Why Each Complaint Can Impact 67 Potential Customers

A survey sponsored by the Department of Consumer Affairs and General Motors reveals that 70% of all customers never complain about inferior goods or services. The 30% who do complain will hit the streets sharing their tale with whomever they encounter. Whether they evangelize for you or against you is determined by how you handle their complaint.

According to Paul Timm, author of 50 Powerful Ways to Keep Your Customers, if that customer remains unhappy, he or she will tell eleven others about the bad experience. If especially horrific, those eleven will then each tell five others, resulting in 67 people buzzing about your incompetence.

On the other hand, since studies also reveal that customers tell half as many people of good experiences, if you satisfy this customer, he or she will share your heroics with five others who will then each sing your praises to two others impressing a total of 15 shoppers.

Are you getting the picture?