Dealing with unsatisfied customers.

• Author: Motley, L. Biff
• Position: Customer Satisfaction

Every bank marketer needs to construct a plan--call it a "Conditional Service Recovery Protocol"--to quickly identify, capture, rectify, record and track customer dissatisfaction episodes. While none of us likes to hear complaints (and it is normal to react with a defensive, "Yes, but ..."), it is more important to listen dispassionately, calm the customer down and solve the problem.

Here are five elements you might consider in building your bank's recovery protocol.

Dissatisfaction antennae. As banking gets more complex and sales/service channels multiply, it is important to develop ways to capture problem incidents wherever they might surface. A critical channel is your branch system. Tellers, platform bankers and branch managers should be schooled in service recover techniques and follow up systems.

One bank I know developed a protocol called the CREST action plan. It deals with angry customers. The "C" stands for "Calm the customer down" with strong listening and empathy actions. "R" stands for "Repeat the problem (summarize) to the customer." This shows them that you truly heard them--e.g., "Now, Mrs. Jones, you paid your mortgage on time, but still were assessed the penalty fee, is that correct?" The "E" stands for "empathy." "Yes, Mrs. Jones, I can see your point. I would feel the same way." "S" stands for "Solve the problem." "I will contact Dave in our mortgage area, and call you this afternoon." "T" stands for "timely response." In this case, it is necessary to grease the system to get the problem resolved before the bank closes. The key is to balance the value of a customer with the cost of what has made him unhappy.

Systematic protocols to capture, evaluate and respond quickly to customer problems should be conceptualized for all channels, including the call center, Internet, commercial bankers (outside sales force), etc.

Speed. When a client is upset, speed is of the essence. Especially important is the immediate acknowledgement that you understand the problem and are going to react. Also important is a system that "polls" your various contact points and surfaces problems quickly for appropriate solutions. You might even consider establishing a "5 p.m. Rule," which says you will get back to the...