Keep Cool with Hot Customers
Posted on 05. Dec, 2009 by JP in Offline Marketing Tips
We have all had situations where customers have got angry with us.
Sometimes it might be justified, in most cases, it is not (we hope!).
I’m sorry – but I’m not in the category of believing “the customer is always right” – because in my experience, that is not the case!!
However, I do believe that one “wronged” customer can hurt your business in a big way – so you and your staff MUST learn how to deal with them.
In this day and age, whether you have an online business presence or not – a bad customer experience can go “viral” very quickly – and it is almost impossible to respond (and not advisable either!).
So – one of the keys to dealing with hot (or difficult) customers is DON’T take the bait!
Here’s six tips for you and your staff to keep your cool…
1. Be assertive – not aggressive or passive. My definition of assertion is simple: “Say what you mean, mean what you say, and don’t be mean when you say it.” Let this rule guide your conversations with all customers and you will always be confident, cool, and in control AND you’ll always be professional.
2. Speak more slowly. You’ll be amazed at how much more clearly you can think and how much control and confidence you experience when you consciously slow down your rate of speech. Speak slowly and methodically (especially when your emotional triggers are launched) and you’ll maintain poise during difficult conversations.
3. Wait 1-2 seconds before responding. Responding immediately to difficult or tactical customers can result in you saying something you’ll later regret. Before you respond, take a deep breath, wait at least 2 seconds, and think about the best response and the best approach.
4. Take a time-out. When you sense that your buttons have been pushed, take a break. You can tell the customer you need to put him on hold while you review a file, or whatever excuse sounds good at the time. The point is to get away from the customer for a few seconds so you can re-group.
5. Use positive self-talk. I’m going to sound like Dr. Phil on this one, but I’m quite serious. Instead of saying to yourself, “I don’t need this customer enough to put up with this ____.” Say something more positive like “This guy really needs my help.” Thinking more positively helps you respond more positively and professionally. Negative thoughts lead to negative words, and it can easily spiral into a very negative situation.
6. Show your power before you use it. Often, a subtle suggestion of your “power” is far more effective than the outright use of your power. As a business person you obviously have the power to terminate a phone call. You could say to your customer: “If you don’t stop yelling, I’m going to hang-up.” But, believe it or not, you are far more “powerful” if you say, “I want to help you, but when you yell and cut me off, you make it difficult for me to work with you.” The latter statement demonstrates your power and your message most definitely gets across. The former statement uses up all of your ammunition and won’t usually diffuse an irate customer.
These incredibly simple tips will position you to keep your cool when customers get hot!
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