Showing posts with label service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label service. Show all posts

Head Tilt #59: Challenging customers? Try this.

Is this your difficult customer or is it you?




Hey service providers, this one's for you!


So you have an unhappy customer? EXCELLENT! 


Disgruntled customers give you the chance to put all your service skills to the test.


If your customer is challenging, they likely see you as challenging too. 


And because of your service role, YOU are the one who needs to resolve the situation. 


Certainly, there will be times when you need to escalate authority and get someone else on your team involved. But first, be a proactive problem solver; aim to be the LAST person this disgruntled customer encounters. 


How? By following the L.A.S.T. communication model: Listen, Apologize, Solve, Thank.* I've taught this and tried this for years. (I did not create it.) 


It's not a match for every challenge. 


It needs to be adapted for certain situations.


And it is still a solid communication framework for communicating with unhappy customers.


Here are the steps in order:


1. LISTEN

When dealing with an unhappy customer, we need to listen first.


As tempting as it is, do not go right into problem-solving! 


Listen first. People long to be heard. 


You might be familiar with the Stephen Covey quote that says, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." 


That quote is all about listening before solving.


When you listen first you learn two things:

1. What your customer is really upset about

2. What your customer is feeling


These are equally important. When you know what the customer is upset about, you can solve the right problem. When you know what they are feeling, you can connect through empathy.


2. APOLOGIZE/ACKNOWLEDGE

Next, apologize for the situation. Really. Don’t ignore, dismiss or make light of customer complaints and moods. Don't get caught up in right or wrong. You are representing your company. If you cannot apologize (for legal reasons or because you are Fonzie from Happy Days), then at least acknowledge the customer's angst. Remember: 


    The customer's perception is your reality. 

  

Now is not the time to let your ego lead. Gently push your ego aside and tell it can you can hang out together later. 


Remember the times you’ve been an upset customer? Yeah-- access that. Tap into your ability to understand angst or disappointment. Empathize. Apologize for the experience the customer is having with you or your place of business.


Sounds like: 


    I apologize for the way you were treated.


    I'd be frustrated too. 


    I can see how confusing that would have been.


    I am sorry you’ve had to wait.


  

Tips for an apology:


    Time it wisely (the sooner the better if they are listening).


    Get to the point.


    Reassure them that it won’t happen again– not on your watch!


    Be sincere.


3. SOLVE

You have listened. You have apologized for or acknowledged the inconvenience. Now it's time to solve the problem the best you can. Instead of telling them what you CAN’T do, aim to tell them what you CAN do. Also, as silly as they might sound, keep these tips in mind:


   Don’t call them stupid (even unintentionally): If you had come at your assigned time… 


(Tell them what you can do now that they are there.)


    Don’t call them liars: You claim you didn’t know... 


(Don't get involved in the blame-game. Focus on next steps.)


    Don’t blame them: Obviously, you did not read the notices...


(See above)


    Don’t make them think that you don’t care: If you’d like to go elsewhere, be my guest. 


(Remember, you're the face of the company. Try not to take things personally. Get back to focusing on what steps can be done right now. You are a service HERO!)


4. THANK

(This final step is usually the biggest surprise to those I teach.)


At the end of any customer interaction- no matter how challenging, it is appropriate to thank your customer. It's a bid of goodwill that can leave a lasting, positive impression.


Thank them for:


   Working with you to get the situation handled


   Being patient


   Bringing the problem to your attention


   Suggesting a new way of doing things 



In a customer-facing role, smiles and compliments are the best! But they are not all we experience. By applying the aforementioned tips, top service providers can aim to appease customers, right wrongs, manage chaos and respectfully represent their organization, all while being the LAST person a disgruntled customer encounters.


*Use this model as handrails, not handcuffs; adapt accordingly to the situation and your style. 



Image by GemmaRay23 from Pixabay 

Head Tilt #30: We can be heroes just for one day



The song, Heroes, is simply classic David Bowie!

 ðŸ’—

The first, and most repeated, line of the song, is based in reality:  


"We can be heroes just for one day."

The 12th line of the songonly sung onceis where possibility lies: 

"We can be heroes forever and ever." 

Whether you choose to be a HERO for one day or forever and ever, imagine if we all committed to being:

Helpful: We are good a what we do and look for ways to help others.

Empathetic: We care and can see things from another's perspective.

Reliable: We do what we will say we will do. Consistency is our secret weapon. 

Open: We enter situations with an open mind and stay open to feedback.

Imagine the possibilities!

I created the HERO™ service model a few years ago and have been teaching it in my customer service classes ever since. I based it on a lot of research and first-hand experience. 

But what if it wasn't exclusive to service providers? 

What if you were a HERO just for one day?  

or forever and ever? 

What if I was? 

What if we all were? 

Again, 

IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES!

Be a HERO. 

I dare you. 😉 


Image by Erika Wittlieb from Pixabay