HANDLING IRATE CUSTOMERS 101: STAYING CALM IN A PERFECT STORM

Leader’s Guide

Handling Irate Customers 101: Staying Calm in a Perfect Storm

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

2. Introduce the Lesson

SCRIPT: We’ve been working on problem-solving skills for a while now, so today I want to begin a five-part series on one of the most difficult problems in customer service: dealing with irate customers. You know who I

mean—those angry, in-your-face customers who have already lost their cool and seem to be blaming every problem they’ve had since childhood on you and the business. [Ask rhetorically.] Ever meet one of those?

I’m calling today’s lesson “Handling irate customers 101: Staying calm in a perfect storm.” This handout will help you to follow along.

Here’s the reality. When you’re facing angry customers, you’re dealing with two problems: first, the customers’ emotions, and second, the problem that made them angry in the first place. Put the two together and

there you are, caught in the middle of their perfect storm. At that moment, you have three choices.

STAGE 4. COMMIT TO ONGOING SERVICE TRAINING

SCRIPT: You can remain indifferent—which will only enrage customers even more. Or, you can let them upset you—and if you’re dealing with bullies, they have you right where they want you. Or, you can use each contact

to learn calming skills—which just might get the results the customer wants while also keeping you in good mental and physical health. Now which one do you think I suggest you choose? [This is, of course, a rhetorical question.] Right! Number three it is!

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

SCRIPT: What are calming skills? There are four I’d like to share with you today and challenge you to practice during the coming week.

LEADER’S NOTE: Show Slide 101.2.

SCRIPT: The first is perhaps the most important of all and requires you to draw on your own emotional maturity. It simply says, “Keep your cool.” Easier said than done, right? But this is a key to handling all the irate people in your life, not just here at work. One way to do that is by not taking the situation personally, even when you feel personally attacked. [Offer an example from your own experience about what this looks, sounds, and feels like.]

To help you separate yourself from the attacker, I want you to keep two things in mind. First, this fact: “I am a professional who is paid to treat people professionally.

I will learn something from each encounter.” No matter how unprofessionally customers are acting, no matter how rude they may be, you don’t want to mirror their behavior. You need to hold your professional ground.

Second, I want you to focus on the customer problem or issue—not on the angry person in front of you. If you can ask yourself, “How can we solve this problem?”

rather than focus on all the nasty things about the customer that may be running through your head, then you’re in a position of strength and you’re in charge.

You’re not getting sucked into their emotions.

LEADER’S NOTE:

SCRIPT: To gain time to think, let the customer blow off steam. Often that’s all irate people need: someone to listen as they vent. So you become the “ventilator.” You don’t have to say anything at first. Just hold your

ground, make eye contact without “staring out” the customer, stand firmly on your two feet for balance—or if you’re sitting, put both feet firmly on the floor—breathe, and listen. It’s important you be aware of your body.

If you’re swaying from side to side, or leaning heavily on one foot, or hyperventilating, you appear to be a “pushover.” And you want to maintain that center of strength through your body language.

LEADER’S NOTE: Illustrate the above with your own body language. Be sure to include “comfortable eye contact.” For this, make eye contact, hold it for a comfortable length of time (15 to 20 seconds), look away for a few seconds, then return. Teach the team the importance of making the connection without staring at the person or looking everywhere but at the person.

SCRIPT: Whatever the situation, don’t argue. Let me say that again: “Don’t argue.” Repeat it after me: “Don’t argue.” There’s no need for a counter-attack. There’s no need to defend our products or services. There’s

no need to rationalize anything. Irate people are too emotional to hear that kind of information anyway.

When it’s clearly your turn to speak, immediately acknowledge the customer’s anger. No big song and dance, just something brief and to the point, such as, “I’m sorry you feel this way. I can only imagine how angry and frustrated you must be.” Don’t say, “I know how you feel,” because what can they shoot back at you? [Elicit responses, leading to “No, you don’t know how I feel!”] Customers can’t argue with you if you say, “I can only imagine.” And you can say that sincerely.

