"YOUR COMPANY SUCKS!"  The Value of Negative Feedback

By:  Renae E. Gregoire
The Write Idea
www.ineedcopy.com
©2003

Have you ever browsed through a company’s testimonials?  You know, those customer statements that relate why you should buy a product or service from one particular company or provider?

As a prospect, you read through them thinking, “Gee, if all these people were this happy, maybe I will be too! 

Trouble is, no one, and I mean no one, uses bad testimonials.  Could you imagine reading these statements on a company’s collateral?:

I’m sorry I wasted my money.  Your product is worthless and I would not recommend it to my worst enemy.

You just didn’t do what you promised.  Can I have a refund?

Although you finally delivered, I’m disappointed in all the broken promises and the fact that it took you six months to deliver—when it should have taken one.

But guess what?  Perhaps companies should allow prospects to read negative comments about their products or services.  And I think you’ll see why when I’m through.

Bearing My Soul:  The Write Idea’s Failures

Why in the world would I tell you about my negative experiences?  Because each time one happens, I learn a very valuable lesson about which customers I should engage, and which I should decline.

And these are lessons you can use in your business, too.

To be honest, I haven’t had very many negative experiences.  Out of the hundreds and hundreds of pieces of written, I think I’ve only left five people unsatisfied.  Granted, it could be more, but those customers didn’t say so.  I would guess that if I do have unknown unhappy customers out there, they would have had the same characteristics as unhappy customers who have let me know they’ve been dissatisfied.

Let’s see what you can learn from my mistakes.  Customer names have been changed for what will soon be obvious reasons.

Unhappy Customer #1:  New Food Retail Concept

This client was referred to me by someone who did work for my company.  She needed web copy for her new company website.  Now her idea is a very new concept—there’s nothing at all like it in her market.  When she first told me about it, and sent me what she had written, I didn’t think I could do the job.

Why?  Because as a prospective customer myself, I had way too many objections.  And I didn’t see how she could overcome them.  But I played devil’s advocate, and after she responded to every one of my objections, I actually became sold on the concept myself.  And once I’m sold, I can sell others.

The end result is that I supplied a first draft, and I guess it was nowhere near what they wanted.  I got a call from my client’s partner who told me that they’d rather do it themselves.  She didn’t come right out and say they didn’t like my work, but I’m sure that’s what the problem was.  I was told that it’d be easier for them to do the work themselves rather than go back and forth with me when they had a very clear idea of what they wanted…that they were very particular.

“No problem,” I said.  “Just disregard my invoice for the balance, and best wishes to you!”

But you know what?  I sensed that something like this would happen when: 

1. They never reviewed my writing style or writing philosophy.  They simply thought they needed a copywriter, got a recommendation, and hired me. 
2. They were never quite clear as to what exactly they wanted, even though I sent several requests to clarify.  I asked to see the website template so I could even know how much copy to write, but it never came through.  So, in essence, I was writing blind.  I still did the best I could, and wrote clear, concise and persuasive copy as if it were my business I wanted to promote.
3. Phone conversations were brief and abrupt, without much time to really figure out what she wanted.

The Lessons

What did I learn?  First, I will never take on another client who has not read at least a few pages of my work and who does not understand my writing philosophy.  Second, even if I’m up against a contractual deadline, I will not attempt a first draft unless I have all the information I need.  And third, if I don’t feel comfortable with a prospect on the phone, for whatever reason, I won’t feel comfortable doing the job.

What can you take out of this?  First, and this is especially true for service providers, if you don’t feel a connection—or can’t seem to make a connection—with your prospect, it’s O.K. to pass.  Otherwise, you may both wind up unhappy.  Truth of the matter is, we can’t sell to everyone.  We’re best off selling to people we connect with, especially when it comes to service providers. 

Second, don’t begin any project without really probing to find out what your client expects.  This is true for product sellers, too.  My client was rather nebulous about what she needed, so I did what I always do—I wrote the copy as if it were for my business.  If you sell products, you may find that what you’re selling is not exactly what the customer wants, needs or expects.  So you make a sale, but you wind up with either a return or an unhappy customer.

