Complaints and Questions Can Help Your Business Grow

Lisa Lake How many mottos for service companies have you heard that claim
"We Listen to Customers"? Ignoring customers is like ignoring the
brown speckled leaves on your tomato plants. They both feed you.
But every business gets customers who complain about a product,
service, new look, price hike, or change in policy. Are they just
whiners, or have they put some thought into their opinions?

Consider Complaints Carefully

I'm that kind of customer that likes to make suggestions for
improvements when I shop. I do it kindly, I believe even
intelligently. With a marketing background I can't stop myself.

Be tolerant with this sort of consultant/complainer. My dad is
one, too.

Take, for example, the egg department at Megagrocery Store. You
could call it scrambled, week after week. The little plastic
prices are half broken off the shelves, never repaired. The sign
overhead is crammed with more little plastic numbers and
undecipherable abbreviations. The whole situation makes me doubt
whether they ever change the prices, even though their grocery
flyer claims week to week sale prices. At Smallergrocery Store a
mile away, they switch out paper signs above the egg racks every
week. The simple signs are nicely handwritten on thick colored
paper. Disposable. Inexpensive. No-brainer.
THIS WEEK! LARGE DOZEN, 99 CENTS. I grab one and head off.

I had to point out the unnecessary egg chaos to management in
Megagrocery. The problem? It's much too difficult for the busy
shopper to decipher egg prices. The solution? Easy! Apparently he
didn't like my telling him how nicely his competitor does it,
because he didn't change a thing. (Or ask his vendor to.) But
sometimes I get results.

Watch out for the mere grumblers. Those with chronic
complainitis.

Every time my family went to dinner with my husband's
grandparents, they whined about having to choose between soup OR
a salad with the entrée. "You mean you don't get BOTH? Really?"
The grumbling went on for whole minutes, their complaining more
acidic than the lemon in their ice tea. Diners all around us
ordered with ease and enjoyed their dinners. It had been a long
time since restaurants had offered both, especially at your
Chicken Fried Steak for $5.99 kind of a place - and they knew it.
But Gramma and Grampa were STILL unhappy about it, and always let
waitresses know.

So when you get complaints does it mean you made a mistake or
that it's time to change a product or policy? Not necessarily.
Is the complaint coming from an isolated individual or a very
small group of customers? You can't please everyone. You may be
pleasing a large group of customers (who you don't hear from)
while the same policy brings complaints from a few.
Watch for the Same Question Over and Over

One of the best gifts your customers can give you just happens to
be among the most annoying. From time to time you will notice
customer after customer asks the same question.

This happened to my employer when just about everyone who
inquired about his press release service wanted to know if they
could approve the release before it was sent to thousands of
media. Soon after that a new web page paragraph in bold red
letters proclaimed, "We send your release to you for your
approval BEFORE it goes to media." Sales jumped.

Recurring questions in your business can lead you to correct an
oversight. That can give sales an immediate boost.

Ads often declare, "You asked for it. Now we offer Product X!"
Business is, after all, about pleasing customers. Currently I'm
"consulting" my grocer on the benefits of reduced-fat salami.
Half the fat but excellent taste. Can't they find a vendor
please, and soon?

About the Author

Lisa Lake provides marketing advice and writes web copy, sales
letters, articles, ads, and press releases.See her free tips at
http://MyAdBlaster.com and catch advice from the staff at
http://InternetWriters.com Quick turnaround on writing from
classified ads to ezines and ebooks. Reach Lisa at
lisa@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.