Customer Service – - PowerPoint Presentation

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Customer Service –

Dealing With Difficult CustomersSlide2

Objectives

Discuss steps to take when encountering difficult customers

Identify the difficult customersAggressive Passive

Identify reasons that customers are difficult

Discuss techniques for managing the situationSlide3

Dealing with difficult customers

In this session, we are making underlying assumptions

Difficult customers are often expressing emotions such as anger or frustration The expression of these emotions creates difficult situations that need to be defused and managedSlide4

Dealing with difficult customers

To help put this in perspective, difficult is defined as

Hard to understand or solveHard to deal withHard to please or satisfy

Hard to persuadeSlide5

Sometimes, we are so busy that we jump right into the situation without recognizing we are engaging a “difficult” customer

To defuse a potentially difficult situation, we must first recognize that the person is angry, sad, frustrated or just plain “difficult”

Step 1: Identifying difficult customersSlide6

Anger, sadness and frustration are just emotions

Recognizing that the customers are simply expressing emotions should impact how we engage them

Step 1: Identifying difficult customersSlide7

Aggressive

This person expresses emotions quickly

AngerHostility

Step 1: Identifying difficult customersSlide8

Passive

These customers do not express their emotions out loud, but you can tell by their body language that they are not responsive and are angry or frustrated

Step 1: Identifying difficult customersSlide9

Once you identify customers as angry or frustrated, you have to begin to understand the reason that they are angry or frustrated

Many times, you will work with customers who are frustrated for reasons that are totally out of your control

Sometimes, the issue is related to services received in the One-Stop Career CenterSometimes, the issue is unrelated to the One-Stop Career Center Reasons customers become “difficult”Slide10

Other reasons customers are “difficult”

The customer is tired

The customer is overwhelmedThe customer is defending his or her own self-esteem Reasons customers become “difficult”Slide11

We simply do not know when customers walk through our door what has happened to them in the past few minutes, hours or days

Have you ever taken your frustration out on someone else?

Reasons customers become “difficult”Slide12

We have all taken our frustration out on someone else, whether consciously or unconsciously

We learn to express our emotions to get what we want early on

Verbal cuesNon-Verbal cuesCustomers will use the same attacks and tactics to express their feelings and get what they want

Reasons customers become “difficult”Slide13

First, you have to be aware of the “bait”

Once you recognize customers are angry, you can recognize the “bait” they are throwing out to get you to react

You can recognize what you need to do to avoid “taking the bait”Reasons customers become “difficult”Slide14

You are a person, too

It is natural to want to defend yourself

However, if you “take the bait” and react, the negative exchange will continueIf you “take the bait," you are giving control to the other personStep 2: Recognize your own feelingsSlide15

It is imperative that you remain the voice of reason

Technique: customers are not angry with you. Customers are angry with the situation

Step 3: Remain calmSlide16

During this step, you are affording customers the opportunity to discuss issues with you

Some customers will not be able to express why they are frustrated in a calm way

Technique: let customers vent their frustration by demonstrating active listening skillsStep 4: Seek clarificationSlide17

Active listening is the sincere effort to find out what is bothering the customer by hearing what the person is saying and learning about what the person is feeling

It is hearing to understand

Requires FocusEye contact

Concentration

Effective body language

Step 4: Seek clarificationSlide18

During active listening

Ask questions

Show you are listeningSummarize the informationStep 4: Seek clarificationSlide19

Another technique

Take a learning approach that focuses on interaction instead of reaction

Step 4: Seek clarificationSlide20

Technique: avoid hot words

“Whatever”

“I don’t care”“That is not my job”“That’s policy”

Step 4: Seek clarificationSlide21

Work with customers to create a solution

If a solution cannot be reached, provide the customer with his/her next steps

Step 5: Resolve the issueSlide22

Sometimes, our angry customers are talkers. And, it seems like they will never stop talking

Your strategy, especially if on the phone, is to say nothing

Eventually, the individual will stop talking to find out if you are still paying attentionWhat is a strategy for getting a talker to stop talking?

Frequently Asked QuestionsSlide23

You followed the first step of recognizing angry customers, which is great

Now, you have to employ the next steps

Try starting with small talkPick a topic that brings about positive emotionsOffer a drink of water

What do you do if a customer appears angry when you approach them?

Frequently Asked QuestionsSlide24

Get very quiet. When you respond, make sure that your response is provided in a quiet manner

Remove the audience

What if the customer keeps getting louder and louder?

Frequently Asked QuestionsSlide25

Remember step 2, you are a person with human emotions

Take deep breaths and say to yourself

This person is not mad at meI am not going to get pulled into this customer’s emotional trapI am going to listen and take it one step at a timeSlow down your responses

When we get angry, we tend to jump right in and quickly state what we feel

Stop before you speak

Speak slowly

What if I feel myself get angry, what can I do?

Frequently Asked QuestionsSlide26