Negative feedback can also help improve service

It is true that providing positive feedback and giving sincere compliments will help improve customer service ("Reward good service with praise" by Mr Ben Gibran; Wednesday). Sales staff will find it worth their while to continue rendering good service when they are appreciated by others and feel important and useful.

Nothing makes service providers more disenchanted than having customers who don't appreciate their efforts, and who don't show understanding and empathy.

While praise should be shown to good sales staff, customers must also provide feedback, however unpleasant, on shoddy service.

Customers complain not because they want to find fault with sales people, but to receive complete satisfaction for their purchases.

Retailers who take complaints seriously and make amends for shortcomings are likely to see their businesses perform better.

Interestingly, people who complain about poor service in a store are more likely to continue to shop there if things are put right.

Hence, to enhance customer loyalty, nothing is more important than for store owners to view complaints or brickbats in a positive light.

Jeffrey Law Lee Beng

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 26, 2016, with the headline Negative feedback can also help improve service. Subscribe