Love the customers who hate you (Dan H.)

tk_3

When I was a service manager I used to say an upset customer is showing you a way to fix your business.

DanHolohan

I spotted this article in Business Week

Love the Customers Who Hate You

It made me think of the recent threads where people have expressed opinions, both pro and con, about some manufacturers.

Food for thought.

Derheatmeister

That's a good article, Dan and good advise

Derheatmeister

That's a good article, Dan and good advise

[Deleted User]

yep, it's always

good to listen to people who are not of your party, because it may just help you be more objective, and objectivity is always much closer to the truth

Couderay

Sucks

Kinda like an auction, its only worth what the highest bidder is willing to pay. The best people to work for,and with, are the ones who do the most communicating and act accordingly.

TODD WILHELM

CUSTOMER WHO DON\"T LIKE YOU

E-MAILED DAN AWHILE AGO,AND SHARED WITH HIM, THE FACT THAT FOR THE LAST 30 YRS.I'VE BEEN A "SOOT SUCKER" THE "HEAT GUY" THE "OIL GUY" "DIRTY FACE' "MR. FIXIT". AFTER ALL THAT, I WAS INFORMED THAT I AM ACTUALLY AN "H.V.A.C." TECHNICIAN. IMAGINE THAT. BOY THAT SURE MAKES ALL THE SMASHED HEADS, BURNED FINGERS, NEAR ELECTRICUTIONS, SEEM NOT TO BE SUCH A BIG DEAL AFTER ALL.I'VE BEEN HIT BY 10,000 VOLT TRANSFORMERS AND 20,000 VOLT IGNITORS, I CAN'T TELL YOU THE DIFFERENCE. MUST BE LIKE GETTING HIT BY BIG TRUCK THAT IS LOADED, OR A BIG TRUCK THAT ISN'T LOADED. DON'T THINK IT MAKES MUCH DIFFERENCE. WE HAVE ABOUT 4,000 CUSTOMERS THAT LVE OUR WORK, AND OUR SENCE OF HUMOR, AND OUR DEGREE OF HONESTY, IF THERE IS ONE WHO DOES NOT LIKE US,THEY ARE WRONG. I WOULD RATHER 4,000 THAT LIKE ME FOR WHAT I AM, THAN ONE THAT WANTS ME TO BE WHAT I'M NOT.

TODD WILHELM

CUSTOMERS WHO DON'T LIKE YOU

E-MAILED DAN AWHILE AGO,AND SHARED WITH HIM, THE FACT THAT FOR THE LAST 30 YRS.I'VE BEEN A "SOOT SUCKER" THE "HEAT GUY" THE "OIL GUY" "DIRTY FACE' "MR. FIXIT". AFTER ALL THAT, I WAS INFORMED THAT I AM ACTUALLY AN "H.V.A.C." TECHNICIAN. IMAGINE THAT. BOY THAT SURE MAKES ALL THE SMASHED HEADS, BURNED FINGERS, NEAR ELECTRICUTIONS, SEEM NOT TO BE SUCH A BIG DEAL AFTER ALL.I'VE BEEN HIT BY 10,000 VOLT TRANSFORMERS AND 20,000 VOLT IGNITORS, I CAN'T TELL YOU THE DIFFERENCE. MUST BE LIKE GETTING HIT BY BIG TRUCK THAT IS LOADED, OR A BIG TRUCK THAT ISN'T LOADED. DON'T THINK IT MAKES MUCH DIFFERENCE. WE HAVE ABOUT 4,000 CUSTOMERS THAT LVE OUR WORK, AND OUR SENCE OF HUMOR, AND OUR DEGREE OF HONESTY, IF THERE IS ONE WHO DOES NOT LIKE US,THEY ARE WRONG. I WOULD RATHER 4,000 THAT LIKE ME FOR WHAT I AM, THAN ONE THAT WANTS ME TO BE WHAT I'M NOT.

Bruce M

Great Article

Dan, there is good information in that article. Did you send it to (fill in the name) company? One or two unhappy customers can erase years of good will. It is better to lose money by trying to satisfy a customer. That customer has the potential to cost you untold sales and lost customers. If you can make a hard-to-please customer happy, all the rest will be easy. You should also have an "open door policy" where any employee can give you his ideas without fear of being dismissed or ridiculed.