Responding to complaints with empathy is vital when responding to issues raised by customers and employees.

How many times have you heard someone say: “I just want to be heard!”

And yet at times it seems that companies have an agenda and respond as if they have not heard a word we are saying.

Many times we feel the sales or service representative follows a script which never includes the three simple words: “We are sorry”. In my last post I spoke about real listening, which by default includes a bit of understanding or a lot of it!

Now, please don’’t think I have completely forgotten about the tools we use to listen and respond–mainly the Web, social media and telephony.

Many other sources of information are available on using those tools effectively. At the moment, I am suggesting subtle changes to your communications strategy to maximize and integrate the use of those tools and enhance your brand.

A well-known retailer reportedly is dismissing employees for not upselling product warranties rather than determining why customers don’t want to take the offers.

Conversely other retailers say that they welcome comments from dissatisfied customers via their employees and see those comments as an opportunity to improve their services.

These are two completely different approaches which can have outcomes such as:

• High overturn of employees and huge training costs or
• Improved loyalty and increased sales.

Next- 5 Steps for Dealing with Customer Issues