Our most recent LinkedIn poll showed that customer’s priorities were great customer support and service. We know that this is easier said than done so if you are a customer experience professional or a business owner, here are our top tips when things get off track and you have an unhappy customer on the line:
- It’s you and the customer against the issue. You are in it together, no one’s targeting you.
- Sometimes a simple and sincere apology is enough to help ease the anger.
- Keep a calm and empathetic tone. Maybe even let them vent for a minute. Put yourself in their shoes and imagine how you would feel in their situation.
- The more you listen, the more you care, the better you’ll be at problem solving.
Locating and resolving the problem is the main goal. So, after the reassurance, comes the action:
- Identify the customer intent right out the gate - listen to what the customer is saying and ask relevant discovery questions.
- Be genuine and if they want to, let them participate in solving the problem by asking them if the solution presented satisfies their concerns/questions.
- If you think you can’t offer a solution yourself, you need to pinpoint someone who can ensure you share relevant info shared with you by the customer (add notes to the customer’s account properly) with the next agent, as soon as possible. No one likes to wait, and no one wants to repeat themselves over and over again.
While no one enjoys unhappy customers, these unpleasant interactions provide an opportunity for you and your company to stand out. Excellent customer experiences, especially when things go wrong, are the most memorable and will give you the most loyal customers.
