BUSINESS MANAGEMENT By Tracy Robinson
10 Steps to calming an upset customer
De-escalating frustrated customers H
ave you ever purchased an item from a store and discovered it was broken when you got it home? Or picked up your car after a service call, and discovered that the issue wasn’t fixed? Let me guess, you probably called the company to complain, or find solutions. We are all consumers, and we all understand how frustrating it can be when our expectations aren’t met. In our company, we have customer experience representatives (CSRs) to field complaint calls and be there for our customers. Generally, the CSRs are helping customers when they’re frustrated, and the techniques they use help de-escalate tensions so that calls don’t become contentious. When a customer is not happy with the service they’ve received, they may call your company in an agitated state. You, your CSRs, or your frontline team, must navigate these situations and guard your company’s reputation. You must be prepared to help address customer concerns of all kinds. Before you pick up the phone, review these 10 simple steps to better customer service.
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1)
Stay calm; it’s not personal.
You are there to help, and need to keep your work hat on at all times. The customer is likely not upset with you personally, but for now, you are the voice and ears of your company. Let the customer know right off the bat with your tone and demeanor that they are dealing with a calm professional who’s here to help.
2)
Empathy is key. There is power
3)
Acknowledge the customer’s concerns. Be an active listener
in empathy, but it can’t be faked. Use inflection to demonstrate how much you care and want to help your customer resolve their issue. An empathetic response to an angry customer can help soothe emotional moments. Remember, most customers just want to be heard.
for your customers. Sometimes in customer service, the most effective part of communicating with a customer is simply listening. After the customer has shared their concern with you, make sure to repeat back what you heard. This way, both you and your customer will be on the same page when it comes to resolving the problem.
