The vast majority of people who interact with your company will never complain about it, even when there is something to complain about. The majority of them leave instead and find another place to do business. One of the only ways to find out about things they don’t like is to simply ask, even after they’ve left your company. But still, it’s important to know the things that people are most likely to stay quiet about until they find another company that provides for their needs better. Here are two things you should be on top of so no one has any reason to complain about them.
What Others are Saying
It’s likely you have a friend or two that have had bad experiences with other organizations. When it happens, you suddenly know the issues with a company that you may use for your own purposes as well. But how many times have you turned around and told that company about the complaints you just heard from your friend or colleague? If you're like the rest of us, the likely answer is “never.” Another good example is when someone posts a negative comment on the wall or Twitter of a business without that particular business even knowing about it (until they read about it online). If you had asked, it wouldn’t have been a problem.
A Competitor’s Better Service for a Better Price
People are dropping your company left and right and you have no idea why. Suddenly, it dawns on you that someone else is doing what you’re doing, only they’re doing it cheaper. As soon as you think you have a competitive edge, someone comes along and figures out how make a service faster, cheaper, and easier. Ex-customers aren’t going to tell you about it – they’re just going to disappear unless you ask.
