How do you handle a customer complaint?

Handling a customer complaint effectively is crucial for maintaining a positive relationship and ensuring customer satisfaction. The correct approach involves listening to the complaint fully, which allows the customer to feel heard and validated. By apologizing sincerely, you acknowledge the inconvenience caused, showing that you care about their experience. Offering a solution demonstrates a commitment to resolving the issue, and following up further solidifies that commitment, ensuring the customer feels valued and respected.

This method fosters trust and encourages customers to return, as they appreciate when their concerns are taken seriously and addressed appropriately. In contrast, ignoring the complaint may lead to further dissatisfaction and potentially losing the customer. Simply reassuring them that it’s not a big deal can diminish their feelings and may come off as dismissive. Similarly, offering a discount without discussing the issue may not address the root problem and could leave the customer feeling unimportant or that their concern was not genuinely acknowledged. Thus, the comprehensive and empathetic approach outlined in the correct choice is the most effective way to handle customer complaints.