Obviously, we don’t want people angry with us, but the more professionally we can address the emotional part of the storm, the more easily we’ll get to the other part: the real problem.

So, what are the four calming skills? [Do a quick Q&A review.]

4. Conduct a Team Activity

LEADER’S NOTE: If you have a video clip of an employee’s encounter with an angry customer, use it—debrief what worked well and what didn’t. If not,

create a brief role-play of an angry customer “storming” at a front-liner (you might play the customer’s part).

Instruct the front-liner to focus on calming skills and respond with the acknowledgment statement. Coach him or her on body posture, eye contact, and the tone of the statement. Ask: How does it feel to be yelled at? How did it feel to focus on the calming skills? Were you aware of your body during this encounter?

5. Set Goals for the Week

LEADER’S NOTE: Tell the team that you are going to post the slides (designate the places where you’ll do this) and want them to look for opportunities to practice calming skills during the coming week.

Obviously, members can practice the skills with irate customers. They can also pair up to create their own scripts of situations they’ve experienced or observed. Instruct members to report back at the next meeting

with either one or both of the following: • Feedback on a real customer encounter. What happened? How did they use calming skills? What were the results?

• Two brief skits that illustrate “the dos and don’ts” of using calming skills. They should be prepared to act out their scripts.

On your part, consider videotaping the skits and adding the videos to your training library.

6. Assign Accountability for Follow-Up

LEADER’S NOTE: Everyone on the team is accountable for this assignment.

7. Announce Contest and Prizes

LEADER’S NOTE: If you wish, decide on a contest and prizes for this topic. You could offer small but meaningful prizes for the short-term result of the best story and/or script. A “small prize” might be an entry

into a drawing for a larger prize down the line. Also, you might recognize and reward “The Irate Customer Handler(s)” of the month, the quarter, and the year. 

Handling Irate Customers 101: Staying Calm in a Perfect Storm

1. Keep your cool:

• Don’t take it personally.

• Think: I am a professional who is paid to treat peopleprofessionally. I will learn something from each encounter.

• Focus on the issue: How can we solve this problem?

2. Let the customer blow off steam.

3. Don’t argue.

4. Acknowledge anger: “I’m sorry you feel this way. I can only imagine how angry and frustrated you must be.”

ASSIGNMENT OF THE WEEK

Complete one or both of these assignments:

1. Watch for opportunities to practice calming skills with angry customers. Be prepared to report on the situation:

• What happened?

• How did you use calming skills?

• What were the results?

• What did you learn from the experience?

• What could you do better next time?

2. Pair up with another team member and create two skits to illustrate the “do’s and don’ts” of using calming skills effectively. Be prepared to present the skits at the next team meeting.

COMMIT TO ONGOING SERVICE TRAINING

Before introducing your team to new skills in customer service, we suggest that you review and reinforce the basics you presented in Stage 2. Use the Stage 2 worksheet “From Learning Points to Reminders” to design a

series of review lessons for routine team meetings. For example, how well has your team translated the principle “Always under-promise and over-deliver” into everyday behaviors? How effectively are they using the eight

communication keys and the six problem-solving keys? Once your team is well on its way to mastering these skills, move on to Stage 4’s “lessons of the week.” Here you’ll find five half-hour courses for your team meetings.

Each 30-minute module includes:

• Training instructions

• Slides that you can use in a PowerPoint or transparency format

• A one-page handout

You can easily turn these lessons into contests and reward the front-liners who best implement them. You can print the slides and post them in the employee lunch room as reminders. You can train peer leaders to teach some of the lessons. Above all, you can be as creative as possible to make them fun, fast, and memorable.

