Workplace Issues
Admit your mistakes to customersIt's natural for a small business owner to mess up now and then. ROGER PIERCE -- www.bizlaunch.ca |
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In fact, the more mistakes the better because you'll learn from each one. However, if your mistake involves a customer and you handle the situation poorly, you may risk damaging your relationship and reputation.
Whenever your next mistake happens, follow these steps to make it right:
Admit your mistake. Everyone makes mistakes, so admit yours personally to your customer. Say something like, "Your order should have arrived last week. We messed up, and I apologize. Let me look into this matter today and get back to you."
Move quickly. A small error can easily escalate into a big problem if you ignore it or take too long to address it. Your speedy response is likely more important than the fix you apply. Don't put your head in the sand. Pick up the phone, get in your car or e-mail your customer immediately. Let them know you are taking their issue seriously and will respond with a remedy within 24 hours or less.
Remedy the situation. Fix the problem at any cost. Investigate quickly to discover what happened to cause the error, then step back and think of solutions to make it right with the customer. You may decide to refund some money, replace a product, send a delivery overnight, retract a public statement, telephone someone to apologize or fire a negligent employee. Whatever the fix, let your customer know what you are doing.
Show you've learned your lesson. After you've admitted your mistake and fixed it to satisfy the customer, let them know how their issue has helped to improve your organization so similar mistakes won't happen again. Issue an employee bulletin, hold a staff meeting or simply modify your operations manual. Send a copy to your customer so they know you're serious about service.
Start-up Expert Roger Pierce is co-founder of BizLaunch.ca, Canada's largest small business training company.
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