Organisations rely on
customers as much as customers rely on organisations. When a customer’s
transaction goes wrong, enigmatic organisations swing into action to put events
back on track and minimise their customers' inconvenience and negative thoughts
towards the organisation.
This is especially critical
today with the advent of social media, where an organisation's reputation for
high levels of customer service can easily be lost by a few vengeful customer
postings that often only portray one side of an errant customer encounter.
Suppose someone works in a
customer-facing role, such as a customer reception desk or retail store. In
that case, it is inevitable that they will encounter an angry customer from
time to time. The burning question is how to react.
At the very least, they
should be prepared. Below are several ways that can be used to handle irate
customers or people who are angry about an issue that someone must deal with on
behalf of an Organisation:
Stay Calm: Keeping a cool head is
essential for three reasons:
- The person does not want to
jeopardise their health or mental well-being by increasing their stress
levels.
- The situation might escalate into a
physical confrontation.
- It can further harm the
organisation's relationship with the customer.
The person should not
respond emotionally. Their goal should be to act relaxed and controlled by
taking a deep breath and thinking before speaking. The worst thing they can do
is to play along with the drama and start yelling back.
Apologise: This may sound obvious,
but a simple apology can go a long way. Suppose the person does not feel
comfortable apologising. In that case, it is essential to remember that their
apology is in response to the customer's understanding of the situation rather
than what may have occurred.
Empathise: The person should try to
put themselves in the customer’s shoes. Likely, their organisation has yet to
do what it promised it would do. Empathic phrases which will calm the customer
might include:
- I understand how you feel…
- I understand you are frustrated…
Check Body Language: Experts say 70% of
communication comes from body language. Therefore, when dealing with upset
customers, one must become aware of one's body language. One must give the
customer some space and maintain eye contact, ensuring that one's arms are
unfolded and the palms of one's hands are open.
Tell the Truth: Being less than truthful
to appease customers now will only come back to bite the person later. Honesty
is always the best policy when dealing with demanding customers.
Know Their Stuff: Knowledge of the company's
products, services, and processes will put the person in an excellent position
to deal with the customer’s questions.
Be Assertive: This is easier said than
done, but sometimes, being assertive will quieten the customer down. The person
should not be rude or sarcastic, as this will only worsen things.
Get Inside The Customer’s
Mind:
A degree in psychology is not required, but a basic understanding of human
behaviour helps. Angry customers often feel desperate and helpless, but may
come across as looking for help. The person aims to offer choices, not a
point-blank refusal to assist.
What Not to Say: Some words and phrases are
like a red flag to a bull regarding complainers. The following is what not to
say:
- It is the system.
- That is not how we do things.
- I am not allowed to do that.
- It is beyond my control.
- I am not authorised to do that.
Gain Control of the
Conversation: At some point, the person will need to move things along,
perhaps by trying the phrase: “We’ve established the problem. Let’s talk about
the solution.” Once the customer sees that the person constantly focuses on
finding a solution, they will calm down.
Act: The customer’s irrational
behaviour may be due to a perceived lack of urgency from the organisation. The
person should find out what can be done right away and do it. This will send a
clear message that they are serious about resolving the issue for the customer.
LEARN: An excellent way to
memorise and understand the process needed to deal with agitated customers is
to use the LEARN model:
- L - Listen, then listen, and listen
more.
- E – Empathise.
- A – Apologise.
- R – Resolve.
- N – Now.
If Things Get out of Hand: Sometimes, a customer's
anger is based on something that may not have anything to do with the actual
issue, and there is absolutely nothing the person can do about it.
If customers start to get
aggressive or yell obscenities, they should stop the conversation. The person
should tell the customer they are leaving and walk away while briefly
summarising what happened and reporting the incident to their organisation.
Follow-Up: After the person has dealt
with the customer's source of anger and agreed on a resolution, they must
follow up to check that everything has been thoroughly sold and that the
customer is happy with the outcome.
Speed is of the essence in
correcting any wrongdoings before they negatively impact an organisation's
social media presence, and more importantly, in rectifying any customer service
issues before they can be posted online.
It is far better to correct
customer service issues, as and when they occur, and turn an angry or upset
customer who may seek revenge by posting negatively about the organisation on
social media into a happy customer, who will act as an organisation’s ambassador
to inform others of their high levels of service when issues are speedily
corrected.
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chain management issues to assist organisations and people in increasing the
quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of their product and service supply to
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