ANSWERING CUSTOMER FAQS AND ONE-PAGE INFORMATION SHEET

Answering Client's Faqs

Group members:

FAQ:

First-round response:

Revision:

Critique:

Final version:

One-Page Information Sheet

Product, Service, Procedure, Issue:

Information: Resources:

Accountabilities

Content:

Team member(s) Deadline for final draft

Graphics and Layout:

Team member(s) Deadline for final draft

Final copy will be sent to _________________ by _______

                                              (Manager/Peer Leader)       (Date)

COMPLAINT TRACKER INFORMATION TOOL

Date: Time:

Customer Information

Name:

Account/Invoice Number:

Address:

Phone: Fax: E-mail:

Nature of Complaint/Problem:

How It Was Handled:

Outcome:

Follow-Up:

Signed: Date:

Submitted to: Date:

— Remember: It’s my problem until it’s solved —

MOST FREQUENT CUSTOMER ISSUES

Directions: List the most frequent customer problems and complaints that are within your realm of authority to address. For each one, ask:

• Do we have a policy that covers this issue? If not, do we need one?

• What flexibility do we have to bend existing policy?

• What are the parameters for that flexibility (dollar

amounts, warranties, quantity, time, etc.)?

We need a policy for the following situations:

When we have no discretion to bend a policy, this is what we say: Issue Policy Flexibility Parameters

LEADER'S NOTE : CLIENT'S COMPLAINT

LEADER’S NOTE: Open the floor to discussion. Be sure to cover the reasons for such documentation:

1. Written documentation protects front-liners as well as the organization if a customer says no action was taken.

2. It helps managers understand problems and complaints more clearly.

3. It identifies recurring “fires” that need immediate attention.

4. It becomes a training tool for how to handle similar situations in the future.

C2. Create a Complaint Tracker and an Action Plan 45–70 min.

LEADER’S NOTE: Customize the Complaint Tracker handout to fit your situation, distribute your version to the team, and discuss how to use it. Entertain suggestions for revisions and then develop a step by- step action plan to implement it. The tracker and action plan become your next SOP.

Open the floor to discussion on when the complaint tracker should be used. For example:

• When a problem or complaint repeatedly occurs (this is a “fire” that managers need to know about so they can address it once and for all)

• When a service person doesn’t have the expertise or authority to handle a customer problem

• When the issue can’t be resolved immediately and requires further investigation

Generate a list of everyday situations that would require a tracker.

Continue discussion by clarifying your “back-up strategy” for when a problem is beyond your front-liners’ expertise but can be immediately addressed by someone else. What words should they say? For example:

• “That’s a great question. Let me find someone who can give you a great answer.”

• “I’m not 100 percent certain how to deal with this.

Let me [find/contact] someone who can give you help immediately.” Also discuss guidelines for submitting the form:

• How soon after the event must it be completed?

• To whom should it be sent?

• How soon afterward should front-liners follow up with the recipient as well as with the customer?

Reinforce the principle “It’s my problem until it’s solved.” Conclude discussion by covering any other guidelines or parameters required by your situation.

C3. Wrap up the Workshop 5 min.

LEADER’S NOTE: Inform your team that you will distribute the revised tracker and action plan by whatever deadline you’ve chosen. Once they receive this material, it becomes another standard operating procedure

for which they are accountable. You want them to test it out and be ready to report back on its “pros” and “cons” at the next team meeting or workshop.

Workshop D.

Create a “Go-To” List 60–90 min.

LEADER’S NOTE: Since your people need to know who has the information, experience, or expertise to handle particular products, services, or customer issues, the “go-to” list may be the next most practical

tool to address.

D1. Review Tools 20–30 min.

LEADER’S NOTE: You and/or your peer leaders will do the initial homework for this workshop, so this session may be shorter than the others. If so, use the extra time to review and reinforce the work that

the team accomplished during the last session. For example, check on how well the complaint tracker is working by asking the following questions:

• Are there any glitches that need revision?

• Are there any new issues that need to be addressed?

