The Web Design Business Kit Chapter 11 - Handle Client Complaints

Don't Wait For Complaints

If you sit and wait for complaints to come in, you're like almost every other business.

As we know, most businesses fail. Don't do what they do; do something different. The impact that dissatisfied clients can have on your business can be devastating. You need to seek out and deal with every dissatisfied client.

Your potential for success will increase with every complaint you can find! We know that just 4% of dissatisfied customers actually complain. Now, that figure obviously varies according to the research you read, but the point is that not many dissatisfied clients complain. They just go elsewhere without telling you.

Ask for complaints—you need them.

Better than responding to complaints only after some gutsy clients get up the nerve to voice their issues, is this: ask for complaints!

When you finish a project for your clients, have a meeting with them. Tell them you've been thrilled to have their business, and that you're working very hard to build a business with the highest level of client service possible.

Then ask:

• "How did we do?"
• "How could we have done better?"
• "If you were me, what else would you have done?"

Ask specifically for a complaint. Don't just ask, "Are you happy with everything?" Imagine you're a client and your Web developer asks you if you have any complaints.

That's impressive!

"John, we strive to provide the absolute best service we can. Can you think of any particular instance when you have thought an area of our service hasn't been absolutely spot on? I'd love to know how we haven't been perfect for you, because I want to make it right. We're trying to build a decent business here and this sort of feedback helps us to provide the absolute best in client service."

Ask it like you mean it!

Here's a poster we've used to elicit complaints from some of our clients. Try it out and see what reaction you get.

Thanks for your business!
We want everything to go perfectly ... but sometimes it doesn't.
If something wasn't right…
PLEASE LET US KNOW.
Call us at 555-5555 so we can make it right.

Many businesses have Customer Service departments to deal with complaints. Not good enough! Only 4% of people complain. You've got to get out there and relentlessly dig up every complaint about your business that you can find. Only then will you be able to fix the things that are holding you back from greater business success.

Go on! Get out there and ask!

Case 11.2. The Simple Question That Made Me $20,000

A few years back, we were finishing off a site for a client and had completed it right down to his last detail. Everything had gone beautifully. He was a wonderful fellow to deal with, the Website development had gone really well, and he was very happy with what we had achieved.

As we finished the job, I asked him the question I now ask all of our clients. "On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate our entire service—from design, to communication, to documentation—the entire service?"

We scored a nine! That's great, fantastic, excellent! Actually… no, it's not.

Satisfied clients will not come back to you for more work. Extremely satisfied clients might come back. But absolutely delighted clients will give you more business that you'll know what to do with. Satisfied clients will not come back.

"Oh," I said. "We want a ten. What do we have to do to get a ten?"

The client told me in a very good-natured way, and though I can't actually remember what these small points were, I do remember that I promised to fix them immediately.

We'd finished them within the hour. I went back to the client and said, "OK, now would
you give us a ten?"

No—he'd thought of a few extra issues while I was away! So we fixed those as well.

"Now you're a ten!" he said.

A ten is what you want to be. I walked out of that office a happy man ...

But wait, there's more!

About four weeks later, the client rang to let me know his brother-in-law needed a Website for his large manufacturing and distribution business. He rang to tell me that he'd recommended my business for the job. A couple of hours later I received a call from the brother-in-law to ask me in for a meeting.

Ten out of ten!

In the meeting, the brother-in-law recounted the "Out of ten" story, and was very impressed. We went on to win the job with him—all because of that one simple question.

About nine months after that, he wanted us to redevelop a Website for another part of his business. And both sites needed small redevelopments within six months, as well as ongoing maintenance. Lastly, this client has referred to us another business, the Board of which is interested in developing a major Website All because of one simple question.

Key Points

• Only 4% of dissatisfied clients will complain.
• Ask specifically for complaints: "If you were me, what else would you have done?"
• Clients have friends and relatives—and they talk.
• Ten out of ten is the only score you want!