Make amends with disgruntled customers and ensure that you will retain their business with the help of “The Six Golden Rules of Satisfying the Unhappy Customer” from AllBusiness.com. With a limited number of potential customers in your area, there’s nothing more important than maintaining the clientele you’ve already secured. A client saved is a client earned! Use these rules to rectify a damaged customer relationship:

1. Listen with understanding and sympathy. The customer’s first impression of you is vital for gaining cooperation. It’s important to show a sincere interest and willingness to help. Defuse anger and demonstrate concern by saying something like “I am sorry you have been convenience. Tell me what happened so I can help you.”
2. Take responsibility. Even if the issue at hand wasn’t your fault, take full responsibility and try to solve the problem as quickly as possible.
3. Paraphrase and repeat. Make sure the customer knows you are listening and trying to understand their problem. Whenever you hear an important point, say something like “Let me make sure I understand. You were promised delivery on the 10^th and you did not receive the product until the first of the following month. Is that correct?”
4. Find out what the customer wants. You can’t find the right solution without knowing what the customer wants. Is it a refund, a credit, a discount, or a replacement?
5. Propose a solution and gain the customer’s support. Listen to the customer’s request and state your solution in a positive manner: “I will be happy to give you a full credit for it or other merchandise. Is that acceptable to you?” Act promptly when a solution is agreed upon.
6. Never let the customers lose face. If the customer doesn’t agree to your solution, ask what they would consider a fair alternative. If you can’t meet this request, say so, but never say the customer is wrong and never get into an argument with the customer. Sometimes all the customer really wants is for you to hear and respect his or her point of view.

Click here to read the entire article from AllBusiness.com.