You're right!

[duncan drennan]

Ever though - really thought - about how you respond to an unhappy customer?

Arguing with a customer who takes the time to write to you does two things: it keeps them from ever writing again and it costs you (at least) one customer. Perhaps that’s your goal. Just take a moment before you launch an unhappy former customer into the world.

Read the article (link above), it is worth it.

[Dave A]

You're right.

Agree.
Accept responsibility.
Apologise.
Fix.

[Norri]

I can vouch for the above methods! Read it on an earlier blog post by Seth and started using it. Found that it's a VERY fast way to diffuse an angry client. Next step is to ask, "What can I do to make this right." Usually, it's less than what you would've been prepared to do in any case!

[Karenwhe]

I can't believe I found this post after replying to the webmail post.

Yes, it is true, very good article. It is though some times, but it gets even tougher when organizations get big like webmail and get out of control and have no proper procedures for customers complaints or actually deal with them.

I believe all of us that are in business will have at one point or another a complaining customer, because there are no 100% absolutes in life. Dealing with it - is what is important and fixing procedures that create problems if there are too many complaints is also important for sustained customer satisfaction (none of which is as easy said as done....lets face it).

Here is a good story about customer service.

Once in SA I was amazed in a good way by customer complaint center. It was with Spur actually. We went out to dinner and had a very bad experience, to summarize the food wasn't ready after an hour (actually more).

We did call to complain the same day (that was a Sunday and left a voice message), with very little hope.

But lo and behold the next day (Monday) the owner of the franchise called to inquire exactly what happened to ensure it won't happen again and apologized sincerely.

I sincerely felt good and understood that mistakes happen and was happy with that.

But what I didn't know is that a week later (that is because I only check my pob weekly ) I got in the mail R500 worth of vouchers to that spur outlet.

That is when I was shocked (pleasantly of course).

Bottom line, I still go to that spur and I must say, it never happened again (and I do go often with the kids).

The truth be told, even mistakes that we do in business can be fixed with a bit of willingness. And procedures can be fixed so that mistakes happen less often.

What worries me is companies like webmail, that by the looks of things, don't have it under control or became too big to care, which in fact should never be the case.