How can you prepare support team members for emotionally challenging customer interactions?

I've found helpful to perform some acting with pseudo situations. It creates brainstorm and you get a few laughs too. A real stress reliever amongst the new members. Giving out a few basic scripts, works as a safeguard in the beginning and lets them feel safe.

I used to work for a company called Edmundson Electrical Ltd in Brooklands in Weybridge in Surrey. My branch manager was called Joseph (Joe) Clark. We had another manager called Neil Gates from their Camberwell branch visit us. I said, I can’t stand a certain customer, he’s rude, obnoxious and just a nasty piece of work. I want to avoid him like the plague. Neil said, that’s the challenge in selling. It’s how you apply yourself in extracting money from those that you don’t like. The rest are the bread and butter. He was right. You don’t have to like somebody. It’s how you deal with the difficulties that drives any business forward.

Preparing support team members for emotionally challenging customer interactions involves a combination of training, support, and resources.

Mentors are good, new members of staff are still a bit nervous with you as a manager. However, keep your eye open, let them know you are there for them and try to give as much positive feedback as possible. Confidence is built slowly, empathy skill develops even slower. But once they do, customer centricity skill is built.

One on ones, especially outside the working environment. A park, a coffee outside helps them relax. Sometimes, you may need to ask the same question twice in different manner for them to open. Once they open, keep your ears open and listen carefully.

KPIs are good to check the quality. But make sure that your staff is not overstressed with them. Keep positive feedback coming, sometimes wrapping the negative inside the positive helps too. Good example: I must admire your ability to quickly determine the root cause of it, however, it is always good to double check certain points, to make sure there is no room for error. Bad example: This case has been handled in a wrong way. You rushed.

It is so hard to change the behaviour and work model that staff are used to. But it is not impossible. If you approach the new model with positive outlook and bring in some positive examples, people will follow you. With a little uncertainty, but they will until they start to believe. You just have to keep leading them with this positivity until the change is there.

En mi experiencia hay diversos factores clave: 1. Conocimiento en profundidad del producto/servicio. Esto se consigue con formación, manuales o mapas claros, un buen aterrizaje y acompa?amiento. Esto evitará situaciones incómodas donde un cliente genere una duda. 2. Entender que "no es personal". Los clientes difíciles tienden a personalizar su problema en el agente que les atiende. Un buen coaching y técnicas (como la máscara) nos ayudaran a mantener la altura ante situaciones desafiantes. 3. Buscar un win-win. Un cliente difícil es una oportunidad de prescriptor de marca encubierto. ése es el reto y el juego. 4. Un manager presente, fiable y experto, que pueda dar apoyo y formación en un área tan complicada como la resolución conflictos.

One thing I have found helpful is ; Post - interaction Support: After challenging interactions, provide a supportive environment for team members to debrief and decompress. Encourage them to share their experiences, offer feedback or advice, and provide reassurance. This helps them process their emotions and prepares them for future interactions.