Third, especially if you’re a service provider, make sure your prospect knows exactly what you’re going to do…and exactly what you are planning to provide for their money.  Don’t leave your customers guessing.  If they’re going to get 1-hours’ worth of phone consults and a printout of their financials, let them know.  They might be expecting more from you without you even knowing.  They could be expecting that you’ll do something to help them increase their bottom line.  (You’d find this out from probing.)  And if that is the case, and if all you deliver is a printout of their financials at the end of the month, they will be unhappy.

Unhappy Customer #2:  Online Auto Sales Assistant “Memberships”

I should have known not to take this project right from the start.  This client had an online website where he was selling “memberships.”  Membership entitled a customer to:

--E-books on how a car dealership works from the inside; how to get around salesmen’s sales tactics and how to get the best price.

--The ability to post free classified ads on the company’s website (there was one--yes, one--ad posted there at the time).

--6 months worth of email consultations with the website owner, who used to work at a car dealership.

--A chance to win a special prize—awarded to every 100^th new member.

Well I thought the e-books might have a *chance* to sell (I did read them and they had some good information)…but I recommended that my client sell the E-books and give the memberships away as bonuses, instead of selling “memberships” and giving the e-books away as bonuses.  My client, after much discussion, warily agreed, and I wrote the copy.

And guess what?  I hated every minute of it.  And in the end, my client was unhappy because what I wrote "didn't sell."

Why?  Because I thought the whole concept stunk...which is why I hated writing it.    I, personally, would never buy such a product, yet my job was to convince others to shell out their hard earned money for it.  The site was also full of banner ads from companies my client was affiliated with, and the classified ad section was a joke.  Why would people who are looking to save money at a dealership want to post classified ads?  Especially on a site that only had one…ONE…ad listed?

The Lessons

These lessons apply to me, and to you.  First, no matter how hungry I am for work, I will never again agree to write for something I would not buy for myself…whether in a business or personal capacity.  If you get a bad feeling about a potential client…for whatever reason…pass. 

Second, if I think someone’s offer stinks and makes no sense, I need to tell them right away…before I begin working.  If they are resistant to changes I know would be in their best interest, I’m better off not taking the project.  What you can take away from this is not to work with clients who hire you for your expertise but who refuse to listen.  If she tells you her computer is “too slow,” and that she wants you to fix it by removing a bunch of programs…when you know what she needs is more RAM, you’ll either fight with her to get her to see things your way, or you’ll do what she wants and she still won’t be happy.

And third, if the client is coming to me looking for my words to make or break their business—I’m not the right writer for them.  I believe a product or service must have merit in and of itself.  The words I write don’t sell people—people sell themselves.  My words only serve to educate and communicate benefits—clearly, concisely and persuasively.  For instance, if you’re selling IT services and a prospect is on your website, your copy doesn’t need to convince them that they need you—they already know—which is why they are there.  What your copy needs to do instead is to tell them why they should do business with you instead of with anyone else.

Unhappy Customer #3 – Small firm wanting a “big” look with their corporate brochure

In this final instance, I really had no way of knowing in advance that the project would turn sour on me.  A client hired me to edit about 40 pages of web content, which I did to their complete satisfaction.  Then, because they liked my work, they asked me to help them create a new corporate brochure.

This new project was fraught with many pitfalls and hazards…the most poignant…and devastating being something I could never have expected.  As I usually do, I turned in one small section of the work to make sure in advance that the voice, style and format were acceptable.  My client replied, “This is the best content we’ve had in 12 years…continue on just like you’re doing!”  So I went ahead and wrote another 20 or so sales sheets, two pages each, which they would insert as appropriate into a folder-style brochure. 

I sent the content in for its first round of edits.  It was returned to me with comments, notes and requested changes.  I made the requested changes, replied to comments, and returned the content yet again.  This time though, the client sent the copy to another person—or two—who also added their comments and edits.  The end result was that I received two sets of documents back…one edited by one or two people, the other set edited by someone else.

Trouble was that this time, the documents had comments on it like this:

--“I don’t like the ‘you’ voice in this…please change to remove the ‘you’ voice.”

--“Rewrite.”  This, outside an entire page of content which had been circled.

