Did you read that scathing review? Don’t ignore it: fix the problem now! Here are 5 ways to win back lost customers with an unbelievable response
Businesses aren’t perfect. Mistakes happen, and things fall through the cracks. The aim is to correct these issues when they arise and win back lost customers with quick and effective responses.
Since we live in a digital age, every customer now has the power to make their voice heard online. Whether those reviews or opinions support your business is ultimately up to you. However, there is no question that a bad review can hurt your business.
As a business owner, you have something working in your favor: customers are used to being ignored. Even if they publish a scathing review online, they never expect companies to respond and fix the problem.
It’s your opportunity to show up and change everything. Putting in the effort to win back lost customers will benefit your brand in several ways:
- Winning back business and trust
- Being a company that acknowledges mistakes and fixes problems
- Gaining a positive reputation for your brand
- Positive word-of-mouth about your efforts to make customers happy
- Learning from mistakes and adapting new practices
- Upholding good values: transparency, honesty, passion, and service quality
How to win back lost customers: 5 tips for business integrity
1. Have a system in place
You have to make outreach a priority. Otherwise, unhappy customers will fall through the cracks. Develop a plan to monitor every channel that your customers engage with your brand. Set up a meeting with your team to discuss a strategy for identifying unhappy customers. Then create a step-by-step process to respond and fix the issue they’re having.
Set up alerts to notify you when your company is mentioned online. Here are the channels you need to monitor regularly:
- Social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Reddit, Quora, etc.
- Review websites, like Yelp, Zillow, Google, Amazon, and industry-specific sites
- Email responses from customers
- Blog influencers and industry publications
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If you want to win back lost customers, you have to continually engage them at every point in the sale. That’s our specialty. Schedule a demo with us, and we’ll show you how to turn leads into customers with less work!
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2. Be quick with your response
Time is of the essence when it comes to bad reviews and feedback. If you want to catch the attention of the customer, make sure to respond quickly. If you’re properly monitoring all of your websites and emails, then no more than 24 hours should pass before you reach out. Also, be sure to write a personal message. It should be a direct response. One-to-one; mono y mono.
A few tips for responding to bad reviews:
- Keep your tone light, positive, and determined
- Repeat back what the customer stated (show them that you read the review)
- Invite him to speak with you one-on-one over the phone (or in person, if local)
- Keep it short and friendly. Don’t write a book in response; focus on moving forward
3. Ask good questions to identify the problem
Once you are in personal contact with the customer, take a moment to figure out the whole problem. Use open-ended questions to get the full picture and jot down notes along the way. Identify the issues your customer has, and then come up with an exact solution. Run the idea past the customer. If you get a green light, implement that solution immediately.
- Use open-ended questions to get the customer talking
- Keep the one-to-one conversation short. Focus on listening well, then offer your solution
- Be personable, friendly, and pat yourself on the back (you’re going the extra mile!)
4. Fix the issue in under 24 hours
When you find the correct solution, make it happen right away. The faster you can deliver great service, the better chance you have of remedying the initial experience. Think about it: if you bashed a company online, received a response, talked to the owner personally, and got your problem fixed in under 24 hours, wouldn’t you feel amazed? That doesn’t happen often. They might want to delete that bad review and replace it with a good one.
5. Follow up with a hand-written note and small gift
Finally, once the dust has settled and the problem fixed, make good on your service promise. Write a letter to the customer and mail it. That last effort will seal the deal. Include an appreciation gift with the letter, too. A gift card or picture of your team at the office is a nice touch.
Tips for writing the letter:
- Write it on a quality paper or postcard
- Thank the customer for his patience and for giving you the opportunity to correct the problem
- Provide your personal contact info for more questions or concerns
The bottom line: win back lost customers with unexpected service
Remember that people today are not expecting your company to go above and beyond for them. If you can nail down a system for responding to unhappy feedback, then you will turn every “lost customer” into a new opportunity for growth. Your actions will serve your continued success in multiple ways – winning back the business being just one.
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If you want to win back lost customers, you have to continually engage them at every point in the sale. That’s our specialty. Schedule a demo with us, and we’ll show you how to turn leads into customers with less work!
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Can we ask your opinion? How do you feel about gaining back business? Share your experiences in the comments!