CEO Personally Turns Complaint Into Gold

After a poor experience, I'd originally started to write a post about how important it is to be careful how you treat customers, when it comes to them recommending you through refer-a-friend schemes.

But then I got a call out of nowhere from the CEO of a large global player in the world of email marketing. Directly to me. On my mobile. I even red-buttoned the call at first as I was speaking to a potential client at the time!

But he persisted! He left a voicemail.

You see I'd been let down. Not the most momentous incident. Nobody got hurt. No blood was spilt. But I wasn't exactly thrilled by it.

Now, I actually feel a little guilty even mentioning what happened, because it was put right so spectacularly well, that I want to share it as a case study of how to treat your customers so they feel special.

The company is GetResponse. And it was about to become a story in how you can upset customers with simple little things - things that you may not even know about until someone complains. That was before I was interrupted by their excellent support team and their CEO putting things right.

Now, I'm British. Complaining is very difficult for us genetically and culturally. We'd prefer to smile politely and gently leave the restaurant with an excuse. Even if there were rodents on the table nibbling at our starter.

I was complaining because I cared. I have used all their major competitors. I had trialled them, and been very impressed indeed. It knocked spots off their rivals, was very easy to use, and if I was being paid to say this, I'd include a link just here... but I won't, because I am not.

And it was a small wording issue on their refer-a-friend scheme I was querying because I wanted to recommend it. Nothing to do with how fantastic their email platform is.

Bad News Travels - Spin It Full Circle With Great Complaint Handling

Now I wouldn't expect every company to have their CEO leap in after any complaint - particularly a simple one like this. But that's what happened in this case. WIth a great supporting cast too I should add (Abby - that's you if you ever read this!)

But it's important to empower the people at the front-end of the business with the ability to spot complaints that can turn into opportunities. Because the results can be so positive and turn a negative completely around.

If you've read my various articles on the topic, you will know that positive word of mouth comes from being top of mind. And by reacting well to a complaint, you are creating an opportunity for a dissatisfied client to turn full circle and become an advocate. That makes you memorable and keeps you top-of-mind.

Yes, I agree that some customers will never be happy. You can roll out the proverbial red carpet for them, and they'll still pick holes in what you do and never be satisfied.

No, I am talking about the happy clients. Many who complain are very happy with what you did and simply want something put right.

If you fail, then bad news spreads. There are numerous surveys on this. A quick Google, and the first one I found claims people tell 16 others about a bad experience compared to 9 for a good experience.

This was a US survey. I recall surveys carried out in the UK which reveal we tell 14 about a bad experience and 3 about a good experience. Maybe the Brits are less vocal about the good stuff!

If we wouldn't complain about rats eating our starters in a restaurant, we're not exactly going to climb high and shout great things from the nearest rooftop either.

Regardless of the culture, I think it's a universal fact that bad news spreads far more easily and widely than the good stuff.

The Phone Rang...

I'd complained and not heard back. On Saturday 12th June, I then tweeted a short missive about being unhappy with GetResponse. Before I'm accused of being "one of those clients", let me tell you I did that with regret.

After all, their product was perfect. Just a small issue with how they handle referrals to friends. And I had. And wanted my friend to get what I'd promised.

But then I got a response. They wanted to know what happened. That surprised me. Pleasantly. And that's good advice - respond and let the client be heard when they are complaining. Listen in other words and acknowledge.

Abby, who responded on a Saturday stuck with me from that moment with a really positive exchange. Her language was helpful, full of empathy.

My plans for an article on "what not to do" were immediately put on hold.

Monday morning. I've put it to the back of my mind. And that's all down to Abby. I knew they were listening. And the urgency had subsided. She had given me confidence that something would happen.

So then I'm in a meeting. The phone rings. I see it's a call from Poland, and I'm immediately puzzled. But I red button while I continue the chat with my client.

NOTE TO SELF AND EVERYONE ELSE: Remember, like I didn't, to silence your phone during meetings with potential clients. Luckily, I'd known this contact for years and we were also friends chatting about potential work together, but still...

Anyway, afterwards, I noticed a voicemail. I listened. It was from Simon Grabowski, their founder and CEO. The guy who founded the company 16 years ago.

The guy who now ran an operation with over 350,000 clients across the globe, with offices in 4 countries and hundreds of staff who could handle my small complaint with ease.

How damned well impressive is that? Just like Abby who was tweeting away to me over the weekend, this guy cares too.

He admitted it. The referral system wasn't perfect. And he'd already launched an overhaul. He agreed completely with what I had said. He even said he'd have done the same too and complained.

He even offered to apologise to the person I had recommend GetResponse to if I gave him her number. Wow! And it was only a small billing matter.

Now, when somebody has their CEO taking such care about what in reality is just one of over 350,000 customers, what impression do you have about GetResponse?

After all, I am British. And even I was recommending them. Now they've responded like that, who do you think I'll recommend?

In my view, complainants handled well turn into super-referrers. Because you've cared and gone beyond the call of duty, you feel obliged to reciprocate.

Not out of a sense of duty, but because you know you can trust the company you recommend to do a great job, and you want people to have the same experience.

Not everyone, like me, will write a 1000+ word article on you, but they will be a great source of new business if you care and handle complaints like the golden opportunity they are - and you will shine brightly!

Ian Denny is writing a book on word of mouth marketing. Before he finishes, you can get the 37 tips he has produced on getting you more business through word of mouth. After he's finished, his dreams of Amazon turning it into a best-seller may force him to take them down. Get them now - they're free here.