7 Steps for Turning Angry Customers into Brand Ambassadors

Angry customers are a natural part of working in the sales industry. This is true whether you’re an eCommerce seller, retail business owner or any other type of sales professional. 

That’s why all sales pros need to know how to handle and defuse potentially negative interactions. The good news is that, if you deal with these instances correctly, you can inspire previously unhappy shoppers to not only shop with you again, but to also sing your company’s praises. Here are our 7 steps for turning angry customers into loyal brand ambassadors. 

Prepare for Negative Situations

Even if you provide excellent service and offer top-quality products, dissatisfied shoppers are an inevitable part of working in any type of customer-centric business. You need to understand and accept this fact before problems occur. That way, you can prepare for them and will have a plan in place when you are faced with an angry customer. 

In order to prepare for unhappy shoppers, you should create guidelines for how you and your team are going to deal with any negative interactions or issues. For instance, you need to know ahead of time what your company will do when a customer is sent the wrong item. 

By preparing for various instances, you can ensure that customers receive quick resolutions — as your team will already be trained on how to handle different scenarios.

Apologize to Angry Customers

It is within most people’s human nature to have an aversion to apologizing. However, this is often the one way that you can best appease an angry customer. 

If your company is in the wrong, saying “We’re sorry” can go such a long way toward setting a good tone with your shoppers and rectifying the situation. And when you’re apologizing, avoid being defensive. Never use phrasing such as, “We’re sorry, but you also did XYZ wrong.” If you sound like you’re blaming the customer, the interaction could become much more volatile very quickly. 

Remember, this is someone who is spending their money to buy your products. Even if the problem is not the direct fault of anyone on your team (like, for instance, a shipping delay that is outside your control), you should still give the customer as much information as you can and apologize for their inconvenience. 

Show Empathy

One of the things that many angry customers want the most is to feel like the person to whom they are speaking cares about their dilemma. Train your customer service reps to show empathy and kindness to every shopper, especially those who are dealing with any problems. 

Words and phrases such as, “I understand your frustration,” and “I’m so sorry for the inconvenience this has caused,” will help set your company apart as one that values its customers.

Give Quick, Accurate Information

In addition to empathy, angry customers want to receive fast and accurate answers to their questions. 

When a shopper calls, emails or messages you with a complaint or inquiry, make sure you or your team members respond quickly and give them correct, complete information. This is one area in which using a helpdesk software really comes in handy. Replyco, for example, enables eCommerce sellers to consolidate messaging from all marketplaces into a single inbox. And with clickable tracking and order numbers, customer service reps can easily see everything they need to know about a shopper’s transaction without having to switch screens.

Make Things Right

Perhaps most importantly, when dealing with angry customers, do whatever it takes to make things right. This may be as simple as answering a shipping delay question or sending out a new item when a shopper received the wrong product in their order. Or you may need to go the extra mile to make amends. The key here is to keep at it until your customer is thrilled with the resolution you’ve offered.

Here are a few extra incentives you can offer to unhappy shoppers in order to turn them into brand ambassadors:  

• Free shipping on their next order.
• A discount on their next order.
• Complimentary (free) products.
• Early access to new items.

Follow Up with Angry Customers

Once you’ve made things right, a great way to ensure brand loyalty (and positive reviews) is to follow up with previously angry customers. Not only does following show that you care about the customer’s experience, it also gives you the chance to provide additional assistance if they’re still unsatisfied. 

An easy way to follow up with shoppers is to automatically send a “How Did We Do?” email after customer service interactions. Need some ideas on the content you should include in your messaging? Check out our 20 Customer Service Email Templates for eCommerce Sellers.

Adjust Protocols & Offer Great Customer Service

Finally, demonstrate to shoppers that customer experience is at the top of your priority list by making adjustments to your company protocols. Whenever a customer has any kind of problem with your company, use that opportunity to look into your practices and determine whether making changes could help you to avoid those issues in the future. If so, make the necessary changes! 

This will enable you to provide top-notch customer service moving forward, and will also show prospective shoppers that you continually strive to improve your brand’s offerings. 

We know that dealing with angry customers can be overwhelming, especially if you’re a busy eCommerce seller with tons of messages coming in from various marketplaces and platforms. But that’s why Replyco exists. We’re here to help sellers just like you get a handle on their customer service, reduce response times and delight shoppers. 

Want to learn how Replyco can lead to saved time, saved money, happier customers and increased sales for your business? Take a tour of our features anytime. Or, get control of your inbox right now by starting your free trial today! 

Have questions? Feel free to contact us directly. We love chatting with eCommerce sellers about ways to improve customer service.