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On the surface, it may not seem logical at the best of times, but businesses can resolve and actually cement the relationship with complainants if handled with skill and maturity.
Liverpool Football Club certainly measured their complaint after the significant 77 minute fan walkout during the Sunderland game last weekend, with a subsequent media frenzy following shortly afterwards.
The trick with complaints is actually very simple. Listen well, and deal with them quickly to get a resolution. Despite some poorly planned website copy adding fuel to the fire, Fenway Sports Group have done this with a decisive action within 3 working days. The club have arguably played a blinder in their PR statement directed to the fans - "Message understood."
That has endeared confidence and shown respect by acknowledging an error "Part of the ticketing plan we got wrong."
The wider issue has now quickly escalated to becoming a Premier League issue and the FA as well the football club can concentrate on the core product; playing football.
Over 90% of us drop a brand, service or business because of how we were dealt with.
You can't manage what you can't measure. Even smaller scale independent businesses need to get closer to how the customer feels about all aspects of the experience, if retention and dwell time is to increase.
In our service we measure everything we can with our clients customer experience, and train staff to become complaint confident.
With the correct approach, skill and confidence, complaints really are a gift!