PR & MARKETING
Danielle Simpson’s,
monthly ‘call to action.’
How to strengthen brand
reputation by turning
complaints into
opportunities
W
hen you’re in business, more often than not, customers who do
dealing with consumer complain get satisfactory results.
complaints is a necessary Handling complaints effectively can
part of the job, and as clients make or break a brand but while a
and customers become more demanding consumer complaints programme is an
market leaders are increasingly using the exceptional marketing tool it must form
constructive power of criticism to their part of the core business strategy:
advantage. So while some firms battle with
their brand image and fail to instil
•
provide companies with insight into
consumer confidence, others excel at
•
potential problems
delivering consumer-orientated marketing
•
help identify solutions to those
strategies to recover customer loyalty.
‘When everyone in
problems
Market leaders stand out from the
•
offer golden opportunities to instil
crowd by synergising traditional marketing
the company has
confidence and give satisfaction to
methods with service-orientated dissatisfied customers
techniques. They believe in providing a
a common goal, to
•
prevent customer loss
great service and not only gear the business
•
strengthen long term customer loyalty
to ensure it is delivered, but offer value- satisfy dissatisfied
•
generate new business through happy
added care in service-recovery situations customer recommendations.
and handle complaints skilfully. customers,
Fundamentally, firms practising high For this reason many market leaders
levels of consumer orientation will invest
consumer loyalty
instil a no-blame/low-blame culture so
not only in external marketing initiatives, staff are rewarded for creating service-
between company and consumer, but
will grow.’
recovery opportunities to maintain high
internal marketing, between the company levels of lasting consumer loyalty. Marks
and its employees and interactive customers’ perceived level of service is and Spencer is renowned for doing this
marketing, between employees and high thanks to quality interaction between and Avis has empowered its staff to satisfy
customers. This three tier approach is so employees and their customers. disgruntled customers at the counter to
vital to business growth because whilst Whilst sales staff will always pursue save money, free-up head office and
traditional marketing techniques are their main objective ‘to sell’, and rightly so, increase their loyal customer base.
important there’s no point in advertising there is much directors can do to foster a When service-based companies adopt
‘excellent service’ if staff are unable or service-orientated culture in a company by wide reaching marketing service strategies
unwilling to provide it. using internal marketing to empower staff – and keep their promises of customer
Internal marketing enhances traditional facing consumer issues. Staff in such care and service recovery – they can grow
techniques by ensuring employees with companies are less likely to see complaints their customer base exponentially.
consumer contact are effectively trained as personal attacks – and less likely to
and motivated to work well with all apportion blame elsewhere. Fundamentally Danielle Simpson BSc is Creative Director of
support staff, who are also trained in they don’t view complaints as huge thebrandeffect and has managed consumer
customer satisfaction. When everyone in problems because they are not penalised complaints for industry leaders including
the company has a common goal, to satisfy for making ‘mistakes’. As a result the Budweiser. Visit www.thebrandeffect.co.uk
dissatisfied customers, consumer loyalty interactive marketing channels of
will grow. Furthermore, interactive communication remain fluid, customers
Any customer service tips to share? Go to
marketing in such companies will ensure are not discouraged from complaining and
www.propertydrum.com/articles/prjuly
18 JULY-AUGUST 2009 PROPERTYdrum
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76