A discussion about sales, sales tips and advice, and about those who land the deal

When you have an upset customer, its actually a sales opportunity.  Or, at the very least, an opportunity to build a strong customer relationship.

Continental Airlines conducted an interesting experiment that illustrates my point:

For eight months, Continental's customer relations group randomly assigned travelers who called in with complaints into one of three groups.

The first group received a formal letter after the phone call, apologizing for their bad experience. The second group received the formal letter plus a trial membership in the airline's Elite Flyers Club. The third group received nothing.

What happened?

According to follow-up discussions with these customers, those who'd received nothing were still angry. But the two groups that received the letter turned into better customers than ever!

In fact, as the study explains, they spent 8 percent more on Continental tickets the following year, translating into increased revenues of $6 million. And almost a third of those who received the trial membership in the Elite Flyers Club converted to paid members.

The message for your business is clear. Proactive damage control and open, honest communication with your customers is a far better strategy than hoping problems will fade into the sunset.

As we begin the new year, make it a point to treat your upset customers with a little more care and attention.  Who knows?...They might end up being your best customers!