Customer service company Corvisa released some very interesting statistics that shows yet again how important it is to have a proper customer complaints management plan.
According to this survey, one in six people would rather face a dentist appointment than deal with a customer service ordeal. When one stops to think how many dread sitting in the dentist chair with mouth agape, wondering whether that drill will ever end, these statistics become all the more alarming.
It doesn’t stop there either… 4% of the people interviewed stated that they would give up on bedroom time for a month rather than face a customer service rep again. Are companies going about customer complaints management all wrong to bring about such shocking reactions? Or are we missing the point in customer-company interactions somehow?
Taking the Stress out of Customer Complaints Management
Some additional pointers revealed during the survey included the following:
- 7% of people interviewed would rather deal with traffic fines or car license issues than customer service agents
- 20% stated that having to repeat the issue countless times to different agents was the most frustrating part of interactions
- 16% stated that waiting to be helped was their biggest gripe
- 15% hated dealing with employees who were not clued up on products or features
- 14% did not like dealing with too many different people during interactions
- 12% were fed up at dealing with rude or aggressive people
While these statistics go a long way in determining what it is that customers hate most about having to make complaints, it’s worth noting that emotions play a big part in things too.
According to organisational psychologist Michael Woodward, “When you are calling, there’s a chance you’re calling because you’re frustrated.” Not surprisingly, a customer who makes a complaint while in an angry state is far less likely to remain calm and collected. This anger is transferred to the representative, who may react defensively. It becomes hard for both parties to remember that each one is just a regular human being, and problems are not always as easy to resolve quickly.
For companies hoping to put in place more effective customer complaints strategies, it is good to understand the factors that enrage customers when dealing with employees. By targeting potential reactions before they take place, it can go a long way in ensuring a more productive outcome for all involved. Training staff to approach customers with the right attitude at all stages of customer interaction can also help from a proactive point of view.
Ultimately, customer complaints are not only upsetting and stressful for your agents and the company – they are also not fun for the customer making the complaint either. By remembering that, you may find that you can learn how to smooth things over to ensure a less stressful customer complaints management process for all involved.
