An angry client is not usually a threat to your practice.
If a client is sufficiently angry to make it visible to you - letters of complaint, phone complaints, angry feedback on client surveys - they probably have enough emotional attachment to you and/or your firm to care about restoring a good working relationship.
Only around 60% of clients who have a “negative surprise” bother complaining. Those who do generally believe that the problem can be fixed and have a measure of confidence that you’ll resolve it for them.
Angry clients feel violated. They want retribution.
So long as you can stay calm, work through the problem and handle the complaint well, the outcome is likely to be just as positive as if there hadn’t ever been a problem.
In fact, some studies have shown that angry clients whose complaints are completely resolved, are likely to become strong word-of-mouth advocates for you.
You should always do you best work. But, on those occasions where you or you team have slipped up; be pleased that an angry client had enough concern for the relationship to put the energy into complaining. And, put your best foot forward to address and truly resolve the complain - it’s an important business development opportunity.
For workshops or coaching to help you turn angry clients from disaster to opportunity, please get in touch.
|
