In 2016, ‘Make It Right’

As I write this blog, we’re about 2 & ½ days from the start of the new year. Each year at this time, I try to come up with something to focus on in terms of improving upon your donor relationships.

Here is my suggestion for 2016:

Resolve to ‘Make It Right’ in 2016 – No matter how hard we try, at some point we’re going to disappoint donors.

The question is, what happens when we do. I recommend implementing the Disney Institute’s H.E.A.R.D. system for converting disappointed customers (or, for our purposes, donors) into loyal customers (donors):

Hear – Let unhappy donors tell their entire story as you listen carefully without interrupting.

Empathize – “I understand. I’d be frustrated too.”

Apologize - Take ownership of the problem even if you didn’t cause it. ”I’m always sorry when a customer is dissatisfied.”

Resolve – Ask how you can ‘Make It Right.’ If you can, fix the problem quickly. Don’t bounce the donor from person to person.

Diagnose – Figure out what happened, not whom to blame, so it’s less likely to happen again.

If you have any tips you’d like to add, please do so here.