Tiffanie
How do you approach a difficult customer ?
When you are dealing with someone who is visibly upset, what do you do to stop the situation from going to far? #work #customer
20 answers
Ivan Lay
Ivan’s Answer
The best piece of advice I ever received regarding difficult customer interactions was, "Listen first!" If you begin by genuinely listening to the customer's frustration, and work to understand it from their perspective, you can respond in a way that addresses their concerns directly. The biggest mistake you can make here is to try to talk over the customer or correct them. If you're on the phone, it's better to take notes about things you want to discuss later if you're afraid you may forget.
The second best advice I ever received was from a customer herself. In my very first customer service job, I was providing support for a web hosting company. A customer called in to complain about our billing policies and started with a thirty-minute rant, hardly stopping to breathe. I could feel myself getting upset as I just wanted to correct her or tell her it wasn't my fault. About twenty minutes into the rant, she stopped and said, "I know this has nothing to do with you. You didn't make these decisions, and I'm not mad at you, so please don't take it personally. However, I'm upset at your company's policies, and you're the only person I have to vent to. Thank you for not taking this personally." After that brief interlude, she jumped back into her rant. However, from that point on, I was no longer taking it personally. After she finished venting, we talked pleasantly, and I was able to provide different solutions to her frustrations. This is an approach I've carried with me since this interaction.
In addition to the above, the tips provided by Ayan on this answer are also spot-on.
I hope this helps! Best of luck in your customer service-oriented career. It is a very rewarding field once you get the hang of it! :)
Prashanth Ashoka
Prashanth’s Answer
Hi,
Thank you for your question.
Handling a difficult customer is always challenging depending on what the reasons are for the customer to become difficult.
Please understand that no customer wants to be difficult until and unless something is troubling them.
My way of handling a difficult customer is to under the reason/cause for how the customer is feeling and reacting at that moment in time and see what best I can do to make sure the customer feels better and relieved at the end of that conversation.
I would let the customer vent out his/her frustration in the beginning and try to understand the reason that caused the customer to feel the way s/he is feeling. Remember that the customer does not know you personally and is not personally attacking you with all their frustration. Later, without testing customer's patience I would try to get as much information required for me to make sure I answer/resolve the query/problem that the customer is facing. As a manager, I would go lengths to make exceptions if required to resolve the customer's issues and make them feel better and satisfied at the end of the conversation. If its personal, I would empathize and not sympathize with the customer. At the end of the day, I would own it rather than blame anyone else for the way the customer is feeling and will assure resolution and make sure the customer is happy.
Live Example:
Issue: Order was placed for a Dell Computer with In-Home First Time Setup option but was not honored.
Reason : In-Home First Time Setup service has been retired.
Challenge: Customer is 90+ yrs old and needs this service.
Result: Customer is angry and upset and not ready to understand that the service doesn't exist anymore and wants the service to be honored.
As it is a miss from our side where a retired service was sold to the customer, an exception was made and an onsite technician was sent to customer's residence to setup the computer and confirm 100% functionality.
We need to own up and go to any extent to improve customer experience and make sure the customer is happy at the end of the day.
Ayan Sarkar
Ayan’s Answer
First and foremost - listen. Do not try to talk over the customer or argue with them. Let the customer have their say, even if you know what they are going to say next, and even if they may not have all the information or be mistaken. As you listen, take the opportunity to build rapport with the customer.
Build rapport through empathy. Put yourself in the customer's shoes. Echo back the source of their frustration and show that you understand their position and situation. If you can identify with a customer's issue, it will help calm them down. If you verbally "nod" during the call, the customer will feel better understood.
Lower your voice. If the customer gets louder, start speaking more slowly and in a lower tone. Your calm demeanor will reflect on them and will help them to settle down. As you approach the situation with a calm, clear mind, unaffected by the customer's tone or volume, anger will generally dissipate.
Assume all your customers are watching. Pretend you are not talking only to the customer but to an audience that is watching the interaction. This shift in perspective can provide an emotional buffer if the customer is being verbally abusive and will allow you to think more clearly when responding. Since an unruly customer can be a negative referral, assuming they'll repeat the conversation to other potential customers can help ensure you've done your best to address their concerns in a calming way.
Know when to give in. If not satisfying the customer is going to take two hours and a bottle of aspirin and risk negative referrals, it is probably better to draw a compromise a bit more in their favor to give you more time to nurture your more productive customer relationships. Keep in mind that the interaction is not typical of most customers, and that you're dealing with an exception.
Never get angry or upset. If the customer is swearing or being verbally abusive, take a deep breath and continue as if you didn't hear them. Responding in kind will not solve anything, and it will usually escalate the situation in a negative direction. Instead, remind the customer that you are there to help them and their best immediate chance of resolving the situation - often this simple statement will help defuse the situation.
Never take it personally. Always speak to the issue at hand and do not get personal, even if the customer does. Remember that the customer doesn't know you and they're just venting frustration at you as a representative of your company. Gently guide the conversation back to the issue and how you intend to resolve it, and try to ignore personal comments.
Remember that you're interacting with a human. Everyone has bad days. Maybe they had a fight with their spouse, got a traffic ticket that morning or have had a run of bad luck. We've all been there, to some degree. Try to help make their day better by being a pleasant, calming voice – it'll make you feel good too.
If you promise a callback - call back! Even if you promised an update that you don't have yet, call the customer at the scheduled time anyway. The customer will be reassured to know that you were not trying to dodge them and will appreciate the follow-up.
Summarize the next steps. At the end of the call, let the customer know exactly what to expect and then be sure to follow through on your promises. Document the call to ensure you’re well prepared for the next interaction.
