客诉问题一直是令外贸人头疼的问题之一,处理得好,维护好了客户关系不说,返单率也会上升;处理得不好呢,客户丢下一句:“I will never place order with you”之后,从此销声匿迹。
我有一个合作客户,在2018年连下三单之后,2019年消失了大半年,无论我怎么“撩”,对方一直不回复。
直到2019年7月9日,他突然在我跟进的一封邮件的基础上,发来了一封客诉。
内容如下:
Hi Elisa,
Thank you for your email.
All the pixel lights you can see here are those which I bought from you last year.
Since then we had no new projects anymore, that's why I didn't buy anything else.
Almost all the lights are very good and I have no problems with them, except the ones type SJ-387-24V.
These are on the outside of the carrousel and last year they worked fine but this year many lights got water inside the bulb. Some gave a bad color and some gave a bad connection causing them to flicker.
Since the beginning of this year I had to replace more than 50 of the 600 bulbs and my spare lights are almost used now.
Attached you see pictures and some movies of the bad lights. This isn't normal, is it?
What do you suggest?
Kind regards,
Kim
他不下单、不回复的原因,终于明了了。
我随即给出了回复:
Hi Kim,
Thanks for your feedback.
Around one more year used for these lights, so to be honest, it's normal that some pieces were broken.
Actually we changed and improved the waterproof connectors and cover this year,
so it is getting better on waterproof.
About the faulty pieces you have, I provide you with below solution:
send you another new pieces for free charge, but the shipping fee has to be paid.
Please let me know the real faulty quantities you replaced, so that I can send you PI for payment.
It's better to order other types together, so that it can help you save more extra costs.
Best regards,
Elisa
然而,回复之后的半年里,客户没有再理我。
直到今年的1月17日:
Hi Elisa,
It's not normal that after 1,5 year of use, almost half of the ordered bulbs are already broken (and I am not exaggerating).
I ordered these lights because they were waterproof and now you admit that they are of poor quality and that you have had to improve them.
I know other people who have bought the same lights from you and you have replaced for them all the lights for free, so why is that not possible by me?
If you replace all the lights for free I will place in the future other orders with you; otherwise I will have to go to another supplier.
Kind regards,
Kim
这很明显是来兴师问罪的。
我的回复如下:
Hi Kim ,
Thanks for telling me the truth.
Actually we treat all our customer in fair, so it's also possible to send you repair lights for free,
but in order to have a long-term business with you, there is only a condition here:
free lights have to be sent to you together with your next order, or you have to pay for the shipping cost for thesefree repair lights.
That's what my solution mentioned in my last email.
You are also one of our valued customers, and we want to satisfy every customer including you certainly!
Please kindly let me know your better advice if possible. Thanks!
Kindest regards,
Elisa
然后,客户又没消息了。
2个月后的3月10日,他又给我回了一封邮件:
Good morning Elisa,
I don't have any new projects for the moment, so I don't need to order new pixel lights.
My next project will be in a few months.
So for the moment, if you send me new lights to replace all the other ones, I will be willing to pay the shipping cost.
I must have 650 pieces of type: SJ-387-24V
You may make a PI for me.
Kind regards
Kim
这次,鉴于客户前面的“行事作风”,我脑子里突然蹦出来一个想法,先不发PI,这样就给自己找了一次再次跟进的理由。
Good morning, Kevin!
Thanks for your further news about the bad lights.
Before PI sent, I have to confirm:
I remember you bought 650pcs in total, so you mean total 650pcs are broken now, and all has to be replaced, right?
It's normal for some of the lights to fail if long time use, but if all of them failed, it seems the problem is a bit serious.
If there is not enough evidence to prove this, it will be difficult to persude my boss for full free charge.
The best result I can get for now is 50% payment we each bear for all 650pcs.
If not all 650pcs, such as less than 100pcs, I can persude my boss to compensate for free.
I'm wondering if it's acceptable for you? or any better advice please?
Best regards
Elisa
果然,他没有回复。
2天后,我再次跟进:
Hello Kim,
This is Elisa again.
Here is the PI for 50% payment, $605 in total.
Please Note:
1- The connectors are updated version, and cannot be used together with previous one.
2- The delivery time is around 10-15days during this special period.
If any problems, please do feel free to tell.
