Taking negative customer feedback

[annie24]

I think the other thing I can do is to really emphasize they read and study the pre-training materials and videos. I always send them out (like I did this time) but I probably need to emphasize they do the pre-work and see if they did it. I hate to be so school teacher ish but maybe that’s what I need to do?

[mustlovedogs]

Don’t be condescending. You’ll lose your audience immediately. Don’t be school teacher ish, but be educational. There is a difference.

 

If your customers can’t learn your product in two days, that’s on your team. It really is. You need an education plan that makes the product attainable. If that means pre lesson, two weeks of practice, and then returning to review, answer questions, and learn more, so be it.

 

Do you talk to them like the post “you can’t really learn how to do (blank) in two days”? That would super turn me off as a customer. It feels condescending rather than constructive. That’s a different tone than “this material is very complicated, so feel free to stop me with any questions. We may not get through everything, but I’m always available for support”

 

And if you’re on accounts, you’re sales - even if your title doesn’t say so. If you’re customer facing, you’re sales. So my advice doesn’t change.

[annie24]

For this customer, I definitely didn't talk to them like this is too hard to do in 2 days - actually because they have our other products, I had confidence in them that they would learn how to use this quicker than my average customers because this model they just bought is easier to use. And I definitely emphasized that I live close by so it is no problem at all for me to come back anytime to help them out. I guess we'll see. The sales person is meeting with the lab this week and she's going to get more of their feedback and see what parts of the training didn't work for them. I hope to use that information constructively. I definitely don't want to go back to this lab though. I just don't like how they handled things. Like, if you have a problem with my training, you need to tell me right then and there, not text your boss who is on vacation!

[luminousone]

I think the other thing I can do is to really emphasize they read and study the pre-training materials and videos. I always send them out (like I did this time) but I probably need to emphasize they do the pre-work and see if they did it. I hate to be so school teacher ish but maybe that’s what I need to do?

 

Instead of being school teacherish, you can send out an email a week before the training to request questions from the reading/videos so that you can be sure to cover that info in your presentation.

[annie24]

In this case, the lab wanted training right after getting the instrument, so there was 1 week between their purchase and the training. Which is really fast for us but we tried to accommodate them. Maybe more time for them to get prepared (and book a room) might have helped.

[annie24]

So,.. my boss called the lab head and then he called me after their talk. He said that the lab would have preferred a more formal training, but my boss didn't challenge them on the fact that they didn't reserve a conference room (i don't know why he didn't). The lab also said they were nervous because they had a question about another one of their machines (not the one I was training on) and i said "i'm not trained on that machine but I can find out the answer for you" and I did. My boss explained that no one on our team is trained on every one of our products, we just have too many products. But he said that he wouldn't have sent me in if i wasn't qualified. And then the lab head said that they like me (what??!!) but that they thought I overestimate their abilities (what?!!?) The thing is, this lab has been a user of our machines for years, so I didn't go in and talk to them like I do to a first time user. I watched them in the lab and saw they had a good understanding of things so I trusted them and i didn't hold their hand. So I guess this lab was very anxious and nervous and they wanted more hand holding. My boss asked what topics they didn't feel were adequately covered, the lab head didn't have a response. He asked if they feel confident to use the machine now and she said they are. (???) So.... they don't need a new training just yet, they'll let us know. My boss told me that's the first time he's ever heard that as a complaint- that we were confident in their abilities. He said he's heard the opposite complaint - where someone complains they have treated like a novice when they are really an expert.

[Batya33]

So what I would do is be more transparent "today I plan to cover C and D but not A and B because I presume you've already been trained in A and B. But I am happy to review A and B if you believe it is needed".

[annie24]

I still covered all of the same presentations, but kind of spun them like, "you are used to doing X on Machine A, but on your new machine B, you are going to follow a different procedure." my boss suggested that at the end, I do a quick review of all the topics we covered and see if there are questions or did they want more information.

[catfeeder]

I think the other thing I can do is to really emphasize they read and study the pre-training materials and videos. I always send them out (like I did this time) but I probably need to emphasize they do the pre-work and see if they did it. I hate to be so school teacher ish but maybe that’s what I need to do?

 

This is a great idea. One way to get them to review the material might be to send it and tell them you'll check back at x time in order to gather comments, questions and concerns. Stress that their feedback on the material will drive your approach to their training session, so their review is a crucial step to receiving training that is tailored to their team's needs.

[annie24]

On the plus side, I received a nice customer compliment when I helped the customer with some data analysis. The customer contacted the sales guy, who forwarded the nice email to me and my boss, so it's good to know I'm doing something right.

