Nobody wants an angry customer, but sometimes things happen beyond our control. The goal is to turn a negative situation into a positive one. Here’s five tips on how to deal with a dissatisfied customer.

1. Don’t take is personally. The customer is having an issue with the product or service, not you. Unless of course you personally caused the problem.
2. Apologize. If you caused the problem, admit to it. Otherwise, say you’re sorry that their experience with your company was not a good one.
3. Ask them what you can do to rectify the situation. Sometimes customers want nothing more than an apology and assurance the problem will not occur again.
4. Take ownership. Never pass the customer off to someone else. Instead coordinate the customer service process by having the right staff attend to the customer. Personally ensure things move along in a timely manner.
5. Follow up. Make sure that the situation ends with the customer being taken care of to the best of your ability. Thank them for their patience and for bringing their concerns to your attention.

Marc Gordon is a marketing expert and professional speaker. Get more marketing tips on his website, marcgordon.ca and on his online show, marctv.net.