Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning, according to Microsoft founder Bill Gates. No matter the size of your business, customers who complain are giving you a chance to keep their business. A good policy on handling customer complaints will not only help you keep clients, but will give you important information about your products and services.

A written policy on customer complaints demonstrates to employees that you are serious about providing good customer service and there are steps to follow to handle complaints.

A policy on customer complaints should address the approaches to take if the complaint is received in person, over the telephone, on the internet, or through mail. In all situations, a prompt reply to the complaint is necessary to avoid the problem escalating further.

It is a good idea to have some type of customer complaint log detailing information about all complaints received, actions and resolutions. This log should be reviewed periodically to monitor trends or areas that warrant changing processes or personnel.

Here are ten steps to consider with customer complaints:
-Allow the customer to speak uninterrupted.
-Ask him or her, if there is anything else?
-Re-state the problem as you understand it and ask for confirmation that you understand the problem correctly.
-Ask the customer how they would like to see the problem resolved.
-Provide what the customer wants if it is possible and within reason.
-If the request is not possible, discuss possible options.
-Be sure the customer understands and is satisfied with the solution.
-Make sure the customer understands the time line for implementing the solution.
-Thank the customer for taking the time to tell you about the problem.
-Contact the customer at some future date to check if they were satisfied with the handling of their concern.

It is important to remember that most complainers don't want explanations or excuses of why things went wrong, but that they want to be treated with respect and provided with a solution to their problems. Demonstrating to your customers that their happiness is your top priority goes a long way to making your clients your top salespeople!