We live in a time when social media and online reviews can make or break a business, customers are educated, do research and due diligence, and good reputation equals more business. However there are times when a customer’s claim hits a soft spot and our ego gets the better of us. If you’ve been around enough you know that there are those situations that if are not handled correctly could become costly, and we have to ask ourselves how much I want to pay to be right?
Not long ago, we had a claim where we denied compensation for a missing item that the customer did not write an exception on the inventory sheets. The customer disputed this claiming that the driver and him spoke about it and asked that the carrier to do the right thing. It was a $300 comp and the carrier, who is a long-time carrier, decided not to allow for the reason that there were no exceptions at the time of delivery. The customer who was savvy online reviewer used social media and other online channels to tell the story his way, and that had a negative impact on sales very quickly.
Yes, at times we want to make a point or protect what’s ours, and the first thought that comes to our mind are those $300 that we could save. At the same time, we should also weigh out the long-term impact on our business. This is what a customer wrote in a grievance claim last week and is a great example to how the right approach can go a long way:
“Monica (fake name) is very rude on phone and was never helpful. She raised her voice several times and very dismissive. When a complaint regarding the damaged boxes were made she said she doubts that’s true. When we told her the mattress was missing she was also very dismissive and did not seem to care. WE PAY YOU TO DELIVER OUR STUFF SAFELY TO US. KINDLY UNDERSTAND THAT. I may be handicapped but I have a camera phone and have recorded our calls and I was ready to go to court. George (fake name) was the only person that took the time to listen to us and explain to us the next steps and how the claim process works. Thank you George.”
To summarise, If you are willing to pay more attention to how claims can affect your business, you already have the upper hand. The phones are always ringing and we all have a lot on our plate. When a customer complains to you take a step back and let them finish, acknowledge how they feel, get the facts and offer a solution. That could make all the difference.
To learn more about claims services, household goods compliance, training and to learn about required legal documents, send us a note or call us.
