When you’re having trouble keeping your customers happy, you’re probably having trouble keeping your business afloat. Consider the following two tips to see if they can help you get on the right track.

Speaking is Better than Writing

If you can't have face-to-face communications to resolve an issue at hand, don't resort to email. Instead of resorting to email, resort to some sort of verbal communication if feasible. When finding a resolution to a situation, it's almost always more effective to talk to a person on the phone or face-to-face because that helps just about anyone understand a situation. They can ask real-time questions, and they don't have time to read over your email six times to find what they hate about it. Letting a customer nitpick at an email is one of the worst things you can do; at least in a conversation, you have the opportunity to keep the conversation moving. A good writer can make an eloquent, educated response but nothing beats a human response for an upset customer.

Don't Deny Your Customers

The best way to please a pissed off customer is to simply give in and give them what they want. If it's a refund, get them a refund. If it's a price adjustment, give them a price adjustment. If they want better customer service, tend to their every need. If they want an apology, say you’re sorry, and mean it. Writing the same stock apology every time that doesn't mean anything won’t get you or your business anywhere. If they just want to be right and need you to be wrong, then you're wrong. An unhappy customer will cause damage to your base, and the damage a single customer can cause will more than exceed the value of a single refund.