7 ways to apologize to a customer
When running an online store and sending your products, have you ever encountered customer dissatisfaction? With a negative opinion about your company? Lost, damaged or not delivered on time shipment? It's not always your fault, but all the blame falls on you? Dissatisfied customers can express their opinions everywhere. Often a bit unfair and brutal. We will tell you how to calm down the situation. Here are 7 sure-fire ways.
Don't be afraid of the word "I'm sorry"
Apologizing to a customer is really simple, just apologize with a smile and sympathy in your voice. We don't have to do this many times, but honestly. We apologize for the situation and we strive for compensation, which is what the client is most interested in.
Fix the bug
No matter what, try to fix the situation and get it under control. Deal with it as a priority. Time and prolonging the problem are always detrimental. Don't make accusations, don't find fault, offer help and just fix it as soon as possible.
Apologize for the inconvenience
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience" is the most common phrase to use when you're having trouble. This is rather an official phrase, if we want to use it this way it will not be a mistake. If we prefer something more "loose", we can create something personal, something more creative. Write an apology in your own style, address the client by his/her name. This way you will show that his case is taken seriously and you approach it personally. Customer complaints and dissatisfaction are not always about the same problems, so prepare several ready-made solutions and adapt them to the situation. This will save your time and the time it takes to process the case. 
Apology card
Prepare an apology card. It can be a classic paper card that you send to the customer's address by post or electronically by e-mail. The client will certainly react positively to it and will notice that he is important and treated in a personal way. Mistakes happen often, so it is worth buying a large number of such cards apologizing for delays or thanking for your patience. To add something from yourself, you can personally sign the cards. With any luck, the customer will take back his negative review or soothe his upset and stop him from leaving it.
A discount code
This is a classic form of compensation, most companies offer their customers a discount code that they can use for their next purchases. Remember that the discount should be high enough to make the customer feel special. It should be at least 15-20%. 5-10% codes are usually given to customers when they first place an order or sign up for a newsletter . Your gesture should be appreciated.
Promotional voucher
As an apology for the situation, it is worth sending a voucher to the customer, which he or she can use for subsequent purchases. It is worth sending a card or paper card to the customer's address. When we send it to an e-mail address, it may happen that it will be overlooked and put into spam. This increases the likelihood that a disappointed customer will think that their case was not resolved and that no one did anything to fix the problem.
Think about the freebie
Think about preparing small gifts for your customers . You can send them with a revised order or as an additional shipment. Companies use personalized sweets, candies and advertising gadgets . Products that are offered as samples are often sent. Put it in a nice bag for free and send it with a note with a few nice words.
Everyone makes mistakes, especially under time pressure and rushing to ship each order on time. Let's be understanding towards each other, stay calm and try to solve the problem calmly without causing unnecessary quarrels. I hope this article will make it easier for you to apologize to your customer, save your reputation and minimize negative comments and opinions.