Client complaints are vitally important for your business

The importance of a close relationship between the garden designer and the client

A customer is the most important visitor on our premises; he is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving him. He is doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity to do so.

That is Mahatma Gandhi, and it is the standard I hold myself to.

A client, by definition, is a person or company that receives a service from a professional person or organisation in return for payment. They are one of the most important components of a business: without clients, a business would not exist. Taking time to listen to clients is the best way to tune into their ideas and visions, and keeping them satisfied so they feel they are getting value for money is a fundamental part of running a business well.

The process of designing a new garden commences with an on-site visit, where I meet the client and familiarise myself with the garden to be transformed. It is during this stage that the two of us form a partnership and collaborate to achieve a satisfying outcome.

Despite the best efforts and intentions of any business, some clients will complain. Instead of reacting negatively to complaints, I treat them as a valuable resource to learn from.

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. Bill Gates

More than anything, clients want to feel heard. Actively listening develops a deep understanding of the complaint, and you build a stronger relationship if you can show you genuinely care about the problem.

How I handle it

At BCW I endeavour to fulfil my clients' needs with creative, cost effective designs, and I follow a few fundamental principles when an issue or complaint arises.

• If my client has a problem, then it is my problem too. I want clients to feel that I am empathetic to their complaint and that we are partners in solving it.

• Communication is paramount. Open communication limits misunderstandings, creates greater satisfaction, deals with complaints promptly before they escalate, and makes clients more likely to recommend me to others.

• Never be afraid to apologise for a mistake. Many clients are simply looking for an apology and an acknowledgment of their complaint, followed through with a genuine effort to resolve it.

At the completion of a job I send clients a short survey. It is an opportunity to collect feedback and honest opinions, and to keep improving.

References

• Best Customer Experience Quotes 2021, Premier Contact Point, accessed 1 February 2022.

• What is the difference between customer and client?, Collins Dictionary, accessed 1 February 2022.

• 11 keys to outstanding customer service, Lawn & Landscape, accessed 2 February 2022.