Business mentor: Friendliness the secret to success with grumpy customers

Why is it that some customers seem to have short fuses? How can we overcome this?

Leah Fisher from TMI New Zealand responds:

Unhappy customers are not good news for any business. We know that they can pose problems, not only by leaving us, but they tell others and give us a bad reputation.

Generally customers have two pictures of service in mind:

* Desired service - what they would like to receive.

* Adequate service - the minimum they will accept without negative feelings towards the provider.

What lies between these two states is the customers' "tolerance zone".

The larger the tolerance zone, the more options you have in dealing with the customer.

Customers are likely be happier with your service, even if it does not match your advertised brand, if their tolerance zone is larger.

You aim is to ensure that the tolerance zone is as large as possible.

What factors will impact on a customer's tolerance zone?

If it is small or shrinking, your adequate service will no longer create satisfaction and the customer becomes harder to please.

Factors that can negatively impact on a customer's tolerance zone are things like continual mistakes, an attitude of indifference, being coldly efficient, being ignored, making the customer feel guilty and not offering solutions.

If a customer's tolerance zone is shrinking, they will - in this emotional state - start to look for things that go wrong, and they generally find them.

How can we increase the tolerance zone?

With our friends and family we have probably created broad tolerance zones.

As a result, there is greater trust and more opportunity for forgiveness in the relationship and we typically have more room to keep the emotions positive.

In business relationships, we can do the same. The best way to expand a customer's tolerance zone is to show friendliness.

This may sound basic, but have a look around and you will notice a lack of genuine friendliness.

We can demonstrate friendliness in simple emotional activities:

* Show that you know your customers by using their names.

* Keep a smile in your voice, especially when you are on the telephone.

* Look for connections with your customers and make them.

* Be more cheerful in the way you communicate, both verbally and non-verbally.

Being friendly with customers is basically the same as being friendly with your friends.

Friendliness builds trust and inspires forgiveness. It is a simple but effective solution.

* For further information on developing an effective complaint culture, contact Leah Fisher at TMI on 376 4123; email Leah@tmi.co.nz

TMI New Zealand