In the customer service industry, you will often encounter customers who can be rude and difficult to deal with. With the right knowledge, skills, and training, your demanding customer can be managed well. With effective customer service training, your team will learn how to handle other people’s difficult and frustrating behaviour, resulting in satisfied and loyal customers.
Start By Understanding The Problem
When you are faced with a difficult customer, start by putting yourself in their shoes and considering the reason for their dissatisfaction. Are they unhappy with the level of service provided? Did the product not arrive on time? Did the product or service fail to meet your customer’s expectations? Perhaps your customer is just having a bad day?
Understanding their perspective can provide you with the patience to listen to your customer and resolve the situation rationally, instead of becoming defensive and reacting negatively. Keep calm and don’t take it personally.
Communicate Effectively
Raising your voice or talking over a customer will only aggravate the situation. Effective communication goes a long way towards solving customer issues, regardless of how rude they might appear.
When dealing with a demanding customer, your communication style is key to resolving the issue. Talk less and listen more. Be careful to use the right words and avoid saying anything that will inflame the situation, such as using excuses or justifications. Focus on your customer’s needs, ask questions to fact-find, and provide helpful information that will move the situation towards a resolution.
Most customers just want to be heard and will calm down after feeling that they have voiced their concerns and been listened to.
Alos read: 5 Things That Turn Your Customers Off
Find A Resolution
Make it easy for your customer to reach an agreement and take quick action. Research shows that when an issue is resolved 47% of customers will be satisfied, but that increases to 96% satisfaction when resolved quickly. Ask your customer how they would like the situation resolved, and if you find you don’t have the knowledge or authority, escalate the complaint quickly and efficiently.
Explain the steps you’ll take to resolve the issue and set a time to follow up with them if needed. Make sure you follow through on any promises you make because a broken promise at this stage could completely erode any trust you have built up.
Turn a Negative Situation into a Positive
Every situation, no matter how unpleasant it might seem, has a positive to it. After you have resolved your customer’s dissatisfaction, trust and loyalty increase. Your customers will trust you more, knowing that you value them and their business. Your team will feel more confident and have more pride in their job, boosting workplace productivity.
No company is exempt from difficult customers, but allowing your customers to be heard and understood will increase loyalty and build confidence in your workplace. Edge Communication can help you and your team in dealing with difficult customers, with the right conflict resolution training skills. Enquire today about customer service training for your Perth team.
