Forbes: How Brands Can Effectively Manage Their Customer Experience

There’s one certain in both life and businesses—mistakes will happen. But it’s how we handle those mistakes that can make all the difference—especially when it comes to customer experience.

As the manager of brand and guest relations for the West Coast sandwich franchise, Togo’s, Simona Krebs has four important steps that she follows when vetting a customer issue. The first step, she says, is acknowledging the problem—whether it’s in person, online or over the phone, it’s imperative that someone responds.

“Eighty-percent of life is showing up,” Krebs told Forbes. “There is so much data out there these days—direct guest feedback, review sites and social media sites. You must review all and respond to it all, if possible.”

According to Krebs, the second step is to apologize. Then, it’s important to ask for more information to clarify the issue. Third, it’s important to find a resolution. And lastly, it’s crucial to close the loop. This involves identifying patterns and working towards educating staff members to limit or prevent future issues.