As both a former retail and former restaurant manager, I have dealt with my share of unhappy customers. While many of them had legitimate gripes, just as many were completely unreasonable. The most important thing I have learned is that regardless of the circumstances, customer service and customer satisfaction are paramount to the success of any business. Whether you are providing a service or goods for sale, the only way to ensure customer retainage is to provide them with a positive experience. One unhappy customer will tell ten friends who in turn will each tell ten friends and so on, until your existing and potential pool of customers has substantially dwindled. How you handle an unhappy customer will vary depending on your company's policies, but there are a few basic guidelines that everyone should follow.

The most important thing to remember when dealing with an unhappy customer, is to listen attentively to their complaint. Not only do customers appreciate your undivided attention, it is also important to listen so you can really get a grasp of the problem. If possible, pull the customer aside and speak with them privately so you will not disturb other customers, and to help avoid interruptions. Also important is to gauge the degree of "unhappiness" and how legitimate and reasonable the complaint is.

Armed with this information, offer your sincerest of apologies and contact a manager if you are not one. As a former manager, when an employee tells me of an unhappy customer, I liked knowing what I was walking into before dealing with them face to face. It gives you time to formulate a plan of action for dealing with the customer. It is imperative for employees to contact their supervisors for all customer complaints. Managers are typically more experienced and have been trained for these types of scenarios.

Once you have spoken with the customer, you must do what is necessary to correct the problem and you must do your best to ensure that that customer does not leave the establishment unhappy. Whether you offer them a refund, a discount, a coupon, or just an apology really depends on the customer. Some people just want their unhappiness to be known and others will expect more, so it is important to be able to read people in these types of situations.

I have bought countless meals and desserts, given out coupons and gift certificates, and even dumpster dived a time or two for a missing retainer. I have bought new cell phones and sunglasses, paid for dry cleaning, and driven to people's homes to deliver forgotten items in carryout orders. You have to be willing to go above and beyond to make certain that the customer will return. It really doesn't matter if their food was cold because they dumped a vat of cold salsa on it, or if their pants split down the middle because they were actually two sizes too small. You correct the situation to the best of your ability, and hopefully turn that customer into your personal advertisers.

Believe me, people appreciate being taken care of. They want your time, and they want to be heard. There is nothing worse than taking the time to complain and no one seems to care. Take care of your customers, and they will take care of you. Just as they would tell people about their bad experiences, they will also tell them about their wonderful experiences. Taking care of an unhappy customer can be a blessing if taken care of properly, and you may just gain a loyal and devoted customer in the process.

Learn more about this author, Alisha Link.
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