communication: A support agent’s inability to communicate effectively with a customer can lead to misunderstandings and confusion, which can have a negative impact on the customer’s experience. So, the agent’s inability to address their issue can contribute to service complaints.

Poor Product Knowledge: Lacking the necessary product knowledge, they may not be able to provide adequate solutions to the customer’s issue and cause consumer dissatisfaction.

Unprofessional Behavior: An unsupportive support agent who is rude or unprofessional towards the customer can cause the customer to feel disrespected or undervalued.

Strategies for Handling Customer Complaints

1. Listen Actively

When a customer contacts you with a complaint, pay close attention to what they have to say. Show empathy and let them express their issue fully. Whether it’s a technical problem related to your eCommerce website platform or a shipping delay, understanding the problem is the first step to resolving it.

2. Respond Quickly

In the resolution of complaints, promptness is essential. Acknowledge the complaint as soon as possible, ideally within hours. Even if you can’t provide an immediate solution, acknowledging the issue demonstrates that you value the customer’s time and concerns.

3. Investigate Thoroughly

Once you’ve acknowledged the complaint, investigate it thoroughly. Involve the relevant departments, whether it’s your eCommerce website developers, customer support, or logistics team. Gather all necessary information to understand the root cause.

4. Apologize Sincerely

If the complaint is valid, offer a sincere apology. Take responsibility for any errors, whether they stem from eCommerce website development issues or logistical mistakes. A heartfelt apology can go a long way in diffusing tension.

5. Provide Solutions

Work with your team to devise solutions to the customer’s problem. Make certain that the solutions are practical, efficient, and compatible with the capabilities of your eCommerce website platform. Communicate these solutions clearly to the customer.

6. Compensate Fairly

Depending on the nature of the complaint, consider offering compensation as a goodwill gesture. This could be a refund, a discount on future purchases, or free shipping. Fair compensation demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction.