Peeling The Onion For Customers

Customers are the most integral part of any business. Some tips to deal with difficult customers. Some tips you can also add

Or, let me put it the other way round:

How do you handle ‘’BIG HEADED’’ customers that refuse to listen?

How do you handle the angry ones and still keep them loyal to you?

When They're About to Hang Up!

Wow them with an apology, even if you haven't done anything wrong (in your vision anyway). Then, if they're local to you, take them out for a meal. We are all connected by our stomachs, and if you can connect with someone over food, it makes a lasting impression!

Credit to:  Warren Bobrow of Wild River Review.

Dealing With Difficult Custom

Dealing with difficult customers is the same as dealing with a difficult spouse. First SHUT UP AND LISTEN until they are done. Then, repeat back what they said and make sure that you are on the same page. You then can reason with them. Most people just want to be heard and respected.

Credit to: John Wilder of marriagecoach1.wordpress.com.

You Are Not a Bus!

We're not buses. We don't HAVE to take every paying customer. We can pick and choose the people with whom we do business. 

We are always polite, but always firm. If a customer is not persuaded to return the politeness, we make it clear that we are free to choose not to work with them. It sounds harsh, but we've found that reminding people that we are not in the doormat business is actually more effective than taking "the customer is always right" to absurd limits.

Credit to: Elura Nanos of Lawyer Up.

5 Steps for Problem Customers

Think of it this way- the customer isn't 'difficult'. For them, the business you work at is difficult, because it doesn't function the way they want it to and/or it's not meeting their needs. So, set aside that "We're right, so you can't be" attitude and do these five steps:

1. LISTEN to their words, rationale, and situation

2. ASK a deeper question to understand intent

3. DESIGN a solution that bridges the gap

4. Take ACCOUNTABILITY for making a next step happen

5. THANK the customer after fixing 'it'

Credit to: Mike Wittenstein of Mike Wittenstein.

Let 'Em Have it!

When working with an awful customer, let them have it! I don't mean start yelling at them for giving you a hard time.

In fact, you should give them what they want. That will surprise them, and hopefully turn them into a customer evangelist.

Credit to: Danny Wong of BL Dress Shirts.

It's My Fault

Accept responsibility.

Even if the customer is wrong, so what? They are still your customer. Listen and take responsibility for not communicating, not training, or not paying attention. If one customer complains, chances are, there are others who are dissatisfied, too. Make sure, that after you remedy the situation, you take additional the time to ensure that it never happens again. Repeat offenses have no place in retaining customers.

Credit to: Angel Tuccy of Experience Pros.

Customer Attitudes Be Gone

What can you expect with customers? Well, difficult ones come with the territory. So, how do you deal with them and try and retain their loyalty, if that is your goal? One piece of advice is go to the core of what is causing them to be difficult.

Consider this process like peeling an onion layer by layer. As you expose each layer, you learn more of what they are looking for and are getting closer to resolving their issues. Before you go this far, make sure that this customer is worth keeping.

Credit to: Myles Miller of LeadUP.Biz.

Clear Your Client Karma

Our client and customer experiences reflect our inner beliefs and memories, as well as our karma. By clearing our karma, we change our outer experiences. Our clients and customers actually can improve, as well as can attract better clients and customers, when we clear our karma.

By taking responsibility for our outer experiences, we can change our results and improve our experiences. Our clients can change, as well as ourselves, because of the work we do on ourselves.

Credit to: Joy Pedersen of Express Success.

Charge Them More!

Create an ideal client profile and pay attention to its outcome. If you're not a hand-holder, create interview questions that will let you know that your clients can easily make their own decisions. Listen as the prospect answers.

Most of us can catch "clients from hell" during the interview process (although we might not pay attention to our gut). If you want to work with the client anyway, raise your rates to accommodate the extra time it will take you to get this client's project done.

Credit to: Maria Marsala of Elevating Your Business.

Who, What, Where, When & How?

What I find works the best is to listen to what they are really asking for & not what you think they need. Most people become far more reasonable when they believe they are being understood and that their needs are being taken care of.

Understanding what they need, who they need it for, where it needs to be, when it needs to be there and how puts you on the same side of their problem. Once they believe you truly understand their needs, they become more reasonable and tend to pay more.

Credit to: Ben Baker of Ben Baker.

Validate!

Difficult Customers are usually confused. The art of validation is powerful to diffuse the situation. Do not defend your position - it only creates a lose-lose posture. Validate by saying, thanks for letting me know. That's a great question. How may I help? I'm glad you called/emailed, etc. Then, think SOLUTION! Validating difficult customers doesn't mean you agree with them, it means that you honor their concern and create a solution for a win-win ending.

Credit to: Sandra Richardson of The Richardson Group.

Is it My Way - or the Highway?

Difficult clients raise two key issues: 1. Is the way you're doing business creating the problem? Be honest.