• What challenges and triumphs have team members had in using it?

Open the floor to “stories” of their experiences.

D2. Introduce “Go-To” List of

Key People 35–50 min.

LEADER’S NOTE: Prepare a list of products, services, and problem areas and a corresponding list of key people your front-liners can contact for information or support. Include other employees, managers, product/

service suppliers, consultants, and service providers, and give their contact information. Ideally, you want a minimum of two resource people for each area.

Discuss this list with team members and get their input on other areas where they may need help. Add those to the list with corresponding contacts.

Point out that the “go-to” list is another tool that will be amended as new issues arise and people change positions, gain expertise, or come into or leave the organization. Therefore, you want them to look for

additions/corrections and submit those to you or a designated peer leader.

Finally, decide how to make this initial list easily accessible to everyone. Possibilities include putting it in a computer database, in their customer service binder, and on a sheet near phones or cash registers.

D3. Wrap Up the Workshop 5–10 min.

LEADER’S NOTE: Summarize what you accomplished in this workshop; then give your team a preview of the next workshop. Let them know they will develop answers to customers’ frequently asked questions, and

assign them to pay close attention over the coming week(s) to the questions that customers consistently ask. They should record the questions and submit them to you, preferably electronically, by the deadline

you specify.

Optional: Make this assignment a contest, and offer prizes for the quantity as well as quality of the FAQs.

Workshop E.

Create FAQs 60–90 min.

E1. Introduce the Process 5–10 min.

LEADER’S NOTE: Prepare a handout of the most common and pertinent customer questions your team submitted. By all means, add your own. Keep in mind that soon you’ll have the team create one-page information

sheets; therefore, put aside any questions that would be better addressed in that format, namely, those that require extensive details, specs, and specialized language.

Optional: Award prizes to those who contributed the most questions and the best questions.

SCRIPT: In our discussion of communication skills on [date], we learned that saying as little as possible is one of the keys to successful communication. However, that doesn’t mean saying nothing. It means we

listen carefully to what customers say, and choose the right words to respond appropriately.

What are the “right words”? That’s the focus of today’s workshop. First, we’ll create rough drafts of the best answers to the questions you submitted; then we’ll practice and refine them before we roll them out to

our customers. It’s one thing to have answers written down on paper; it’s another to be able to deliver them clearly and confidently.

E2. Facilitate Answering FAQs 45–70 min.

LEADER’S NOTE: Break the team into groups of three to six members, with a facilitator, a timekeeper, and a note-taker. Ask note-takers to submit final drafts to you after the program.

Facilitate the following five-step process:

1. Distribute a different set of five or six FAQs to each group. The FAQs should vary in complexity, with each printed on a large index card or a copy of the Answering Customer FAQs worksheet.

Ask groups to brainstorm the answers, and instruct note-takers to write final versions on the cards or sheets. Explain that the answers should be short and sweet. Offer examples from your own experience to serve as models. Print the examples on a handout, slide, transparency, or flip chart, so groups can see them throughout their discussion.

Considering the number and complexity of the questions, set a time frame (e.g., 20 to 25 minutes) for writing first drafts.

2. When time is up, ask group members to divide into pairs or triads, “fire” questions at one another, and take turns responding with the “scripted” answers.

You want them to hear their written words spoken aloud. Ask them to evaluate each response: How well does the response flow? Does it say what we really want it to say? Does it use the best words?

Does it convey accurate information? Can we say it with fewer but more powerful words?

3. Have members return to their small groups. Instruct note-takers to make revisions based on this exercise and to record them under “Revision” on their cards or worksheets.

4. Explain that each group should now link up with another to trade questions and revisions. Challenge the partnered groups to improve each other’s answers.

Since they worked on different questions, they’ll bring another perspective to the answers.

Ask note-takers to add the critiques to their cards or worksheets.

