Are You Constantly Putting Off Fires at Work?
Jackie Wahome, Customer Experience Trainer
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Effective Ways of Handling Angry Clients
?Do You Deal, Ignore or Run?
You own a business or work at the customer service department? Then you already know that dealing with an irate client, while unfortunate, is most certainly inevitable.
Despite the fact that dealing with an infuriated customer is challenging, these occurrences can be dealt with in a way that settles the matter and actually retains the customer.
It is a valuable opportunity to advance by transforming what is happening into a positive client experience . How a business responds to an angry client can represent the moment of truth in the client's view of the brand.
Rather than fearing an angry client, a business with a development outlook can utilize what is happening and if it’s an error on the organization’s end, take the feedback?to work on a product, service or administration process and construct a better relationship with its client.
As per management consultancy group Accenture, organizations lose an incredible $1.6 trillion every year because of client churn! But can you imagine that just 1 of every 25 clients will whine to the business about their experience. This means an opportunity lost to remedy a situation and possibly retain a client.?
For sure, organizations ought to regard each complaint as a gift. As a manager, be appreciative of that client who comes in or calls in to make a complaint. Complaints are full of experiences that can assist in making improvements where needed, and while at it contribute in conveying worth to various unhappy yet silent clients.
?The Best Way To Deal With Angry Clients.
?1. Give The Customer the Opportunity to Speak
So a customer walks in your office or the shop and they are agitated and furious, spouting more words than you want to listen to and you get that innate feeling to either run or respond in equal measure, please don’t…
While their demeanor may not be welcoming, try to stay calm and maintain eye contact. At this point don’t interrupt but allow the customer to speak, practicing reflective listening . The use of words such as “Okay” or “I see” or “I understand” as the client speaks, shows them that you care and you are actually interested to know what their issue is and resolve it.
Using a low tone of voice may actually calm the customer down and encourage them to lower their high pitched voice had they been speaking loudly.
?2. Acknowledge Your Customer’s Distress
As customer care agents or a manager, you may feel the need to jump into resolving an issue so as to save the situation and just put out the fire. However, as much as a solution is needed, take time to recognize your customer’s emotions.?
You could say “I understand your concern or disappointment” and if it was the company’s fault, respond by saying using phrases like;
·??????You are correct, am sorry you had to deal with this.
·??????I appreciate you bringing this to our attention.
·??????I’m incredibly sorry for the bad experience with us.
·??????Thank you for your patience.
Even when the issue is not your fault, validating the customer’s feelings helps you to connect to their human side and soften their emotions. It shows the customer that you are really invested in finding a solution to their problem.
Stating something like “Let’s see how I can assist” is a good way to start.
A majority of the customers just want someone who can listen to their issues and show empathy.
3. Understand The Customer and Analyze Your Options
To ensure you understand your customer correctly, it is ideal to rehash what the customer has stated. This allows you, as a customer care agent, to fully understand their situation so that you can offer the best possible solution. It also goes to show the client that you are listening and you sincerely want to help.
When you restate the situation to the customer, you may want to introduce a softer language than the one used by the client, if it was heavy and heated, but still along the lines of a problem you can solve. Then always ask the customer to confirm if you got the facts right.
?As you try to sort out an issue with a client, it is important to:
?However, in some situations, you may be dealing with an angry customer who is hungry for attention or one who is chasing discounts at all costs. You have seen the internet calling such people “Karen” and here is an apology to all good Karens out there.
?As a business owner, always ensure to have a strict but clear policy on matters discounts and refunds that should be adhered to. It is worth taking into account that some customers may stay angry for the sake of it and some conversations may not always end on a positive note.?
?4. Offer A Solution And Follow Through
Some issues can be resolved right away or after a short period of time but more often than not, for issues that have escalated to the point of infuriating a customer, these may take time. It is then important to communicate how the team will resolve an issue and what the customer should expect over a period of time.
?Walking the customer through the next steps will allow them the opportunity to learn what is being done about their issue and they know what and when to expect. Most companies in Kenya frustrate the customer by being vague on how a situation will be resolved. This then keeps the customer anxious and they keep calling or following up for an update.
?Allow the customer to ask questions regarding the solution offered to make sure they are on board with what has been proposed and offer extra help if needed.
?5. Thank the Customer:
As you conclude the conversation with the customer, thank the customer for taking time to raise an issue. You may use a phrase such as:
Remember, feedback helps you to get better and acknowledging the customer shows them that you value them.
Some things to keep in mind for the customer service team:
- Consistency is Key: It is important for the members of the customer care team to be aware of what is happening and the solution offered. For a busy organization that offers customer care via a call center, it is important that the customer's data is updated on the system.?
?Anyone who then deals with the customer will have access to the customer’s data, history and context to stay consistent. Inconsistencies in customer service can cause confusion and escalate angry customers.?
?- Seek assistance from your team: Some situations can be quite difficult to handle with a difficult or angry customer especially if they are being abusive or using inappropriate language. It is okay to reach out to your manager or team to help navigate such scenarios and evaluate the next steps with such a customer.
If unsure how to resolve a problem team mates and superiors can also chip in to assist in providing solutions for the customer’s issue.
?- Follow up: For an issue that had to do with your company, as a manager or business owner, ensure to make a follow up to find out why the issue came up and implement mitigative measures moving forward to ensure there is no recurrence of the same.
To some degree, the option to skillfully deal with an angry customer is an art and it gives an opportunity for any business to adopt a development mentality. What have you learnt from the situation as a company? How can you do better??
No matter how a customer comes to you; angry, infuriated, shouting do let yourself get to the same level instead, you can disarm them by meeting them with respect, patience and empathy as you seek to find a solution.
Adopting these methods of handling difficult clients puts your business ahead and gives your company a chance to tune what would have otherwise been a horrible experience to building a better customer experience.
Article Author
Jackie Wahome, a Customer Experience Trainer in Kenya with over 15 years of experience in Customer Experience across different industries in Kenya.
I help businesses make more and retain more customers through unrivalled Customer Experience.
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