business bests
S
ometimes bad things happen: The wrong bricks were or-
dered. The crew got lost and showed up late. The whole lot
of plants got washed out in a downpour. The client keeps
changing his mind or wants something for nothing. No matter
what the source of your client's discontent, it's vital to your com-
pany's future to listen, decipher and solve the problem without
taking it personally.
Negative feedback can make your business stronger by teach-
ing you how to improve your services and public relations skills.
"You may not want to hear a complaint, but it's unrealistic to
think it's never going to happen," says Eric Bruss, APLD, presi-
dent of Bruss Landscaping (brusslandscaping.com) in Wheaton,
Illinois. "Our goal is to create a personal, positive environment
within the culture of the company, and turn bad into good."
When the inevitable occurs, follow these nine pointers for
translating complaints into opportunities for progress.
Dealing
Unhappy
Clients
How to handle and learn from
customer complaints
with
A U G U S T 2 014 To t a l L a n d s c a p e C a r e . c o m 21
BY ARRICCA ELIN SANSONE
