Want to know how many of your customers think you suck? Google “<your company name> sucks” and see what the hit count is. The Wal-Mart number is half a million; chances are yours is lower. Business Week has a suggestion about what to do:
“Now don’t get mad at these people. Instead, help them get even with you. These angry customers are doing you a great favor. They care enough about your product or service to tell you exactly what went wrong. Other customers may just desert you and head to the competition. But these are telling you what to fix. Listen to them. Help them. Respond to them. Ask their advice—and they’ll give it to you.”
Don’t just process them – validate them. Affirm them. Let them hit you with a clue-by-four. In general, if they’re complaining, they still care and want to be engaged. Take advantage of this.
