Client: Good morning. Is XYZ in today?
Me: Good morning sir, XYZ is not in but ABC is holding forte for him.
Client: Okay, I want to see that person. I am not happy with the service here.
Me: I am sorry about that sir. (As we wait for ABC to finish up with what she was doing) If you do not mind sir, please tell me more about why you are not happy with our service.
Client: I have been waiting for three months and no one has been giving me an update and no one picks my calls anymore.
Me: I am so sorry about your experience. Please excuse me, I will be back in a few.
Client: Okay.
I went on and briefed person ABC and told her what the client had said before she came and handled his case.
A few minutes later…
Client: Thank you very much young lady. I am somehow happy, there is progress. See you in the later.
More often than not, clients loose trust in a brand because of loopholes which can easily be avoided. Mostly, it is the little and most obvious things that count.
The reason why contacts are given to clients or rather to the public is so that anyone willing to get in touch with an organization can do so.
It is ethical to receive a call within the first three rings; do not keep customers waiting on the line.
If for one reason or another you miss the call, make it a habit to call back as soon as possible.
It is quite frustrating when clients try contacting you and their calls go answered.
Keeping customers in the know is vital.
If you promise to give feedback or deliver something within a certain period and the period is almost elapsing, it is only ethical to call the client and give an update. Do not wait for the client to call you or come to you for you to give the bad news.
Be the first person to contact the client and give an update of any unforeseen delays.
In my line of work, if I promise a client that someone would get in touch within the next fifteen minutes and it happens that it will not be possible, I always take it upon myself to call the client and request them to give us more time.
Honesty is always the best policy.
Do not make promises which you cannot keep and do not give clients false hopes about something. If for example they want something delivered to them within the next ten minutes and you know very well that it would not be possible, tell the customer about it and give an estimated delivery time.
Honesty boosts trust between an organization and the client, builds customer loyalty and is also a direct reflection of the organization’s culture.