No matter how hard you try, and how good your staff are, it's inevitable that one day a customer will complain about your service, your goods or about how they've been treated.
Believe us, it will happen. At the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs, we're at the sharp edge of the complaints-receiving business. Around 3,500 people lodge written complaints with us every year regarding goods, services and traders.
In addition, there's a great volume of telephone calls from unhappy consumers who want advice, and fortunately the majority of these complainants are able to resolve their dispute with the trader without further assistance from Consumer and Business Affairs.
Obviously, most traders want to ensure their customers are satisfied.
While many business people regard a customer complaint as a negative experience, complaints that are handled properly can result in a previously unhappy customer singing your praises. Look on a complaint as one of the best opportunities you have for making one of your customers loyal.
Remember to handle your complaints sympathetically, people just love to tell others about their experience with your business.
Word-of-mouth advertising is great when it is working for you but it's a double-edged sword.
Good customer service costs nothing - well very little if you include the cost of staff training and it's a mind-set that quickly becomes second nature to you and your staff. The cost of training can be less than the potential cost of no training.
Customer loyalty is one of the biggest assets a business has; fight for this loyalty - be passionate about it. Sure it's important to be product or service driven but if you focus on your customers, generally the others take care of themselves.
Go to handling complaints.
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Information on accessibility for the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs website can be viewed at: http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/accessibility.html
Information on copyright for the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs website is provided on behalf of South Australia Central http://www.sacentral.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=60
Disclaimer
Information on the disclaimer for the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs website is provided on behalf of South Australia Central http://www.sacentral.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=61
Privacy
The South Australian Office of Consumer and Business Affairs (OCBA) is committed to protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your personal information, consistent with the South Australian Government's Information Privacy Principles. If you would like to view the full privacy statement please visit: http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/privacy.html
Webmaster
If you wish to provide feedback on the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs website please contact the Webmaster via email mailto:webmaster@agd.sa.gov.au
Accessibility
Information on accessibility for the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs website can be viewed at: http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/accessibility.html