Matthew Woody
Matthew’s Answer
Working with customers is a great experience, but finding solutions to their problems is very rewarding. If a customer is being difficult, then I like to put myself in their shoes to see what they are struggling with and to see how I can help. Is it a user error, a product error, are looking for something in the wrong place, or is more enablement needed? These are things that I try to find the answers to while engaging with a client - especially in software.
To get to the root of a client's issue, I like to use The Sandler Pain Funnel
These questions, in order, are:
“Tell me more about that…’
“Can you be more specific? Give me an example.”
“How long has that been a problem?”
“What have you tried to do about that?”
“How did that work?”
“How much do you think this has cost you?”
“How do you feel about that?”
“Have you given up trying to deal with the problem?”
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sandler-pain-funnel-greg-nanigian
Matthew recommends the following next steps:
Derick Asher
Derick’s Answer
I find that empathy and acknowledgment of the customer frustration really helps the situation. Make sure to repeat the stated problem back to the customer to make sure you fully understand the situation. This also shows you are actively listening. Most the time customers want to know that their voice is being heard and someone is listening. If possible offer suggestions to help resolve the issue. I use these skills a lot in my role at Salesforce and it helps build rapport with my clients.
Richard aversa
Richard’s Answer
Sumit Sinha
Sumit’s Answer
sometimes what happens if a customer is difficult you try to go away from such customer and that is wrong from my point .
If you feel a customer is difficult first try to be close with him and try to know what are the challenges he faced to deal with our company and try to give the best possible solution and option to him , always listen his doubts and concerns , if he is getting panic , always be calm and try to listen him and give the solution , if that particular time you don't have solution please share the truth with him and correct process of the solution . I think transparency will always help you to go closer of the customer .
Aparna Dhar
Aparna’s Answer
Flora Farquharson
Flora’s Answer
You must remain calm and communicate clearly - even if the customer is getting heated, and clearly in the wrong
Gerald Oglesby
Gerald’s Answer
Ricardo Vila
Ricardo’s Answer
My best recommendation is to always listen carefully to what the customer is complaining about without interruption and then acknowledge what the customer shared, empathize with the customer, and respond with the things you CAN do to address the customer's complaint/concern. Customers many time just want someone to listen to them without interruption. Always respond FIRST with what you CAN DO to assist; never start with what you CAN'T DO. I have been a Sales and Customer Service manager with AT&T for the last 27 years, and this basic rule of thumb will take you a long way towards providing resolution for the customer.
Eric Herbert
Eric’s Answer
Listen to the customer and agree with their feelings. That's the one thing that can't be disputed is how they feel. I agree it is frustrating when......I apologize for your frustration....Usually customers can be so upset they aren't explaining the issue correctly which causes more frustration. Once they feel you are in their corner, they are able to articulate their concerns better and you should be able to resolve their issue. Lastly, remember, not everyone will be happy with the end result. Just a fact that once you come to grips with it, you will be able to continue to help people.
divya jyoti deka
divya jyoti’s Answer
Lower your voice. If the customer gets louder, start speaking more slowly and in a lower tone. Your calm demeanor will reflect on them and will help them to settle down. As you approach the situation with a calm, clear mind, unaffected by the customer's tone or volume, anger will generally dissipate
Liam McDonald
Liam’s Answer
Vipan Ponnappa
Vipan’s Answer
Once you're aware that your client is unhappy then your first priority is to put yourself into a customer service mindset .
All that matters is that you realize that your customer or client is upset, and that it's up to you to solve the problem. Adjust your mindset so that you're giving 100 percent of your focus to your client, and to the current situation.
James Newbery
James’s Answer
Never speak over them - let them finish what they have to say. (let them rant sometimes will defuse the situation rather than trying to talk over the top of them)
Next I would acknowledge the situation and the inconvenience the customer has experienced.
Assure - Assure the customer everything is going to be okay and the issue is going to be resolved.
Lastly - Work together to find a solution that both parties will be happy with. It is important to remember that shouting or losing your temper is the worst thing you can do and you lose all credibility in what you are saying and the points you are making! :)
Sharmin Nooruddin
Sharmin’s Answer
To approach a tough customer mostly as an Inside Sales Rep better have a more confident voice and answer the customer queries more confidently and to the point rather than running around the bush . Focus on improving the communication skills and set right expectations with the customer always in all terms . Be as polite and humble which will automatically bring them all .
Marcus Williams
Marcus’s Answer
Priscila Arruda
Priscila’s Answer
For us (This is a group answer) It could be a challenge, you need to have empathy, listening skills, patience.
And there are also these tips taken from indeed,
Keep your communication professional, friendly and respectful
Try to remain calm and collected. (Take a deep breath)
Speak softly (It could help to maintain the situation manageable.
Practice active listening (really focus on the speaker and try to understand their needs)
Give them time to talk ( Allow them to speak without interrupting, and at the end add your considerations)
Understand the customer's point of view (Put yourself into their shoes)
Assess their needs (make sure you understand the customer needs, and let them know you do all possible to resolve the matter)
Seek a solution (in case you are not sure how to proceed ask the customer “What do I need to do to make this better for you?")
Ask for support ( from your peers or management)
Maintain a positive relationship (Do not forget to ask if the customer has any other concerns)
Please check this link for more information, https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-deal-with-difficult-customers
Sandra Lester
Sandra’s Answer
When working with the customer, make sure they can see you are listening to them. If you are in person, be conscious that your body language demonstrates that you are listening. If you are on the phone with the customer, make sure they know you are engaged. Let them explain their whole situation and confirm that you understand. Make sure your voice always stays calm. Typically by listening and maintaining a calm voice, the customer will bring their own voice down to your level. Show patience and that you care, you will earn the customer's trust so you can resolve the problem.
Good Luck!
Sandi