What Every Manager Should Know About How to Learn from the Complaints of Customers and Employees

Listening to complaints, whether they're reasonable or not, is a part of every manager's job. Sometimes complaints can be overwhelming. However, when we take them in stride with an open mind, we can learn much from our employees' and customers' feelings about the workplace. After all, a complaint is nothing more that a person telling you that his (or her) needs have not been met. As dissatisfied customers, they are giving us a second chance to correct something that should have been done properly the first time around. (In some cases the customer might happen to be your employee.)

If you listen to them patiently and attentively, their complaints will alert you to a real or potential problem, or tell you of a better way to handle a situation.

We are not use, however, to coping with complaints. We let our emotions rule our thinking usually. Consequently, we let complaints wear us out because we take on the complaint as a personal attack on us. It is not!

The next time you are faced with an irate employee, here are some steps to consider:

* Try doing something new and different.

* Listen attentively, patiently, and with good nature.

* Even if the complaint seems unreasonable, don't tell him so. Keep it to yourself.

* Because nobody wants to be accused of being unreasonable, especially if it's true, admit that he might be right. (The implication is that you may be wrong.)

* Invite him to offer you in his own words a solution to his complaint. Say, for example, "If you were in my shoes, what would you do to correct the situation?" (Be careful not to call his complaint or situation a problem, because doing so might aggravate him to the point that he loses his ability to think and express himself clearly.)

* Listen carefully and actively. Read his body language.

* Use feedback questions or statements to let him know that you're trying to understand and meet his needs. (Begin responses with statements like, "If I understand you correctly, ...")

When you take the time to listen to your complaining customers or employee, you'll hear what he's telling you. Then you'll be in a better position to turn him into a satisfied customer.

Remember: When you maximize your potential, everyone wins. When you don't, we all lose.

© Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in ezines, newsletters, and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Although advance permission is not required, please notify us at execandgroup-consulting@yahoo.com when you use this article.

Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, Management Consultant and Trainer, conducts seminars, lectures, and writes articles on his theme: ... helping you maximize your potential. He offers management, marketing, and parenting resources at his Maximizing Your Potential blog.

---

PARLOT.COM: Turnkey Money Making websites

What Every Manager Should Know About How to Win the Loyalty of Customers

Dr. Michael LeBoeuf, in his cassette album entitled, Win Customers... Read More

Find Out Where Your Firm Stands in Today?s Customer

Looking For Ways to Improve Sales and Customer Relationships?Find Out... Read More

What Do Your Clients REALLY Think of You?

*********************************************Know Thyself - Socrates*********************************************I'd like to start this article with... Read More

Clients?Do You Really Need Them?

Running a successful business takes a lot of energy and... Read More

Importance of Good Customer Support in Online Computer Peripherals Shops

Looking for hi-fi computer peripherals? Finding it tough to decide... Read More

Proofs of Delivery and Logistics: Speeding Throughput and Avoiding Pitfalls

It should be a straightforward business scenario: making sure that... Read More

The Drawback of Hacking Off a Blogger Through Weak Process Gaps and Pathetic Customer Service

With all of the recent data theft in the financial... Read More

5 Ways Customer Service Managers are Implementing to Increase Customer Focus

According to a Forum Corporation survey of commercial customers lost... Read More

The Added Value - Is YOU!

If there was a restaurant in your town that was... Read More

What?s in a Name?

Different people call their Customers by different names. If they... Read More

Your Voice Print

"Mountains are built one pebble at a time and climbed... Read More

Attitude of Service

When conducting a training session about customer service, I always... Read More

The Sellers Creed

I will not make sales. I will make Customers.I will... Read More

Revealed ? A Simple Formula For Success! Exceeding Expectations

Delight = Customer Expectation plus 1. This was the simple... Read More

Increase in Customer Sales = Increase in Customer Service

One of the most popular questions asked in online business... Read More

Everyone talks in code!

How often have you left a meeting with a customer... Read More

Accountability

The Call Center world is an intense pressure-driven environment continually... Read More

From Scowl to Smile: 5 Practical Steps to Instill Exceptional Customer Service

Whether in a restaurant, a retail establishment, or the local... Read More

Moments That Matter

Many years ago, I was a first year apprentice assigned... Read More

Empowering Customer Service Vital

It never fails to amaze me how many companies have... Read More

Dealing with Difficult People

1. Don't get Hooked !!!When people behave towards you in... Read More

Dealing with People - Words to Avoid

You probably realise how the wrong tone of voice and... Read More

Profit from a Customer Service Recovery Program

A client recently said to me: "Most days things seem... Read More

CRM For Beginners ? Customer Relationship Management Basics

In order to maintain a successful business, the business must... Read More

Renewing Customer Loyalty

Every business loses customers, but not many do much about... Read More