Are customers more likely to tell others about great or not-so-great experiences with you?
They’re going to spread bad word of mouth.
About 75% of customers will warn their friends and family about a company after just one bad experience, a Colloquy study recently found. They’re a growing population, and “madvocates” are sometimes so disappointed they want to spread negative word of mouth.
And madvocates aren’t just relying on a vocal word of mouth. They’re using social media and blogs to publicize a bad experience.
The good news: Contact center agents can prevent customers from turning into madvocates. Some tips:
- Give customers opportunities to be heard. Publicize a phone number, website, email address, etc., that customers can contact just to complain. Respond to them quickly.
- Keep customers up to date. Use social media, your company website and email blasts to stay ahead of problems. Let customers know about potential errors or delays so they’re less likely to get upset and start talking negatively.
