Problem-Solving for the Unhappy Customer

We’ve been talking about Customer-Driven mindsets and Customer Relations for the past couple of weeks – but what do we do about the unhappy customers? It will always happen that we will need to deal with those types of customers. How do we use communication techniques, mindsets, and build a satisfying relationship with our customers? Here are a few articles with some tips that may be useful.

Part 1: Article Summaries

Six Golden Rules of Satisfying the Unhappy Customer (Farrington, 2020):

• Listen with understanding and sympathy: Being sincerely sorry that your customer had to go through something that upset them, defuses their anger. They see that you genuinely care to listen to their problems and try to solve the issue at hand.
• Take responsibility: Taking responsibility rather than shifting blame or finding excuses helps escalate the diffusion – since the customer now has no ammunition against anyone. They see that someone is taking responsibility and looking to solve the issue.
• Paraphrase and repeat: When we paraphrase or repeat what the customer is saying, it shows that we are paying attention and that we are trying to clarify so that we can make sure that we fully understand the issue - It helps to solve the issue.
• Find out what the customer wants: If they want a refund, credit, or some kind of replacement – figure out what the customer wants and solve their problem in a satisfactory way that benefits them.
• Propose a solution and gain the customer’s support: Once they have stated what they want – always respond in a positive way and make sure you make them feel good about the solution.
• Never let customers lose face: If the customer isn’t satisfied with the solution or if what the customer wants is not in your ability to deliver. Explain it patiently and always make sure that the customer feels considered. Sometimes, the customer knows full well that you cannot accommodate their request, but at least you listened patiently, was courteous and respectful to their needs.

Happy Customer = Happy Business (Wylie, 2016):

The key to having a good business is making sure that your customers are well taken care of – especially in today’s tough economy and competition.

• Communication is a Two-Way Street: Make sure that you have open communication with your customer. Make sure that they feel safe to share with you their positive and not so positive feedback with you. Always listen and follow through on their recommendation – this will help build the relationship and secure their loyalty towards your company.
• Continue to Satisfy: It costs more to try attracting new clientele. Instead – keep satisfying and retaining your current clientele – more often than not, they will tell their family and friends and recommend your services to this new potential clientele. Always work on loyalty and create valuable memories/experiences for them.
• Trust: Trust is the most valuable asset when it comes to any relationship. Work on gaining and maintaining the trust of your customers. Always stay in touch with them, be honest, and transparent. Let them know when you screw up as well as when you do something great. Allow them to be part of the journey and share their thoughts with you.
• Follow Through on Your Promises: Always under-promise and over-deliver. However, you should set a standard right from the get-go. Customers should know what you are about and what you plan on delivering. If they agree to the terms, they will do business with you – that is when you surprise them and add more value to what they expected.

When Customers Complain – Rejoice! (Lusky, 2016):

When customers keep quiet, companies have no idea that there are problems. Most companies face this issue, many of the customers are part of the “silent majority”. Organizations should encourage their customers to tell them what they think, invite the dissatisfied customer to share their thoughts. Domino’s Pizza is one such example, that paid attention to the customers’ complaints and publicly announced on TV that they were making some radical changes – you can only imagine what that did to their business! Customer complaints help drive your organization to better serve the clientele. Here are some ideas of what you can do to invite feedback:

• Put a QR code on the label that will direct the customer to a website where they will be able to voice their dissatisfaction. You can also add a phone number since some customers like to write their problems while others want to verbalize them.
• Create a “Peel-off” label or sticker that they can take with them and either email or go to a website to complete a complaint form. In return, you will gift them with some kind of redeemable coupon or credit for their troubles, and you will express to them how you plan on addressing their concerns.

9 Tips to Deal with Angry and Difficult Customers (Kahle, 2016):

Having an angry customer is not a fun feat and may sometime ruin your day. By taking a few steps you will try to make the best of the situation.

