The simplest way to bring your lost customers back? Apologize

If customers have a bad experience with a business, they will not go back. But what is “having a bad experience”? Is there a way to bring your customers back?

The answers to these questions can be found in the Customer Experience Impact Report commissioned by RightNow, an online survey conducted in the United States with 2217 participants.

4 sure fire ways to lose your customers

Terrible quality of product or serviceCustomer dining in an expensive restaurant, where the food isn’t up to scratch, isn’t likely to return. A shopper on an e-commerce site receiving faulty items, will probably not shop there again. A guest in a hotel with a dirty room and an uncomfortable bed will not stay there in the future.Rude people73% of respondents stopped doing business with a company because of their rude employees. Managers should have a precise screening process to make sure only the right people will be employed. We strongly recommend a book Who. Authors explain how to avoid employing the wrong people and gain only the best people for your company.Lack of knowledge51% of the study respondents didn’t return because of unknowledgeable staff. Managers should focus on educating their staff about the products/services being offered. This will help employees respond to questions their customers may have. Having a company knowledge centre can help too.Problems take ages to solve55% of respondents didn’t return due to their problems not being resolved fast enough. Check out how to reduce wait times without sacrificing service or queueing theory to learn more.

Want to bring your customers back? Apologize

Another finding by the same study reveals 92 % of customers with a bad past experience will consider going back if:

• They were offered an apology
• Extended a discount
• They had a proof about the improvements in customer service

If a mistake happens, there is room for improvement. It’s not all bad news for the business after all. As a business manager, you should learn how to make up for your weaknesses.

Simply admitting your mistake and offering an apology will be a big step towards correcting your error. There’s always hope to keep your customers, as long as you know what you’ve done wrong. Just make sure your mistakes don’t keep repeating.