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General Business Tips |
How to Assuage Irate ClientsAt times it seems as though quality customer service is a thing of the past. Some companies just don't appear to care about keeping their clientele happy. If only they knew how damaging this is to their business.by Hal Becker
The question is: How many people actually have been trained in how to deal with someone who is irate, so the training can kick in instead of our emotions? I guarantee you the answer is very few. To help out in your organization, here are the top 10 ways to deal with these situations. There are many approaches to assisting irate or emotional people. The best thing to do is to help the person who is upset to work through his or her feelings and then to return to a more balanced frame of mind. All in all, if someone is upset, that is not necessarily bad. Those are normal feelings, so let's learn how to deal with those circumstances. 1. REMAIN CALM2. VENTAllow the person to "vent" by listening carefully. You'll find that the use of silence on your part will help calm the person down. It is real tough to argue with yourself. 3. REFLECTTry to reflect some of the comments and important feelings that the person is voicing to you by indicating that you understand the situation. 4. QUESTIONUse questions to find out as much as possible. They help the other person vent everything. Later on, questions can help lead you back to an important part of the dialogue. Remember, when you ask questions, you now are in control of the conversation. 5. DEALDeal with criticism. Angry people expect you to get upset when they criticize you. Don't let their statements upset you. By asking questions, you can control the conversation, get clarity and avoid defending or trying to explain yourself. 6. EMPATHIZEKeep the tone of your voice warm and helpful. Use a sincere statement of your desire to help, and give a description (not a judgment) of what the person is doing or wants done. If necessary, state how the person's behavior is affecting you and that you are trying to help him or her, so that the person must be calm and rational if this situation is to be resolved. 7. CHANGEOnly if necessary, delay or transfer the customer to another person because a change may help the dilemma. Offer to get more information, and then suggest that the person should speak to a supervisor or someone else more knowledgeable in that area. If you must call the customer back, tell him or her the exact time frame when this will occur. 8. LAUGHUse humor, but do this sparingly, and understand the risk of insult. Naturally, always admit mistakes. No one is perfect, and at all costs, avoid making excuses. Be conscious of being overly apologetic. 9. AGREEFind areas of agreement. You can emphasize the points that you agree with, and you may find that you use this more than once in the conversation. 10. RESISTDon't answer cheap shots. Ignore the comment, and redirect the conversation. Don't be afraid to ask how you can help. Be aware that these concepts or ideas will not work all the time. Each person you deal with is going to react differently, and his or her mood or the way the day is going before the person's encounter with you is out of your control. Just do the best that you can, and try to enjoy your job. You cannot please everyone, especially the small percentage of people who are just plain rude, unrealistic and are treating you poorly. These situations at work are not life-threatening and will not affect your family, friends or health. So, go with the flow, and have the right attitude. It could be worse - you could have the job at the airport in the lost baggage office. No one goes in there happy! Hal Becker is a nationally known expert on Sales, Customer Service, and Negotiating. He conducts seminars or consults to more than 140 organizations a year. Inc. Magazine has voted Hal as one of the nation's top speakers in the Area of Sales and Customer Service. http://www.halbecker.com. |
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We all get irate customers, whether it is in person or on the phone, and sometimes we are those angry people because the service in today's business climate is so wonderful!