• Don’t take it personally: Most of the time the customer isn’t really angry with you directly. Unless you were truly at fault or had something to do with the issue – the customer is frustrated at the situation. If you take it personally, you will become defensive and argumentative. The trick here is to stay calm and deflect any direct blame on the actual situation which you plan on solving.
• Listen: We keep saying this over and over again since it is so important. The key to any constructive communication is the art of listening and paying attention to the client. The moment the client knows that they are being heard, they will automatically calm down.
• Empathize: Put yourself in the customer’s shoes. How would you feel if this has happened to you? Try to connect with the customer and try to understand where their frustrations are coming from. This will help to better solve the problem.
• Apologize: If you are directly responsible – apologize, but if you are not directly responsible apologize on behalf of the organization. For the most part, this helps the client calm down.
• Don’t Blame: Blame doesn’t get anything solved, it’s the “small person’s game” – being professional is to address the issue and not placing blame on anyone or anything.
• Ask: Ask as many questions as possible to get to know the customer and what are the issues they are facing. This shows concern and that you really are trying to get to the bottom of the issue in order to solve it.
• Promise Accurately: Don’t promise too much and don’t promise too little – be sure to promise what you can and make sure that you definitely will be able to deliver on that promise.
• Deliver More: Try to always over-deliver, promise just a little less than what you can actually deliver and then add the rest as a bonus – it shows that you went the extra mile.
• If Possible, Follow Up: Following up makes the customer feel important and that you are making sure that you have provided the best service to the customer’s satisfaction. The customer doesn’t feel like they need to run after you – but rather you are very interested in the well-being of the customer.

Switching Off an Irate Customer – How to Do It? (Tschohl, 2016):

Imagine you can literally “shut-off” the anger switch that is found in your customer. The way this is done has been mentioned in all the above articles – listening, asking questions, apologizing, etc. What is extra about this article is that it talks about suggesting alternatives. You are the professional, it is your business, and it is thus your responsibility to solve the issue for the customer – never allow the customer to be the one who problem-solves your issue!

Warm Fuzzy Labels Offset High-Tech Customer Service Headaches (Lusky, 2016):

Your job as the business professional is to make the customer feel happy, warm, and fuzzy – obviously these are only terms and we are not talking literally. But the point is that it is your responsibility to give the customer the best experience they have ever had every single time. Make them smile, make them feel wanted, and make them feel safe when they are using your product or service.

Part 2: Advice – One-Day Workshop Design Training Employees on How to Deal with Unhappy Customers. 

The best way to get your employees/teams to understand customers and train them on customer relations is through a one-day workshop that I have designed.

• Pair team members and have them alternate between “Customer” and “Employee” or “Customer Service Agent”
• Give out cards of “potential problems” that need to be solved.
• Roleplay the disgruntled customer complaining to the employee.
• Suggest 3 possible answers or ways to solve the issues that are found at the back end of the “potential problem” card – this is the “potential solutions” portion of the card
• Alternate turns between customer and customer relations agent – the next problem, you flip the roles.
• We want to make sure that these main criteria are found in every solution:
• Listening and Understanding (Farrington, 2020)
• Paraphrasing (Farrington, 2020)
• Building Trust (Wylie, 2016)
• Empathy (Kahle, 2016)
• Suggesting Alternatives (Tschohl, 2016)
• You will then want to give them a short questionnaire rating their experience and looking if their problems have been solved to their satisfaction – something like a customer satisfaction survey.

References: 

Farrington, (2020). The Six Golden Rules of Satisfying the Unhappy

Customer retrieved from https://www.allbusiness.com/the-six-golden-rules-of-satisfying-the-unhappy-customer-15051092-1.html

Wylie, M. (2016). Happy customers, happy business. NZ Business + Management, 30(9), 44. Retrieved from EBSCO multi-search in the Touro Library.

Lusky, M. (2016). When customers complain, rejoice! Label & Narrow Web, 21(5), 114. Retrieved from EBSCO multi-search in the Touro Library.

Kahle, D. (2016). 9 Tips to deal with angry and difficult customers. Sales & Service Excellence Essentials, 15(12), 19. Retrieved from EBSCO multi-search in the Touro Library.

Tschohl, J. (2016). Switching off an irate customer how to do it? Personal Excellence Essentials, 21(5), 13. Retrieved from EBSCO multi-search in the Touro Library

Lusky, M. (2016). Warm, fuzzy labels offset high-tech customer service headaches. Label & Narrow Web, 21(2), 82. Retrieved from EBSCO multi-search in the Touro Library.