HANDLING IRATE CUSTOMERS 104: MOVING FROM ANGER TO ACTION

Handling Irate Customers 104: Moving From Anger to Action

1. Review the Principles Driving Your Team’s Customer Service Mission

2. Introduce the Lesson

SCRIPT: So far, we’ve tackled calming skills, laser listening skills, and “never say” statements. Today, I want to focus on action skills.

How do we quickly and professionally assure customers that we’re here to do something about their problem or complaint?

3. Explain and Discuss the Skill(s) to Practice

SCRIPT: There are four steps we need to take to move from anger to action.

Let’s look at each one individually and discuss some simple tactics to help us implement them.

First, “Explain the action you will personally take to correct the situation.” At this point, you may know exactly what to do because the problem is within your realm of discretion to handle; or you may know exactly

where to find the information you need, or whom to contact; or we may have a policy or standard operating procedure to cover the problem. [Offer practical examples that would fit the latter scenario.]

Whatever the case, it’s important that the angry customer see you as someone who can—and will—do something to solve the problem. That assurance becomes part of the calming process.

Our second step is “Thank customers for bringing their concern to your attention.” No big song or dance is needed here. A simple “Thank you for bringing this to my attention” will do. The trick is to say it as if you

really mean it. [Adopt lighthearted tone.] And you do mean it because you are a professional problem-solver who just loves to handle people like them.

LEADER’S NOTE: If you have another approach, feel free to use it. But remember the bottom line: Saying less is more at this point in the interaction.

SCRIPT: We discussed the third step—“Follow through and follow up”—during initial training, when we created our standard operating procedure for problem-solving.

You know it’s your problem until it’s solved, and if you’ve been practicing this step all along, it should be second-nature—even in the face of an irate person.

LEADER’S NOTE: In Stage 3, we recommended creating an SOP for handling complaints and a “go to” list of resources. If you haven’t created these yet, make them a priority.

Use the fourth step from the slide if it’s applicable to your business. And if it isn’t, you might want to ask, “Why isn’t it?”

SCRIPT: Finally, the fourth step is our goodwill gesture, our exceeding-customers’-expectation gesture: “Give them a freebie.” For example ... [Offer options that members can use in these situations. Ask them to

recommend other things that you might add to your “freebie” list. Be sure to explain which free offer is appropriate for a variety of situations.]

4. Conduct a Team Activity

LEADER’S NOTE: Create three or four role-plays that engage the team in using the tactics you just taught.

Give them a synopsis of real-life scenarios they may encounter and that conclude with the customer asking, “And what are you going to do about it?”

5. Set Goals for the Week

LEADER’S NOTE: Challenge members to practice these tactics with customers and each other during the week. Ask peer leaders to spring “pop quizzes” on difficult situations. For example:

• “An irate customer returns an item, saying it’s broken. However, it’s not really broken—the customer just didn’t follow the directions carefully. What are you going to do about it?”

• “An angry customer complains that the service we offered did not meet their expectations. What are you going to do about it?”

6. Assign Accountability for Follow-Up

LEADER’S NOTE: Peer leaders are accountable for giving pop quizzes, keeping score of great responses, and electronically submitting those responses to you before the next team meeting.

On your part, print the best new responses for use at the next meeting.

7. Announce Contest and Prizes

LEADER’S NOTE: Use the best responses to award prizes at your next meeting or to enter winners into a drawing.

Handling Irate Customers 104: Moving From Anger to Action

Moving to Action: The Four Basic Steps

1. Explain the action you will personally take to correct the situation.

2. Thank customers for bringing their concern to your attention.

3. Follow through and follow up.

4. Give the customer a freebie.

Free items: Situations:

ASSIGNMENT OF THE WEEK

Practice these steps with customers and one another during the week. Be prepared for a pop quiz at any time.