Letters | Rewards for customers who offer praise can be gifts that keep on giving
- Rewards for positive feedback will show customers that their opinions are valued and inspire them to seek out good service rather than focus on bad experiences
Retailers and service providers are constantly trying to improve their service. However, these companies usually, if not always, “reward” customers who complain rather than compliment.
Think about it. Companies will budget for compensation or tokens of goodwill, given in the form of vouchers, gifts, discounts, or waivers, when faced with demanding or pushy customers.
However, when customers give thanks profusely through writing or provide casual compliments, these companies will either reply with a standard “Thank you for your compliment!” message or, sometimes, ignore them altogether.
Companies should start looking at this scenario seriously, to see how best they can give due recognition to this group of satisfied customers.
Rewarding customers who compliment could bring about a paradigm shift in [their] minds … and hopefully motivate more people to see the service industry as a rewarding and fulfilling career choice
They can consider inviting those who have complimented the companies on their good service in the past to an exclusive sale open only to them, or by adding more points to their existing membership rewards programmes; doing so would show a deeper appreciation of customers who take the trouble to write about and share their joyful experiences.