The widespread use of smartphones and social media has fundamentally altered the science of customer complaints. Critics can now express their displeasure faster and more publicly than ever. Most complainants are dissatisfied with how their customer problems are being handled. In his new book, “Hug Your Haters: How to Embrace Complaints and Keep Your Customers,” digital business expert Jay Baer says smart companies recognize that haters are not the problem, ignoring them is.
Your business improves in four ways when you hug your haters, says Baer. You turn bad news good; you create customer advocacy; you gather insights and intelligence; and you differentiate from your competition.
“The 5 percent of your unhappy customers who care enough to complain give you a road map for how to fix whatever ails your business. While the people who take the time to complain are a small percentage of your overall customer base, the conditions of their dissatisfaction apply to all customers. In this way, the haters are the vocal representatives of everyone your company serves,” says Baer.
Haters can be so beneficial, companies shouldn’t wait for their less-than-satisfied customers to come to them. “Complaints indicate pain points that your business needs to address. The sooner you can uncover them, the faster you’ll be able to patch up those parts of your business.”
And he advises to leave no complaint unturned. “You and your employees need to look at every individual complaint as an opportunity to create a deeper brand experience than a single purchase or interaction ever could. When you answer all the complaints in every venue, you’ll instill more value in your brand.”