Does something need to change on your end? Your approach? Your availability? Your personality? Your expertise? 2. If it's not you, maybe you don't need them. "Firing" bad clients can be a good thing for your business. It just may not be the right fit. Getting rid of them can help you focus on the projects that allow you to hit home runs.

Credit to: Stacy Robin of The Degania Group.

Bad Behavior Can Make Sense!

Mouthy demanding customers, customers who take up too much of your time when you've told them you only have a minute, customers who return an item used....all of these are examples of bad behavior. The one thing you need to keep in mind is that their behavior MAKES SENSE to them. Lonely, needy, or over indulged as kids perhaps, they get away with their antics.

How do you deal with them? Put up boundaries as soon as you feel your emotions getting a rise. Be firm yet assertive and don't stand for it.

Credit to: Jane Morrison of Morrison Business Solutions.

Kamloops

Don't take the Bait

When you're dealing with difficult people, there is an expectation that you will either react or counter-attack. Don't take the bait. Soften your tone of voice deliberately, and speak with courtesy, professionalism and respect.

Remove your personal feelings from the conversation - hard to do - but worth it in the long run...

Credit to: Kellie Auld of Simply Communicating.

I Couldn't Agree With You More

The best way to deal with a difficult customer is to agree with them. "Wow, I couldn't agree with you more!" That will diffuse the upset and stop them in their tracks. It's absolutely the last thing they expect.

Or another way is to say, "Thank you so much for calling" (and mean it, because if they didn't call, you have no opportunity to turn them around.) Then acknowledge what you hear behind the words "I hear how upset/angry/frustrated you are, I'd feel that way if this happened to me too."

Credit to: Rosanne Dausilio of Human Technologies Global Inc.

Become a Hero; Create a Hero

In difficult situations with customers, remember that they are only doing what they feel is right. Rather than argue, side with your customer. Understand why they are being difficult. More times than not, it is because of nothing you did. They were already upset due to something else!

Listen carefully to what they say and how they say it. Offer to be their personal hero in solving their problem.

You will quickly find that they become less difficult. In the process, you will create a hero!

Credit to: Jerry Dollar of Jerry V. Dollar, Author & Blogger.

What Do You Really Want?

As a manager for over 10 years, I've had to deal with my fair share of unhappy clients.

When you deal directly with the public, someone will eventually end up being difficult, despite your best efforts.

The mistake I see most people make in these situations is trying to placate the difficult person by rapidly offering every possible solution to them.

By simply asking what experience the client would prefer right now, and giving it to them, I've instantly won the difficult person over.

Credit to: Curtis Chappell of Quantum SEO Solutions.

Best Advice/Customer Service

You seem angry, are you angry at me? I want to help be on your side, can we do that?

Credit to: Sally Franz of Sally Franz.

Empathy to the Rescue!

Difficult customers are empathy-hungry. Provide your customers with understanding, and they'll instantly become easier to work with. 1) Paraphrase the problem they've described: "It sounds like your order arrived late." 2) Tell them you understand why it's frustrating. "I imagine you must have been frustrated to not have your order in time -- I'm so sorry." 3) Take action to remedy the problem.

"We've sent you a replacement order, and a gift card as an apology." Empathy saves the day!

Credit to: Julie Melillo of Julie Melillo Life Coaching.

Let Them Vent or Fire Them

Difficult customers are usually people who have challenges in their lives that are creating feelings inside of them they cannot control.

Let them vent, make them right, be kind and understanding and, if they continue to be impossible, return their money and fire them.

Credit to: Suzy Prudden of Suzy Prudden Internaional.

Difficult Customer "Mouthwash"

A colleague was nasty to a customer service rep who spoke slowly and with a thick Southern accent.

Finally, the rep said: "Ma'am, are you finished being rude yet?" My colleague immediately apologized to the customer service rep for her poor treatment of a customer service rep!

Credit to: Randy Peyser of Author One Stop, Inc.

Use Carefully Selected Words!

My one best tip for "dealing with difficult customers" is to use words seasoned with kindness despite how difficult that may be to deal with.

There is a Proverb that states, "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." By doing this, you can control the situation by using your carefully selected words to warrant their cooperation. This definitely takes a level of self control and patience, but in the end you have helped your business, a customer and more than that, a person.

Credit to: Kevin B of Kevin Benton Ministries.

Repeating Works

If a customer is irrational, quietly say "I hear what you are saying." When he keeps yelling or carrying on say "I hear what you are saying." If he continues to carry on say, "I hear what you are saying."

I have done this and it works every time--there is nothing to argue with you about since you told him that you heard what he is saying--it takes all of the explosive energy out of the conversation.

Credit to: Kathy Condon of KC Solutions.

K.I.S.

Keep it Simple...Be sure to get oral and written instruction(s) from the customer;

Do your very best and when all else fails, be nice enough to help them find someone else.

Credit to: Sherell Edwards of The Christian Women's Leadership Ex.

Subhan Sharif