This week American Eagle Airline was fined $900,000 for keeping passengers on a non-moving plane for over three hours. $600,000 will be paid as a fine but almost $300,000 will be returned to passengers in refunds, vouchers and other incentives to come fly again.
What is the best course of action when a customer has a bad experience with a company? The moments after an episode of bad customer service will determine the client’s future actions. Will they return? Will they tweet or blog something detrimental to your business? There are a few ways to take control of your fate by offering outstanding service to correct a wrong.
Good customer service is organic. Either it is part of who you are as an organization or it is not. If service is the priority, everyone from the CEO down should practice it. Toot your own horn at meetings or in the company newsletter. If you are offering something exceptional, the whole company should know and follow the example.
Good customer service means empowerment. Is every member of the staff empowered to make things right for an unhappy customer? While there are boundaries around what can and should be offered to correct a wrong, a company that values the customer experience will make their policies part of employee orientation and on-going team-training. Are clients empowered to talk to whomever they need to because your company hierarchy is easily accessed on a website or somewhere else the public can find it?
Good customer service means saying, “I’m sorry.” Our society values being right more than empathy but in a good service environment, people are often seeking empathy and an apology. Being genuinely regretful that someone has had an unpleasant experience while working with your company is not weak, it’s good service.
While we may not all have $300,000 to buy clientele back, we do all have the tools to correct a disappointing experience and save a loyal customer.
