Of lemons and lemonade

Turn complaints into an opportunity to improve the client’s perception of your company. In the book 301 Great Management Ideas, John Wirth, president of Woodworker’s Supply (Albuquerque, N.M.), shares his successful strategy.

"First let the customer sound off," he says. Once the customer has blown off steam, Wirth suggests asking the client how the situation can best be resolved. "Ninety percent of the time, the customer comes back with something reasonable - often less than you would volunteer to do yourself," says Wirth. "A customer with a satisfactorily resolved problem will produce three times the revenue of a customer without a problem." To order 301 Great Management Ideas Click Here .