Dealing with unsatisfied customers

It’s always a question how to deal with customers who make IT service providing a nightmare. With this one specific customer, I’ve tried everything but it seems he is never satisfied and always complains. The rest of our customers get similar service and are very appreciative. Be happy to get advice on how to deal with these types of customers and, if needed, how to let them go without the risk of creating havoc. (received from a RangerMSP user)

Post your comments..

If the customer is never satisfied - wait until your agreement ends and simply do not renew it. Assuming you provide a decent service try working with customers that can be satisfied - they'll fill you with energy and will bring you new business.

Worse thing you can do is panic about an unhappy customer. When you provide service for a living, there is always one customer that seems he will never be content.
I follow a simple set of rules:
1. Try to mend the situation by redoing everything or if that doesn’t work, by providing service/parts as compensation
2. Refund the service charge and make him pay for parts only
3. Refer him to another service provider – never got to that part, hope I never do…

Let them go, you and your business will benefit. Believe me!

We had a similar situation a few years ago and like you, nothing we did was satisfactory. Actually after upgrading their dead server etc. to 2003 (remember a few years ago) which made measurable increases in speed and functionality, the constant moaning was 'That's not how it was before!' followed by a folding of the arms and chin on chest posture.
This caused myself and our staff no end of grief. In the end I got the owner on the phone and basically said that I couldn't see a way forward and that she would be better off engaging another IT support company. After a minutes stunned silence I got a mouthful of dogs abuse (i.e. hold the phone at arms length till she stopped). I kept my cool and was polite etc. we agreed to end the relationship. The effect on us was incredible, I kid you not. The staff were so appreciative that I had made a stand and the weight of my shoulders was fantastic.

Just my experience and of course every situation is different.

Cheers

Scott

Ha..

Ditch bad customers right away. When they make unreasonable requests, and you tell them to look elsewhere, they either smarten up, or they go - either way, problem solved.

BUT - Don't ditch picky customers. There's a different.

Picky customers are your "canaries in the coal mine" type of scenario. They will complain first when you start having service problems. If you are screwing up and everyone else is too nice to say anything, you're going to be in trouble..

I have a few of these canaries - they are a bit of a pain, but they pay their bills, and there requests are quite reasonable, just very specific and they want a good quality of work - why shouldn't they get it. If my guys are making them happy, I'm less worried about my other customers being happy.

cforger has it spot on. The pickies are annoying and give you a headache but they always pay their bills and they keep you on your toes. But don't be a afraid to drop a crap customer. Your business won't sink.

I make an effort to keep my ego out of interactions with problem clients. I have not always been successful. If I just stay with the facts and keep emotions out as much as possible, that seems to work best. My few problem clients have seem to have gone away on their own, and I don't miss them. I have a great appreciaton for the "good" clients.

@ smelvin I have than that a few times. I hate the " this isn't how it was before" It will not always be!!! Whew. We try very hard to get systems back working. When we never seen it work before, have no idea how it was set, and nobody in the office seems to know, its a losing battle. We have outright told customers we cannot return it to the previous way because we don't know what it is.

We cut customers like those loose. Let them be someone else's problem. That being said, we try very hard to "please them". We do the best we can, and if that isn't good enough, then we leave them be. We focus our efforts on the ones that we can please.

These are all very good ideas, and all sound like they have worked. But, has anyone tried to ask the question "What can I do to make this better"? Most times when the customer/client has the option of making the solution, they tend to come out a little nicer at the end of the transaction and you don't have to worry about losing the customer/client.

Don't forget that often when there is a problem, it's because there is a difference in the level of quality expected.

If you tech is easy going, odds are that he will think that fix A is perfectly fine.

If your customer is a very detail orientated person, they probably will have issues with Fix A, and require Fix B.

Like the "canry in the coal mine" type customer before, the key is to fix things as if your customer was always very picky and demanding.. then you'll find issues melt away.

I hardly have any issues with fixes I make - because I've learned over and over again that you can't cut any corners, you have to leave a note explaining everything you did, and you should followup with the client to verbally review - and also verbally tell anyone else affected by the fix, so they all know what's going on. Yes it takes more time, and yes, my timer is counting the entire time this is going on - the customer pays for it, and they are all informed, and happy. Sometimes they are a bit grumbly about the bill, but of course, I follow up and explain all that as well. :-)

@ Thomas@washpc.com

We always ask. It always helps unless they want too much. Then comes the art of negotiation!