--“Rewrite.”  Again, entire paragraphs had been circled.

--“This doesn’t describe our process…please use our competitor’s material we sent to describe our process.”

Hmmm.

Well this was troubling.  First of all, rewriting without the “you” voice would be a major undertaking.  I had already submitted one piece in this style, and was told “This is the best content we’ve had in 12 years.”  And, all the other documents, also in the “you” voice, passed successfully through the first round of edits.

Second, what didn’t they like about the entire pages and paragraphs that were circled?  It all read fine to me.

And third, I can’t use a competitor’s process to define another company’s process unless they are identical.  Besides that, the competitor’s brochure did NOT define their process.

Being baffled, I typed up an email explaining that to change the voice on all 40+ pages, I would have to charge them extra.  I also addressed their other comments by asking them to tell me specifically what they didn’t like about the areas marked “rewrite.”  I asked what should be deleted.  What should be added.  What should be changed.  And I also explained that their competitor’s brochure did not detail the “process,” and requested that they do so for me so I could complete the work.

Then the trouble really started.

I got a call, not from my client, but from his assistant (or partner), who was absolutely livid that I would have the “gall” to request additional money when my contract clearly stated that revisions are included for 30-days.  I gently tried to explain that I had already been given the go-ahead to produce all the work as I did, and that no one seemed to mind on the first reading.  I told her it would take me eight hours or so to rewrite everything and that I couldn’t do it for free.  I pointed out very nicely that the reason I sent one document before I continued with all the rest was to make sure “voice” and “style” were in line with their expectations.

She then started complaining that they already sent me their competitor’s brochure, and that I was to take their process from it.  I pulled out the brochure and asked where I could find it…perhaps I missed it.  She said, “I’ve already had to spend way too much time on this…I’m not doing your job for you.”

Really.  I am not exaggerating.  When I make a mistake, I admit it, correct it if I can, and move on.  But this was unbelievable.

And when we finally got around to arguing about the entire paragraphs and pages marked “rewrite,” (yes, by this time I had lost all semblance of professionalism) I bluntly told her that I couldn’t rewrite forever *hoping* to get it right without some kind of direction as to what was wrong with it.  Again, she yelled at me, “Why should I do that?  I’m not going to do your job for you!”

Finally, I told her, “Look.  I’m sure you have better things to do with your time than to argue with me.  I know I do.”  I told her there was no way I could satisfy her, and that I would forfeit the balance they owed me (about $1400), so they could find another writer to do what I was unable to do.

What a nightmare.  But I did learn some valuable lessons…hopefully you will, too.

The Lessons

First, I changed my contract so that it reads, “Any changes in the writing, whether it’s a change in voice and style, direction, or other unseen variables, must be brought to Writer’s attention upon delivery of the first draft.  If Client gives the “ok” on a first draft, and after delivery of additional drafts desires changes in voice or style, direction, outline, or anything else, Writer will be paid in full for work performed as agreed upon in this contract.  While Writer will make every effort to accommodate late stage changes, Writer will bill at her hourly rate of $75.00 per hour, or issue a new contract for out-of-scope changes.”

Second, I felt really bad for losing my cool during the conversation.  She had me all tied up in knots and very angry because she was being so unreasonable.  Now, I refuse to argue with an unhappy client, and refuse to give in to my overwhelming desire to try to get them to “see” my side.  I will listen to their rants.  Instead of arguing “my side,” I will say, “I see.  I understand.  I’m sorry about that.”  I will listen.  And ask what they would like me to do to make things right.  If they say “nothing,” I will gladly refund what is due them and end the relationship.

And finally, I will ask about “editing by committee” before I begin.  And if more than one person is in charge of editing, I will request that one person be given the task of consolidating and approving the edits before they are forwarded to me.

What can you learn from my misfortunes?  Make sure your contract covers as many things that could go wrong as possible.  And when something new arises, take it as an opportunity to learn from your mistakes, and add it in for future clients.  Lastly, don’t argue with an unhappy customer…even if you’re right.  Listen to them rant.  Apologize.  Ask what you can do to make it right.  If you can’t satisfy them, say you’re sorry.  Then say goodbye. **