“Many client complaint issues arise from miscommunications,” said The March Group Chairman George E. Gifford, adding that companies must closely reverse engineer complaint resolution processes by developing effective, transparent and accurate sales tools and procedures.”

The March Group is a leading main street Mergers & Acquisitions firm in business for nearly 25 years. During it’s long tenure as an advisory service, The March Group has seen client firms succeed and fail based on their management of client relationships.

“One of the worst things that a business owner can face is a client complaint issue gone awry during the sale of a business,” Mr. Gifford said. “A secure client base often is a linchpin of client value.”

Maintaining a solid base of satisfied clients ensures maximum value now and at the closing table.

The March Group drew on decades of experience to create the following Top 5 Complaint Resolution Tips for Business Owners.

1.1. Set Proper Expectations Set Proper Expectations – Ensure clients fully – Ensure clients fully understand what they are and ARE NOT getting before they understand what they are and ARE NOT getting before they purchase your product. Include specific language in your purchase your product. Include specific language in your contract for recurring expectation trouble spots.contract for recurring expectation trouble spots.

2.2. Create Client Communication Plan Create Client Communication Plan – Client – Client complaint potential increases exponentially without a routine complaint potential increases exponentially without a routine Communication Plan in place for every client. Identify the key Communication Plan in place for every client. Identify the key contact milestones and develop management reporting to contact milestones and develop management reporting to ensure each milestone is met.ensure each milestone is met.

3.3. Respond Immediately Respond Immediately – Hopefully complaints are – Hopefully complaints are few, but response to all complaints should be swift and few, but response to all complaints should be swift and meaningful. meaningful.

4.4. Create A Complaint Committee Create A Complaint Committee – The March – The March Group recommends ensuring top decision makers are aware of Group recommends ensuring top decision makers are aware of all significant complaints to nip potential issues in the bud all significant complaints to nip potential issues in the bud immediately.immediately.

5.5. Enforce a Pro-Client Culture Enforce a Pro-Client Culture – Even in industries – Even in industries that require you to give clients bad news, business owners must that require you to give clients bad news, business owners must make each employee the client’s advocate. To ensure make each employee the client’s advocate. To ensure everyone understands the exact complaint, document it in the everyone understands the exact complaint, document it in the client’s own words. Go the extra mile to satisfy the client and client’s own words. Go the extra mile to satisfy the client and that client may become one of your greatest assets. that client may become one of your greatest assets.

by:by:The March GroupThe March Group