How to deal with “problem customers”
We’ve all been there. We’ve all had to deal with “problem customers.” You know the ones – the customers who make unreasonable demands, the ones who are rude to your employees, the ones who write negative reviews online. The customers who still complain even after you’ve bent over backwards for them. The ones who blame you for everything that has ever gone wrong in their lives. The ones who don’t read the fine print, the large print and everything in between. They drain your time, your energy and your enthusiasm for your work. They stress you out.
But it’s not them; it’s you.
If a customer is causing that much trouble then the problem is one of two things. Either it is how you are interacting with them or it is because they aren’t the right customer for your business. Both issues are ultimately your responsibility, but also within your ability to either fix or avoid.
How is it your fault if someone isn’t the right customer for your business? How is the customer not to blame? The answer is that either you forced something that wasn’t meant to be or you misrepresented what you were selling. All too often, organizations believe that more is better and will do whatever it takes to acquire more customers. But not every customer is right for every business. If a customer isn’t a good fit, your organization will waste time convincing them that your products and services meet their needs (even if they don’t). This not only misrepresents what your products and services actually do, but it also takes time away from customers who could truly benefit from your products and services. Believing that your salespeople should manipulate anyone into buying and your products can make everyone happy is delusional. No one product is right for everyone. It’s not possible to create something that everyone in the world wants or needs. Water is the only thing everyone on earth needs and it was created long before your business existed.
And how are you to blame if a customer bought your product and wasn’t happy with it? They know their needs better than you do. That may be true, but you know your product better than they do. You have the ability to ask more detailed questions regarding their needs than they do. They don’t know what they don’t know. How would they know to ask certain details regarding your product if they have never bought one before? If you’re selling a house, you know when the roof was last replaced, but if the buyer has never owned a house before, they may not think to ask. If you are selling sandwiches and don’t list the ingredients, how would a customer know that anchovies are a standard ingredient in yours if it isn’t listed somewhere?
If a customer isn’t satisfied, then in some way, you’ve misrepresented the product. Sure, we’ve all tried something and realized later that we didn’t like it. Like flavors of ice cream – we may order it once to taste it and realize that it isn’t for us. But a good salesperson would explain what that flavor tasted like compared to other flavors. If you like this one, then you might like that one. And a good salesperson, and organization, will understand where a customer is coming from. If you know that a customer is lactose intolerant, then maybe you shouldn’t be trying to sell them ice cream. If you don’t have anything that is appropriate for them, treat them with respect, offer what you can, and maybe they’ll recommend you to their friends. You may not be able to save the sale, but you can save your reputation. By forcing a sale on someone who you know you will not be able to satisfy, you are jeopardizing your reputation. Is it really worth it for that one sale?
Likewise, if you change a product believing that it is an improvement and your customers aren’t happy with it, then you’ve made a mistake in product development. If your customers aren’t interested in your “improvements,” then you haven’t been listening to your customers.
If it is the right customer for the right product and they still aren’t satisfied with your organization and your products, then take a look at how you are interacting with them. Do you treat them as if they are the ones with a problem even if they have a legitimate concern? Do you act as if they are a nuisance? Customers will pick up on your opinion of them whether you vocalize your feelings or not. Do you genuinely care about their experience with your product and organization or do you want them to go away? They will know the difference. Do you understand their perspective or are you too busy justifying your position? Are you truly hearing what they have to say? Do you follow up and respond to them in a timely manner demonstrating respect? Did something happen that caused them to lose their trust in you?
If customers don’t feel that you are listening to them or taking them seriously, they will take their grievances to someone who will – including online message boards – where the issue could potentially spiral out of control. Most “problem customers” don’t want to be problem customers. While there are exceptions, most people don’t want to cause a headache for others. If a “problem customer” has a problem, more than likely, it’s not their fault; it’s yours. Usually, it’s not them; it’s you.