Yesterday I began having a problem with a product I’m renting for a few days. Today I discovered another issue with it. I reached out to the rental company yesterday, and they were very responsive. They kept me updated as they worked internally to find a resolution and then implemented the solution today. Problem resolved, in less than a day. The effective communication and quick resolution made a positive impression on me. I’ll definitely be using this company again.

Perfection doesn’t exist—for people or companies. Inevitably, things won’t go as planned, and companies won’t meet a customer’s expectations at some point. How companies handle those situations can set them apart from competitors. In most situations, customers remember the resolution experience, not the problem. Translation: if you treat customers well when there’s a problem, you’ll make a good impression on them despite the problem, and they’ll continue being a customer.

If you’re building or running a company, be mindful of how you resolve customer issues. If you do it consistently well, you’ll gain loyal repeat customers.