Best regards,
Elisa
结果,客户却不买账。
Good morning Elisa,
I cannot accept your PI because:
It is understandable that some of the lights could fail after a long time of use, but 1,5 year is for me not a long time!
Consider that the first time I sent you an email about the bad pixel lights is about 1 year ago. At that time more than 50 lights were already broken.
I bought the lights on the assumption that they were waterproof, but in your previous email you said: "Actually we changed and improved the waterproof connectors and cover this year, so it is getting better on waterproof. "
So this means that the lights that I bought from you where NOT waterproof enough and that the construction fault lies with you!
In the meantime there are already more than half of the lights that have water in them and at this rate the other lights will be broken by the end of this year.
So the best and only solution is that you replace all the lights at your expense, more so because the new lights you offer me, have a new connector that doesn't fit on the old ones.
In attachment you will find a few pictures (I have a lot more) as an example of the failure of the lights.
Regards,
Kim
显然,从这封邮件中,看出了客户的不满到了极点,并对我上封邮件产生了一点误解,同时提出了一个并不合理的要求“ replace all the lights at your expense”。
于是,我正面“刚”了他。
Good morning, Kim!
After bargaining with my boss, finally he agreed the solution that 50% payment of each,it's really the best result.
The reason he disagreed is:
around 2years since you placed the order of this pixel, it seems the warranty period is over soon,
it's normal for some lights to fail during this period, and as you said not all lights are broken.
If not all the lights are broken, that means some others are still working, so it's fair that 50% payment of each for both of us.
One more thing:
To be honest, if the other lights will be broken by the end of this year, we cannot replace it for free,
because 2years warranty period has passed.
You know any product has a shelf life, and it cannot be replaced for free forever, right?
For updated connectors, I think it's my responsibility to explain you more:
I have to say here is a misunderstanding that you think the old version is bad quality....
the old one is also waterproof, the reason to change just because it's a little difficult to fix,
If it is not fastened well, it is easy to enter water, the new one is to solve the problem.
We treat same for all our customers,
we can send replaced lights for free shipped together with the next order,or shipping fee only for replaced lights,
but the premise is that it is all the bad lights, not inlcuding old ones that are still working normally.
I know this is not the result you expected, but it's really fair for both of us, we need understand each other, and try to achieve a win-win business. right?
Best regards,
Elisa
这封邮件之后,客户就又不理我了!
直到前两天的6月12日,他又来了!而且是带着订单款款而来。
Hi Elisa,
Due to the Corona virus we haven't been able to work until now.
But now we have resumed work and I have a new order for you.
I need:
500 Pcs - SJ-356-24V-P19mm
2 Pcs - SJ-K-1000C
10 Pcs - extension cable 50cm with at both sides 3-pin JST connectors
And I still need those 650 Pcs SJ-387-24V to replace the other ones which had a bad quality.
Could you make a PI for me?
And what arrangement would you offer me regarding those lights, now I made a new order?
Best regards,
Kim
做了PI之后,他就直接付了款。
Hi Elisa,
The payment is finished.
Attached you'll find the bank slip.
Best regards,
Kim
这个客诉,从开始到解决,历时差不多一年。
中间客户好几次的有去无回,让人摸不着头脑。但是此时再回头想想,客户肯定也有自己的考量。
他开始的邮件还是很客观的,到后来因为误解产生了些许的暴怒情绪,并提出了不太合理的要求,我抓住他话语中的某句“漏洞”,摆事实讲道理地正面反击,并达到了自己预期的效果。
面对客诉,业务员要做的就是在互利共赢的基础上,帮客户解决问题。
要铭记于心的是:
生意本身就是为了利润,无利可图的生意不叫生意。如果是自身原因导致的客诉,赔偿甚至加倍赔偿有时候都是必须要承受的。但是,倘若是客户提出了某些并不合理的要求的时候,该据理力争的一定要据理力争,此时千万不要因怕失去客户,而选择妥协退让。所谓“合作”,必须是要双赢的。
在整个过程中,我一直保持的一个态度就是:
试图找出一个能让双方都满意的解决方案,面对客户的“不讲理”,当然也不能惯着。摆事实讲道理的同时,给客户留有思考反省的余地。刚归刚,怼归怼,但一定要注意说话的方式方法。要与客户产生共情,把自己当成客户,想想此刻应该怎么说才能更容易让对方接受。