I know what you’ve probably been thinking. What about those customers who never seem to be pleased or those who are angry and obnoxious from the moment you first have contact with them. I am sure you want to know what to do for them or about them, right? Maybe you feel that no matter what you do to deliver outstanding customer service, it never, ever seems to work with these challenging clients. In fact I’ll bet the following says it all for you.
“There are no “bad” customers; some are just harder to please than others.”
Quote from someone who has never
served a customer in his life.
Was I right? Did I get a smile out of you? I hope so because you need a sense of humor and a willingness to give an upset client the benefit of the doubt if you are to successfully work with them. I have a brief approach that may help you deliver that outrageous customer service that we have been discussing to challenging persons.
See No Evil, Hear No Evil
If you start thinking of these challenging customers as “jerks and idiots, before you know it, you’ll start treating them as badly as they are treating you. Maintain your perspective and think optimistically…perhaps this is just a bad day. Customer from “hell-o there” feed on your reactions. They will use your responses to them to justify their own obnoxious behavior. Maintain your pleasant demeanor. Ignoring their crude, rude and derogatory remarks and actions send the message that they can slam, bang and curse all they want, you are not going to be intimidated…that you are going to remain the adult in the encounter.
Note: Don’t quote your organization’s rules or policies to the customer from hell to justify your actions…it just gives them something concrete to yell about.
Surface the Tension
Angry, temper- tantrum-throwing customers are so wrapped up in their emotions that they often forget that you are a living, feeling person.
“Surface the tension” is a way to gently remind them.
Try saying: “Have I personally done something to upset you?” Or you could try, “I’d really like to help you. Please give me a chance.” This last phrase usually works real magic because most people will give you a chance.
“Surfacing the Tension” is an approach that usually helps return the irate customer’s focus back to the issue, encouraging him to vent about the problem, not the person.
Note: Be prepared for the customer who answers “Yes, you have upset me.” (a rare occurrence). Find out why and correct the problem or misperception to the best of your ability. Always be sincere.
Transfer Transformation
There are times when you are not obligated to continue on with an obnoxious customer…when have been shocked, offended or dismayed by language or behavior.
Transferring the customer to someone he or she can or wants to continue on with is not a cop out… it is a way to move beyond a customer’s negative, nasty behavior.
During the transfer, the customer goes thru an “adult time out” and is able to hopefully leave a temper tantrum behind with you and start fresh in an adult fashion with the new contact.
Build Contractual Trust
For the customer who refuses to be transferred, continues to threaten you verbally and begins to physically abuse you with fists in your face or pushing and/or shoving:
“Make positive eye contact, smile, and say, “I’m sorry but unless we can find another way to have this conversation that doesn’t involve abusive language or physical contact, I am going to have to call Security.”
Note: Use “I” statements not “you” statements.
“You” statements create resentment and abusiveness.
“I” statements clearly communicate that you need a customer to stop a particular behavior because you can’t accept it. Example: “I can’t talk to you when you are shouting and yelling at me. It’s scary and makes me very uncomfortable. I will be glad to talk to you when you stop yelling and shouting.”
