When things go south: Handling mistakes and feedback

By Bernard Kelvin CLIVE

“You can’t advance if you can’t be advised.”— Bernard Kelvin Clive

Feedback is important, especially for entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and personal brands.

Over the past decade, I have interacted with many entrepreneurs, business owners, solopreneurs, and freelancers in various ways. One of the challenges we often face is handling feedback effectively.

Firstly, accepting feedback and working with it are two different things. I’ll share a couple of stories to illustrate this point.

Learning from mistakes: A printing incident

As a publishing consultant helping entrepreneurs, business owners, and freelancers write and publish books, my partner and I once worked on a book project. We got the book printed, only to realize later that there were errors—what we call the “printer’s devil.”

These mistakes were not in the original manuscript we sent for printing. Somehow, they appeared in the final product. We had printed a thousand copies. Given the costs involved, what were our options? Could we simply tell the author it was a mistake and ask for understanding?

Instead, my partner quickly arranged for the exact copies to be reprinted. It was costly, but we had to get the job done.

A printing error for a charity project

In another instance, a client informed us that their printing project was for charity work, meaning there was no profit involved. Given this, my partner and I decided to offer the service at production cost as a sacrifice. It was a tough financial decision, but we believed in the cause.

We rushed the job due to the short turnaround time, and unfortunately, the client sent the wrong file for printing, because there had been a series of corrections made to the original content. When the client received the copies, it was too late to make corrections. The client was understandably upset, even though the mistake was minor.

Although the situation was frustrating, we had to take responsibility. The client demanded a reprint. We attempted to negotiate, offering a refund instead, but the client refused. Ultimately, we reprinted the entire batch, even though it was a costly mistake.

These incidents highlight that mistakes can happen in business, no matter how meticulous we are. What matters is how we handle them.

Handling negative feedback as a business owner

One of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs and business owners face is dealing with negative feedback. If you consistently operate at a high level, delivering excellent products and services, receiving a negative review can be shocking.

Many business owners feel personally attacked when they receive criticism. When most of your customers are praising your work, it can be difficult to accept that someone is dissatisfied. However, ignoring negative feedback can harm your brand in the long run.

A case of poor customer response

I once encountered a lady who made high-quality handmade footwear. Her products were beautiful and well-crafted. I had purchased from her before and was always satisfied. However, on one occasion, I ordered a pair that turned out to be substandard. The material seemed defective, possibly due to exposure to heat or poor-quality fabric.

When I brought this to her attention, she became defensive. Instead of acknowledging the issue, she flatly told me to return the product in a dismissive tone. I explained that I had been a loyal customer and had always recommended her work, but this time, the product was below standard. Still, she was unwilling to listen.

Because of her response, I decided to stop doing business with her. While I might still refer people to her if they asked, I no longer felt comfortable recommending her proactively. This is an example of how not to handle customer complaints.

The right way to handle feedback

As business owners, we must pay attention to every piece of feedback, whether positive or negative. Even if most clients praise our work, it only takes a few unresolved complaints to harm our reputation. If a long-time customer raises an issue, it is important to listen and act accordingly.

When you receive feedback, consider the following steps:

Assess the Validity of the Feedback – Is the complaint legitimate? If so, acknowledge it.

Determine Whether Immediate Action Is Needed – If it is something that requires urgent attention, fix it right away. If it is an issue that can be addressed later, note it for future improvements.

Evaluate the Impact on Your Business – Will implementing the suggestion improve your business model, products, or services? If yes, take steps to integrate the changes.

Communicate with the Customer – Thank them for their feedback and assure them that their concerns are being addressed.

Maintain Professionalism – Even if the complaint is frustrating, responding with professionalism preserves your business reputation.

Why many entrepreneurs struggle with negative feedback

Many MSMEs, entrepreneurs, and freelancers struggle to accept negative feedback because they take it personally. Instead of seeing it as an opportunity for improvement, they feel attacked and become defensive. This mindset can be detrimental to business growth.

If you find yourself reacting negatively to criticism, take a step back. Remind yourself that customer feedback—both positive and negative—helps your business grow. Even when feedback is harsh, there may be valuable insights hidden within it.

Long-term benefits of handling feedback well

Effectively managing feedback improves customer satisfaction and enhances your business reputation. When customers see that their concerns are taken seriously, they are more likely to remain loyal. A good feedback system also helps you refine your products and services over time.

Consider these benefits:

1. Increased Customer Loyalty – Customers appreciate businesses that listen and improve.
2. Stronger Brand Reputation – Handling feedback well shows professionalism.
3. Opportunities for Innovation – Some complaints reveal gaps in your service that, when addressed, can lead to new business opportunities.
4. Better Business Growth – Continuous improvement keeps your business competitive.

Business owners, entrepreneurs, and freelancers need to refine their approach to handling feedback, especially negative feedback. It is not enough to focus on the praise we receive—we must also listen to constructive criticism.

Think about how your business currently handles feedback. Are you open to suggestions, or do you dismiss negative reviews? How can you improve your response to ensure that customers feel valued and heard?

Take time to reflect on these questions and consider how you can strengthen your feedback mechanism. Doing so will not only protect your brand but also set you up for long-term success.

Lessons Learnt:

1. Feedback Helps You Grow – If you run a business, listen to feedback to keep improving. If you do this well, you will get better and your business will also get better.
2. Mistakes Will Happen, But Fixing Them Matters – Truth be told, no business is perfect. Admitting mistakes and correcting them earns customer trust.
3. Not Everyone Will Be Happy – No matter how good your product or service is, some people will complain. How you respond can keep or lose customers.
4. Getting Defensive Can Hurt Your Business – Arguing with customers or ignoring complaints can drive them away and harm your reputation.
5. Have a Plan for Handling Complaints – Look at complaints fairly, decide what to do, respond politely, and use feedback to improve.
6. Good Customer Service Keeps Customers – One bad experience can make a customer leave. Treating them well makes them stay.
7. Criticism Can Lead to Better Ideas – Negative feedback can show what needs fixing, helping your business grow.
8. Handling Feedback Well Builds a Good Name – Businesses that deal with complaints properly earn trust and keep customers loyal.

Now, it’s your turn, I’m sure you might have had similar encounters. What did you do about it and how did you handle that?

Let’s keep improving and bettering our best!

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