Responding to angry, disgruntled, and frustrated customers can be very stressful, especially over the phone. However, I strongly believe that this is precisely the time when companies have a golden opportunity to shine.
Think of it this way…it’s easy to be polite and optimistic when things are going well…but too many business owners underestimate the value of training their employees in the fine art of dealing with difficult customers; demonstrating the “right path” and tolerating nothing less.
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Sidebar: Before we go any further, a few words of caution… Employees are much more willing and able to come up with positive solutions for dissatisfied customers if they have the tools to make it happen… and most importantly , empowerment.
If you cripple their employees’ ability to “turn lemons into lemonade,” I’ve consulted with many companies that cripple their employees by severely restricting their ability to “do good.”
They mistakenly claim that they will “give the farm away” (the old “give them an inch and they’ll take a mile” syndrome) without even considering the amount of money they are losing through lost customers; mouth to mouth rotten; excessive employee turnover; loss of telephone time, stress, etc.
I cringe every time I hear this! If you don’t believe me, go to your nearest bookstore and buy a copy of “The Nordstrom Way” (Spector and McCarthy) and see if reading that changes your mind!
One of the unexpected pleasures you and your employees will get from actually pleasing a miserable customer is the joy it brings! No, this isn’t “warm, fuzzy, mawkish psycho-talk”… just try it and see.
Remember, it doesn’t matter what “business” you are in, whether you are a doctor, lawyer, retailer, nonprofit, wholesaler, consultant, etc. you are there to serve… As one of my mentors, Zig Ziglar, said best: “The more you help other people get what they want, the more you will get what you want.”…
So, be thankful for that irate customer who wakes you up and presents you with an intriguing psychological challenge and is often the most appreciative and loyal customer when you’re done.
Tips for dealing with that distraught customer
1. No matter how angry or unreasonable your customer is, your three main goals are:
√ Calm them down;
√ Communicate your understanding of your complaint or problem and empathy; and
√ Ask them to leave or hang up thanking them.
2. How do you make this happen?
√ Smile (not deep, trust me, people can really tell) while answering the phone or greeting the customer in person
√ Introduce yourself (and your organization if the customer calls) with enthusiasm, eg “Hello, my name is Mary…we’re glad you called XXX Company today! How can I help you?”
Once you have been told the reason for your call, it is important to:
Let them know that you will personally handle their complaint.
Apologize and acknowledge your feelings.
sympathize and take them out
Be prepared to help, ask questions, and convey personal affection.
The volume of the voice should be normal, not loud.
Slow down your speech a bit and lower your tone – this has immediate calming effects and puts you in control of the conversation in a non-threatening way. Write down his name: then use it! It’s the sweetest word(s) in any language… but be sure to ask for the correct pronunciation if you’re not sure!
√ Give them your full attention: they’re not happy anymore, so don’t make things worse by making them feel like you’re not really “there”; for example, don’t look around you, keep your eyes fixed on them; no rusty papers; answer other calls; etc
√ Listen carefully and take notes: The vast majority of customer complaints are legitimate… so this should always be your first assumption. Write down important information to ensure accuracy; help you get to the bottom of the problem; prevent the customer from repeating themselves and make it easier for you to relate the situation to someone else if necessary.
√ Echoing key points This will go a long way in reassuring customers and making sure you understand the ‘heart’ of their complaint… ‘ask the question behind the question’.
√ Provide a solution (a great question to ask is: “How can I best solve this for you?”)
√ Guide them to a solution (remember, if your personal contact is not empowered to offer a solution, the process is broken down here…)
√ Thank them for calling or visiting; apologize for any inconvenience they experienced and let them know that you work hard every day to ensure that each customer’s experience is a pleasant one and that you will continue to do so.
√ Update your client account to reflect your conversation and resolution to ensure other employees can catch up, if necessary. Also, be sure to follow up with anyone else involved in the “fix” within 24 hours! This is the key!!
3. Put stress in perspective
Dissatisfied customers can cause stress, but it’s important to remember that your anger isn’t personal. They are upset about a problem, not you. Sometimes they just need to vent. If you suspect this, it’s often a good idea to let them carry on for a bit.
4. Useful phrases to use
√ How can I help you?
√ Thank you very much for your patience and cooperation
√ Sir, could you explain the situation to me so that I can help you solve this?
√ I’m so sorry to hear that… I don’t blame you for being frustrated. I think I would be too…
√ Let’s work together to figure this out, shall we?
√ I can see why you feel this way…
√ I see what you mean…
√ That must be annoying…
√ I understand how frustrating this must be for you and I really appreciate your patience…
5. Phrases to avoid at all costs
√ Our policy is…
√ Relax!
√ What is your problem?
√ That’s not our fault!
√ I can’t help it if my employee was rude…
√ I will not repeat this again…
√ Listen to me…
√ I can’t…
√ Why are you unreasonable?
√ There’s nothing else I can do…
Challenge: What is the best and/or worst comment you have received from a company representative?
6. Ways to stay cool
√ Tell yourself it’s useless to let someone else ruin your day, then don’t let that happen.
√ Remind yourself that you are a professional and that you know how to deal with this situation that way.
√ If you want to solve the problem quickly, don’t add fuel to the fire…
√ Understand how good it will feel when you look back with pride on how you handled a difficulty
7. ANGER
There are some clients who use “bullying” as a means to intimidate others personally and professionally. Whatever their reasons for “being mad at the world,” they can use any excuse to “get back.” This type of interaction, while rare, presents additional challenges, but if you know how to handle them correctly, your stress will greatly decrease.
No person should have to tolerate behavior that crosses certain boundaries. Abusive language can be dealt with immediately by a company, “Mr./Mrs. Smith, I’m sorry, I want to help you, but I can’t let you use unprofessional language.” Almost always, this results in an apology.
Using the customer’s name and, if applicable, the formal title improves the chances that this will work. If not, this person must be turned over; put on hold; or finished with a statement like “Sorry, this can’t go on.” Period.
Any incident that goes as far as harassment and/or threats of violence must be reported to other employees or supervisors and/or to the proper authorities.
Bottom line: Your most loyal customers are always the ones who had a problem that was resolved to their satisfaction INSTEAD of the customer who never had a problem! This is a very important distinction!