| Providing good customer service to a difficult | | | | otherwise but I might be wrong. Let's look at this |
| customer or client can feel like walking a diplomatic | | | | together." Being willing to admit that you could be |
| tightrope. But if you handle a customer's complaint the | | | | wrong will make it easier for your customer to admit |
| right way, you can turn the situation around and even | | | | that he might be wrong, too. Even if you know for a |
| turn that person into a loyal customer. Here are some | | | | certainty that he's wrong, begin by using diplomacy so |
| tips to help you when faced with a difficult customer. | | | | that your customer can 'save face' if he's proven |
| Don't Take It Personally | | | | wrong. If he feels humiliated, you've probably lost any |
| How you handle the first contact with a dissatisfied | | | | chance for future business with him. |
| customer is critical to diffusing the situation. If a | | | | If You're Wrong, Admit It |
| customer or client approaches you with an adversarial | | | | If you or someone at your company has made a |
| attitude, voice raised, he isn't seeing you as an individual | | | | mistake, admit it and apologize, sincerely and in no |
| at that moment - only as a representative of your | | | | uncertain terms. If you've missed a deadline, mixed up |
| company. Try to remain objective, and don't take it | | | | an order or delivered a product or service below your |
| personally. If your first reaction is to become defensive, | | | | usual standards, there really is no acceptable excuse |
| you're already well on your way to losing control of the | | | | to a customer who was depending on you. |
| situation. Let him do most of the talking initially, and just | | | | If you agree that your client has a right to be upset, |
| listen. | | | | you've effectively removed any grounds for argument |
| Try Honestly To See Things From Your Customer's | | | | and you can begin to negotiate a resolution. When a |
| Point Of View | | | | customer complains, sometimes what they're really |
| Show respect for your customer's opinions. Whether | | | | saying is, "How are you going to make this right?" In |
| he's justified or not in being upset, it's important to put | | | | effect, they're giving you another chance. The |
| yourself in your customer's shoes for a moment. Use | | | | customer you've truly lost is the one who doesn't |
| phrases like, "I can certainly understand why you'd feel | | | | complain, but simply never returns. |
| that way." Draw on your own experiences as a | | | | Decide If You Really Need The Business |
| dissatisfied customer. You may have been more | | | | The only way to win an argument is to avoid it. But |
| diplomatic in the way you asked to have your | | | | there will times when, despite your best efforts, you will |
| complaint resolved, but you did expect to be treated | | | | have to decide if the difficult customer's business is |
| with respect and taken seriously. If you can do this for | | | | worth the time and emotional strain it costs you. |
| your difficult customer, in most cases he'll begin to calm | | | | Fortunately, these situations are the exception. |
| down at this point. | | | | Handling difficult customers can be challenging, but it's |
| Call Attention To A Customer's Mistake Indirectly | | | | well worth mastering the negotiation skills required to |
| It's seldom a good idea to directly tell anyone that | | | | win their loyalty. When they're satisfied with the way |
| they're wrong. Such a direct accusation causes | | | | you handle their complaints, they can also be among |
| embarrassment, builds resentment and hardens | | | | your biggest sources of referrals. And since |
| someone's attitude, and makes it less likely that the | | | | customers are the lifeblood of any business, the more |
| person you're talking to will want to listen to what you | | | | you can rely on regular customers and referrals then |
| have to say. | | | | the less time and money you'll have to spend to get |
| If you think that your customer or client has made a | | | | new business. |
| mistake, begin by using phrases like, "Well, I thought | | | | |