These are the six keys of successful problem-solving in a customer service context:
1. Be on the lookout for problems great and small.
2. Distinguish problems you can solve from problems you can’t solve.
3. Solve small problems here and now if possible.
4. Give special treatment to bigger problems.
5. Engage complaining customers.
6. Take ownership of customer complaints.
1. Be on the Lookout for Problems Great and Small
Before you can begin to solve problems, you must become adept at identifying them. So what exactly is a problem? Simply put, it’s something begging for a solution.
In the context of customer service, problems usually come in one of two types:
• The customer complaint. This is not always easy to handle, but is usually easy to identify.
• The missing, out of place, or broken “something.” Identifying this type of problem usually requires being on the lookout for hassle-making situations that slow or confuse a transaction or that irritate and frustrate customers. This type of problem also frustrates front-liners because they appear unknowledgeable or inept. In many cases, such problems are “fires” that must be put out immediately because they distract everyone from their service focus.
2. Distinguish Problems You Can Solve From Problems You Can’t Solve
“You” means front-liners, who are not always the right people to solve the problems they identify. When they do identify a problem, they need to ask, “Do I have the expertise and authority to solve this right here and now, or do I need to find someone who does?”
Obviously, the more experience, training, and coaching that front-liners have, the better equipped they’ll be to handle difficult situations as those arise.
3. Solve Small Problems Here and Now If Possible
One of the most rewarding experiences for employees and customers is having problems solved immediately.
If the problem is one of those recurring fires, employees should make a note of the date, time, problem, and solution, and sign the note and bring it to your attention.
Of course, be prepared to recognize and reward people who contribute once-and-for-all solutions.
4. Give Special Treatment to Bigger Problems
With bigger problems—ones that require greater ability and higher authority to solve—front-line personnel should gather information and pass it to the right person as soon as possible. The key is gathering as much information as possible—the date, time, and details, including the names and contact information of anyone involved.
Front-liners should then immediately get that information into the hands of a manager or someone else who can solve the problem.
Once the problem has been passed on, front-liners are obliged to follow up until they receive confirmation that the problem has been solved. In addition to ensuring the customer’s needs have been met, this follow-up is a learning opportunity. How was the situation handled?
What procedures were used? What information was needed to resolve it? Is that information readily available for future reference? Does the front-liner now have the know-how to handle similar situations in the future?
5. Engage Complaining Customers
Whether a customer is complaining directly or indirectly, front-line employees must be prepared to engage complaining customers. How? By following the communication tactics we have outlined:
• Make yourself available. In the case of a complaint, ask, “Is something wrong? What can I do to help you?”
• Listen carefully. Be attentive and never interrupt. Ask open-ended questions. With complaints it is important to ask specific, clarifying questions.
• Say as little as possible. Stop and think, choose the right words, and respond succinctly.
• Rely on prepared materials whenever possible.
• Be truthful. Don’t lie, don’t express hopes, don’t exaggerate, and don’t make guesses.
• Request feedback. Once you have a plan to solve the customer’s problem or pass the complaint to someone who can, ask permission to share your plan and then ask permission to proceed with it. Ask if the customer is satisfied with your plan.
• In the case of customer complaints, always say, “I am sorry” and “Thank you for bringing this to my attention.”
• In the case of customer complaints, never argue and never say, “I can’t help you.”
6. Take Ownership of Customer Complaints
As soon as a front-liner becomes aware of a customer complaint, that complaint becomes the front-liner’s problem until the complaint is resolved. This means that when it comes to customer complaints, employees should follow the first through fourth problem-solving fundamentals:
• Be on the lookout. Remember, customers don’t always come out and complain. Sometimes they just look disgruntled or mutter unhappily.
• Distinguish solvable problems from the unsolvable.
Be aware, however, that you own the problem whether or not you can solve it. Become the customer’s liaison and consultant for purposes of resolution.
• Solve small problems here and now if possible. Dazzle customers by addressing and resolving the problem faster and easier than they could possibly expect.
• With bigger problems, gather information and pass it to the appropriate person as soon as possible.
Whether the problem is small or big, solved right away or passed on to someone else, when it comes to customer complaints, front-liners should always gather the following information: date, time, nature of the problem, and customer name and contact information. And they should always follow up until they receive confirmation that the problem has been solved: It is the employee’s problem until it is solved.
Finally, it is vital that front-liners ask themselves:
What have I learned from the situation that would help me handle a similar problem in the future? Do I now have the expertise and authority to do that?
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