5. Open the floor to a sampling of questions and answers and discuss which are the most effective.

At this point, the quality of the examples is more important than the quantity. Since creating answers to FAQs is an ongoing project, you want to ensure that members can distinguish between excellent

and mediocre responses.

Also, while it’s your responsibility to review and finalize all answers, you want to teach your front-liners how to write the best rough drafts possible.

E3. Wrap Up the Workshop 10 min.

LEADER’S NOTE: Collect the note-takers’ work or ask them to send it to you electronically. Ask for volunteers to continue to work on this project, and divide the remaining questions among them. Set a deadline for submitting answers (preferably in an electronic format) to you or peer leaders.

Optional: Offer prizes for the quantity and quality of the answers.

Inform the team that you will review and edit their answers for distribution at the next team meeting (or next appropriate time). Let them know where the final FAQs will be stored (for instance, in the team’s customer service binder or easily accessible database) and that additions will be made as the need arises.

Finally, create a process for practicing the finalized answers after the workshop. Here are some possibilities:

• Set up role-plays at the next team meeting.

• Have the team create an FAQ game with prizes. For example, print questions on business-card-sized stock and have members pull a card and answer the question. The person who answers the most questions

accurately within a certain time frame wins.

• Ask peer leaders to quiz front-liners throughout the week, posing a question and asking for answers on the spot. Leaders keep a scorecard, and the person who has the most accurate answers receives a

prize. Of course, ensure that all front-liners are given equal opportunity to participate.

Workshop F.

Create One-Page Information Sheets 60–90 min.

LEADER’S NOTE: This workshop is an adjunct to the previous one. At this point in Stage 3, you may want to vary your approach by asking for volunteers to work on this tool or by inviting only members who

have a talent for writing or graphic design to participate.

You also may want to use a trained peer leader to lead the discussion and collate materials for your final approval. If none of these tips work for you, proceed with the entire team as usual.

F1. Introduce the Process 5–10 min.

SCRIPT: Now that we’re really rolling with our FAQs, there is a complementary tool I’d like us to discuss: the one-page information sheet. What I’m thinking about is a graphically appealing, thoroughly accurate and detailed document about the services, products, processes, and issues that prompt lots of customer questions. In that way, when a customer asks a very detailed question that requires an even more detailed answer, we don’t have to rely on our memories—we can hand over a great-looking one-pager with all the information the customer could possibly want.

What do you think that would feel like? You could give them a first-rate answer without uttering one word. Now that’s powerful!

LEADER’S NOTE: If your business already has samples of one-page information tools, by all means, distribute models and discuss elements applicable to your team.

F2. Facilitate Creating One-Page

Information Sheets 45–70 min.

LEADER’S NOTE: Involve participants in brainstorming a list of products, services, procedures, and issues that require a one-pager. Record the list on a flip chart and prioritize the items for development. Then divide

the team into groups of two to three members and assign one priority to each group.

Offer a worksheet for creating a rough draft (see our handout One-Page Information Sheet), and set accountabilities for each document. Note that the groups will be responsible for creating content as

well as graphics and layout.

Ask groups to discuss the information needed for their one-pager and the resources available to obtain it—people, catalogues, computer files, and so on. You want to teach them an effective process so they can

continue to create these documents after the workshop.

Debrief all participants to ensure everyone is on the right track and understands the results you want.

F3. Wrap Up the Workshop 10 min.

LEADER’S NOTE: Divide the other priorities among groups, and ask them to commit to a series of deadlines to deliver completed one-pagers to you or a peer leader. For example, they might commit to completing

one or two per week during the next month. You might ask your peer leader to collect them and to add his or her own suggestions before passing them on

to you electronically. As with every information tool, you have the final say.

Schedule time to address these tools during subsequent team meetings.

Finally, offer special recognition/rewards for people who work on this project.

Workshop G.

Create SOPs for All Positions 60–90 min.

LEADER’S NOTE: This workshop requires everyone’s participation because SOPs should be prepared for every front-line task and responsibility.

