Don't disappoint customers, and never make them angry

In short: disappointed customers leave quietly; angry customers tell everyone. Many businesses lose to one small detail that seems unimportant but keeps happening.

The fish restaurant

A well-known fish restaurant opened a branch near our office. The first time we went, it was only moderately busy, yet we waited 45 minutes, because they had not changed how they steamed the fish.

The next time I wanted to bring my family, I phoned ahead: "We're leaving now and will arrive at about this time. Please start steaming a few fish for us." They refused: the owner's rule was that you had to be seated to order. I explained that it would save time and turn tables faster, which helps them too. After five minutes, the answer was still no. I hung up and booked another restaurant.

Why small details matter

• Disappointed customers talk: sharing a bad experience on social media takes seconds.
• Who is the rule for? Many rules make life easier for the business and harder for the customer. Rules are fine, but check regularly whether they still make sense.
• Repetition is the real problem: customers forgive an occasional mistake; the same problem every day stops a brand from ever forming.

Finding the details that disappoint

1. Be your own customer: go through booking, waiting, service and payment yourself, and note everything that annoys you.
2. Listen to front-line staff: they know best what customers complain about.
3. Question every rule: ask "how does this rule benefit the customer?" If nobody can answer, review it.

Customers have no duty to tell you what to improve, but every right to vent their frustration.

Adapted from Dave Tan's book How High Should Your Customer Retention Rate Be? (2014, in Chinese), updated for today. About the book

Author: Dr. Dave Tan, DBA — Founder of Vital Design, Doctor of Business Administration (DBA). A business consultant to salons and SMEs since 2003, and author of a book on salon management.