All businesses will ultimately have to deal with a difficult customer at some time, whether they are haggling for a better price or just entirely unhappy with the service or product that they received. When it comes to dealing with difficult customers, it is best to always follow the old saying, “The customer is always right” whenever you can. Here are some reasons why it is best to keep the customer happy.
Word of Mouth Advertising is Dangerous
Just as word of mouth advertising is a great benefit for a business, it can also be the demise of a business if not handled properly. Say there was a credit card processing error and it wasn’t noticed until after they saw their statement, which happened to be outside of your refund period. Is it better to refund the customer a few dollars or potentially lose a customer for life that may also spread a lot of negative words about your company? Refund the customer before they turn into an angry ex-customer.
Chargebacks Can Kill Businesses
Merchant accounts are very flexible, but it you show any type of unscrupulous customer service that results in numerous chargebacks, you will lose your credit card processing ability in a heartbeat. That means you need to be proactive when dealing with customer complaints, and checking in with them before they have to contact you after the sale. A simple phone call or email to the customer checking to see how their purchase experience was can save a possible chargeback and your business reputation. Don’t let a bad customer ruin your business.
Lifetime Value of Customers
You always need to protect the merchant accounts that you have secured, so you need to know when to fire the customer as well. A customer that is always giving you problems is not worth it in the long run. If you make one wrong move, an angry customer will be all over your business, screaming about something, and they will want you to give in because everyone else caters to these people. Cut the cord with this customer and save the reputation of your business before they destroy it. A few sales is not worth the aggravation.