Complaint handling that discourages customers from speaking up includes all or some ofthese reactions:

• apologies and nothing more
• rejection
• promises that aren't delivered
• no response at all
• rude treatment
• being passed on to someone else
• avoiding personal responsibility
• nonverbal rejection
• customer interview, or
• customer interrogation

Apologies and Nothing More
A customer walks into a restaurant and leans against a freshly painted wall, leaving a paint smear on his coat.  All the staff members he talks to say they are sorry but there is no attempt to fix the situation.  "I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do."  The customer says, "They're very good at saying 'I'm sorry' but they don't do anything.  'Sorry' isn't good enough.

Ever wondered what the top 6 things customers hate the most?   Here they are:

1.  NOT LISTENING:  This was the most cited reason customers dislike salespeople.thumbs down  Too many salespeople are more interested in what they are saying than listening to what their customers (or prospects) are trying to tell them.  They haven't learned the art of asking questions to probe for information.   There's a saying I learned many years ago that holds true "We were given two ears and one mouth - to be used in that order".  Listen twice as much as you talk.  Time is precious and when you don't listen you actually disrespect your customer or prospect.

2.  TALKING TOO MUCH:  It's not about:  "Boy, have I got a deal for you ... blah, blah, blah, blah".  Its about "Tell me about your business, your home, your garden, your dog (whatever the subject is)," listening intently and then providing information that meets your customer's/prospect's needs.  You can talk your way into a sale and then talk your way out.  

3.  LACK OF KNOWLEDGE:  There is no excuse for not knowing your 'stuff'.   You, of all people, should know your product knowledge, information about your business/company, delivery schedules - all the nuts and bolts.  When you know your stuff, someone asks you a question and you answer.  However, when you don't know your stuff and someone asks you a question... You look unprofessional and, at the worst, lazy.

In today's high-tech world, the one communication tool that remains a constant is the telephone.  Using the telephone competently and courteously is essential to customer and client satisfaction.  Poor telephone etiquette can have a disastrous effect on your telephone customer service - and bottom line.

Here are some tips for providing excellent customer service:

Preparation:  Have a fair idea of what you are going to say in advance of your telephone call.  Have a mental script you can fall back on if the conversation wanders.
Introduction:  When we meet people face to face we often introduce ourselves with a handshake.  On the phone we must do this verbally by greeting the customer with genuine warmth.

I recently met a genuinely funny man ... funniness beams from him.  In fact, I'd met him a few months earlier at a seminar I was running on the Gold Coast but didn't realise it.
To ensure that mobile phones don't blast my seminars (because I want people to absorb what I'm saying, not just 'attend')  I always give people the choice of turning their phones off, onto vibrate, silent or leave them on.  The only thing is:  If they choose to keep it on and it rings in the seminar, they will be asked to stand and sing "I'm a little teapot" and do the actions.
Back to my story:  He came in late to the seminar and missed the message.

We all know that a positive tone and language are highly important when it comes to good customer service, but many retailers still use phrases that may give the wrong image and negatively impact our customers' shopping experience. 
The following phrases used in a customer service setting can kill a sale and possibly lose a customer.
Here are some sayings retailers should avoid: 

1. I Don't Know
Customers don't expect retailers to know everything, but when it comes to answering a product question or other enquiry, they do expect the salesperson to be confident enough in their knowledge of the business to provide an answer. 

Better: "That's a good question. Let me find out for you."