G1. Introduce the Process 5–10 min.

SCRIPT: Today we will begin creating a series of standard operating procedures for our everyday tasks and accountabilities. We’ve already created two very important ones on handling customer problems and

tracking complaints. Does anyone remember what we did to develop them? [Open the floor to discussion, and lead members toward next point.]

SOPs are the most effective steps people can take to get results. In essence, each explains, “In this situation, to get this result, we do step one, step two, and so forth.” In this way, when someone new joins the

team, we can hand the new member our SOPs and get him or her up to speed much more quickly than ever before. So, the challenge is to make the SOPs easy to read and understand.

G2. Facilitate the SOP Process 45–70 min.

LEADER’S NOTE: Tell the team to form small groups of three to four members based on the similarity of their jobs (individuals with the most similar jobs thus form a group). Give them time to do this; then ask them to

select a facilitator, a timekeeper, and a note-taker.

When ready, facilitate the five-step process below.

Allow 20 to 25 minutes for the first three steps.

1. Ask groups to brainstorm a list of all the tasks and responsibilities with which they are charged and have direct experience. Record the list on a flip chart. Keep groups on this step until the list is comprehensive.

2. Groups should now prioritize the tasks. Be sure to define your criteria (e.g., importance, frequency) before launching work on this step.

3. Instruct groups to draft a bullet-point SOP for their top priority on the flip chart. Stress that you are looking for clear, concise, step-by-step explanations for what they do and how they do it in order to achieve the best results.

4. Return to the room at large to debrief. Ask groups to take turns presenting their SOPs, and invite other members to make suggestions for improvement.

At this point, you want to create models the entire team can use for ongoing development.

5. If your time frame allows, engage groups in working on their next priority. Debrief again and check for understanding. Gain commitment from groups that they will work on SOPs during the following

weeks or months. Set deadlines and ask notetakers to electronically submit SOPs to you or a peer leader as they are completed.

G3.Wrap Up the Workshop 10 min.

LEADER’S NOTE: Again your job is to review the SOPs and finalize them. Let your team know that you will distribute each as it is completed and expect the team to implement it. In short, from that point on, you will

consider it indeed a standard operating procedure.

Creating Processes for Ongoing Development

Creating and updating just-in-time information tools is an ongoing process. For help, engage peer leaders in overseeing the next phases of this project. Specifically, ask each to head up the development of one or two categories. For example, one leader may be in charge of FAQs and one-pagers, while another may focus on SOPs for handling problems and complaints.

Once you have assigned accountabilities, be sure to do the following:

• Help peer leaders create procedures for how they will gather, share, revise and publish materials.

• Let front-liners know who’s accountable for what information tool, and encourage them to funnel their ideas, issues, questions, and suggestions to the appropriate person.

• As part of the ongoing learning process that will be defined in Stage 4, have your peer leaders lead 15-minute updates and training on new tools as they are developed.

• Create a recognition and reward system for peer leaders and front-liners who consistently contribute to this customer service initiative.

MOST IMPORTANT CUSTOMER SERVICE TOOL

THE MOST IMPORTANT CUSTOMER SERVICE PRINCIPLE

o Always under-promise and over-deliver!

THE EIGHT KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION

o Be available.

o Listen carefully and ask great questions.

o Say as little as possible.

o Rely on prepared materials whenever possible.

o Be truthful.

o Request feedback.

o Always say ...

o Never say ...

THE SIX KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL PROBLEM-SOLVING

o Be on the lookout for problems great and small.

o Distinguish between problems you can solve and those you can’t.

o Solve small problems here and now if possible.

o Give special treatment to bigger problems—gather information, pass the information to the right person, and follow up.

o Engage complaining customers.

o Take ownership of customer complaints.

Are there any other slogans/sayings/symbols that would “brand-name” our team as the best in customer service?

• Worksheet concluded