training tactics

Handling the Irate Customer

by Valerie Manso

From time to time, everyone will be confronted by an angry customer. Regardless of the cause, how you handle the angry customer is a critical moment of truth for building loyalty.

When a customer brings a problem to your attention, be thankful. Nothing will kill your business faster than unhappy customers. Less than half of unhappy customers will bring a complaint to your attention, but those who say nothing to you will tell an average of 11 other people about their bad experience.

"SUCCESSFUL" COMPLAINTS

A customer who has a complaint successfully resolved will, however, become the most loyal customer you have. He realizes you will take care of him when there is a problem. Here is an ‘E.A.S.I." step-by-step process to handle the irate customer.

1 Empathize in order to create calm. The issue is not personal. Walk in the customer's shoes and remain in control of your emotions. While it is perfectly natural to get defensive when attacked, choose to be the "big person" and keep your cool.

2 Actively listen and acknowledge the problem. Let the irate customer blow off steam. Respond with phrases such as, "OK," "I see," and "tell me more." As they vent and see that you are not reacting negatively, they will begin to calm down. The customer needs to be calm before they will hear your solution.

It is essential you acknowledge the problem. If you or your company messed up, admit it. If you did not make a mistake and it is a misunderstanding, say to the customer, "I can see how that would be incredibly frustrating for you."

You are not necessarily agreeing with what they are saying, but respecting how they perceive the situation and how they feel. After the customer has vented, say, "So if I understand you correctly, you got the eyewear home and one of the screws fell out of the temple. That must have been really frustrating."

Usually, the customer will respond with, "That's right." or "Exactly." By feeding back to the customer what you think you heard, you lower their defenses and win the right to be heard.

3 Solution(s) review. Once you have a clear picture of what happened, solve the problem. Know what you can and cannot do within your company's guidelines. When you offer a solution, do it in a courteous and respectful way. Take responsibility for solving the problem. Use phrases such as, "I'll take care of that" and "Here's what we can do." Gain agreement and move forward.

4 Implement and follow up. Implement the solution and follow up with the customer a couple days later. You will have won a customer for life!

Valerie Manso is president of Manso Management Resources, Inc. Contact her at valmanso@aol.com.