3 ways to deal with poor-quality customer service

Everyone experiences poor quality service at least once in a lifetime.

It could be a long queue for a business lunch at our favorite cafe, or the incompetence of the sales assistant who recommends running shoes rather than shoes designed for gym use.

Such situations may cause slight irritation or severe frustration, depending on the inconvenience caused, for example, in terms of financial loss or time wasted. 

Not everyone knows how to act appropriately in situations of poor service and how to protect customer rights without escalating the issue into an unnecessary conflict. We need to know what can really make an impact on the company and make it pay attention, not only to your particular case but also to the quality of service it provides to other customers. 

In this short guide, we will consider the most common ways of responding to poor quality service and determine the approximate possible effectiveness of each of them.

1. Try to sort it out face to face with the “Head Manager”: 3/5If you have time to deal with the issue of poor service, you may ask the staff to give you an opportunity to talk directly with the head manager or administrator.The advantages of this method are that you may quickly receive compensation for your bad customer experience.  This may come as a verbal apology or a small gesture of goodwill on the part of the company, depending on the circumstances of the issue.

   The disadvantage of this method is that it is only suitable for those people who are willing to openly discuss and assert their customer rights.

   Don’t be embarrassed to speak your mind, because a lot of companies are very willing to listen to customer opinions and feedback.First Chicago Bank is actively chasing complaints from clients who have withdrawn their custom from the bank. This bank managed to receive detailed interviews from about 100 of its 300 former clients. Their responses were unexpected for the management of the bank. Former customers expected to feel valued by the bank and when this did not happen, they closed their accounts.

    

2. Leave a review on social media: 4/5
   In the era of the Internet, the method of sharing online reviews is probably the most popular. You may easily post your review on social media, eg, Facebook or Instagram, and tag the official page.Advantages:  We estimate that 99% of companies will give you a public apology and you will also receive help and support from other social media users.
   Will it make a difference in the attitude of the company towards its clients? It depends.Disadvantages:  a company may ignore your feedback, but it will be harder for them if you persist in publishing your reviews and continue asking for a resolution or fair compensation.
   To sound convincing you will need to provide confirmation for your argue, – remember the name of the staff member, photographs and audio recordings if applicable. These will enhance your chances of obtaining compensation.

   Reviews on quality of products may also be extremely effective.  In 1985, Coca Cola received a huge amount of claims from customers who were dissatisfied with the taste of the new drink “1-800-Get-Coke”  and demanded the return of the traditional taste of Coca-Cola. As a result, it was replaced by New Coke, today is known as Coke Classic. With this step, the company instantly reacted to negative public opinion, reassured its consumers and prevented huge potential financial losses.

   Let’s name 5 possible ways a company may react to your claims:

• price reduction or free service;
• sincere apologies;
• free product or gift;
• discount coupon for your next visit;
• a guarantee that the company will take measures to change the situation and take positive action to improve the quality of service. 

3. Became a mystery shopper: 5/5One of the most effective ways to improve the quality of service is to become a mystery shopper.
   Advantages: Mystery shopping providers collect shopper comments, produce statistics and then hand them over to the client.
   This work can be quite challenging.  You need to be extremely attentive at the location, complete the survey in a timely manner and attach all relevant photos.  As a result, you will receive payment from the mystery shopping company.
   But all these issues become easy to deal with if you have some time and willingness.As a conclusion, we want to emphasize the importance of your feedback, as that will influence the level of customer service that will satisfy not only your needs but the needs of other possible clients.