[Batya33]

On the plus side, I received a nice customer compliment when I helped the customer with some data analysis. The customer contacted the sales guy, who forwarded the nice email to me and my boss, so it's good to know I'm doing something right.

 

Great news!

[catfeeder]

On the plus side, I received a nice customer compliment when I helped the customer with some data analysis. The customer contacted the sales guy, who forwarded the nice email to me and my boss, so it's good to know I'm doing something right.

 

YAY!! YOU!!

 

I'm certain you're doing great, Annie. Keep on!

[annie24]

The last lab that complained about me is a pain in the butt. They are pretty rude to all of us and reps from other companies too. I’m not going into that lab anymore if I can help it. One of their machines broke, and they were understandably upset and wanted someone to fix it ASAP. But if you call or email them after the repair to see how things are going, if the machine is working normally... no response. Like, take 5 seconds and say yes or no. I guess no response from them means it’s fine?! Just wanted to vent.

[Batya33]

Ugh, sorry to hear that!

[annie24]

I just got back from an internal meeting and got to speak with my colleagues about all sorts of issues. I have a close colleague, he is really outstanding, and he just won an "employee of the year" award. He works very hard and is super dedicated. He told me he received a bad review recently from a customer who is a known nightmare to us. He can be nice (he was to me, but I only met him for a few hours) or to others, he is really horrible. He actually applied to a job at our company and had an interview - he's technically very smart but can be a mean and nasty person. He called into our customer care center to complain about him and his service and seemed pretty angry that they didn't fire him on the spot, lol. I guess you can be really good and still get complaints. The same lab that complained about me also can be nasty to my coworker - he says he smiles and completes the work, but once the work is completed and the paperwork is done, he tells them very nicely not to speak to him like that again. I really wish I could watch him say that - I'd love to see how he handles that.

 

Speaking of which, I placed an order on grub hub tonight and it showed up 2 hours late. I called after an hour (the restaurant is less than a mile from me) and it turns out they lost the order. It finally showed up, but I told grub hub I wanted a refund. They said they would give me a 10% coupon off my next meal but that's it, no refund. Honestly, that's nuts. I just deleted my app, I'm not using them again. In 2 hours, I could have driven to a restaurant, had a sit down meal, and left and come home.

[Batya33]

"Speaking of which, I placed an order on grub hub tonight and it showed up 2 hours late. I called after an hour (the restaurant is less than a mile from me) and it turns out they lost the order. It finally showed up, but I told grub hub I wanted a refund. They said they would give me a 10% coupon off my next meal but that's it, no refund. Honestly, that's nuts. I just deleted my app, I'm not using them again. In 2 hours, I could have driven to a restaurant, had a sit down meal, and left and come home."

 

This is why I don't use instacart or the other grocery delivery services (besides not trusting them to keep perishables safe) -I'm just not good with unreliability about deliveries I'm waiting at home for. I do takeout food to be delivered (although it's been awhile, it's a pain to get access to our building) but I agree the service is supposed to be reasonably timely. Sorry!

 

Glad you had such a good work meeting!

[annie24]

So my good news is that I just won several big work awards this week - one of them being a positive customer feedback award!! I don't know exactly how they are chosen, but usually it is because a customer gave you extremely good feedback. Over the summer, I went to an account that was having a lot of problems, and I helped them out and then they placed a $100,000+ order with us based on my work with them, and my sales partner was extremely pleased. So he told me he nominated me for the awards too. So I guess I am doing something right, and that's good.

[Batya33]

So my good news is that I just won several big work awards this week - one of them being a positive customer feedback award!! I don't know exactly how they are chosen, but usually it is because a customer gave you extremely good feedback. Over the summer, I went to an account that was having a lot of problems, and I helped them out and then they placed a $100,000+ order with us based on my work with them, and my sales partner was extremely pleased. So he told me he nominated me for the awards too. So I guess I am doing something right, and that's good.

 

Lots of things right! This made me smile wide. Well deserved!!

[catfeeder]

So my good news is that I just won several big work awards this week - one of them being a positive customer feedback award!! I don't know exactly how they are chosen, but usually it is because a customer gave you extremely good feedback. Over the summer, I went to an account that was having a lot of problems, and I helped them out and then they placed a $100,000+ order with us based on my work with them, and my sales partner was extremely pleased. So he told me he nominated me for the awards too. So I guess I am doing something right, and that's good.

 

HoorAy, Annie! I often hear successful people discuss feedback after, say, a speaking engagement. Out of a hundreds of people who've given glowing reviews, it's the one or two less than stellar comments that stick out for them and are remembered. Maybe it's a self correcting mechanism to always strive to do better, but it's probably more productive to learn that we can't please all of the people all of the time. Most of the time is fine!

 

Head high, and enjOy celebrating your achievement!