There are many reasons a customer could be acting difficult.  Understanding why will make it easier to satisfy their needs.  This topic is closely related to a recent post on active listening because being able to listen will help you manage a difficult customer.  How successful you are in coming to an agreement will dictate if they stay a customer or leave for a competitor. So, how do we deal with a difficult customer?

It is very important to remain calm and not play into the emotions of a customer.  Sometimes the confrontation is heated, however maintaining logic rather than engaging their emotions will help you manage the situation.  It is very important to let the customer vent while not interrupting.  Once the customer has finished, restate the customer’s emotions and accept their point view while trying to find common agreement.  We want to turn the negative situation into something positive and while creating a common understanding.  Display empathy, we want to avoid words that are emotional triggers such as: can’t, no, I don’t know, and policy.  Lastly, we want to resolve the situation.  We need to confront issues and create a resolution.  People like hearing their name, so use it. Offer to help and get them to state what would create a resolution.  When I worked in the hotel industry, we had a 100% satisfaction guarantee policy. Although rarely used, this was a vital tool to successfully offer a resolution.  Ultimately, it brings great pleasure to a customer if they are able to suggest the resolution.  Ask the customer, “What can I do to resolve the situation?” or “what would be fair to you?”  Listening is the most important tool to having great customer service.

CRUX: Listen around the edges, understand their feelings and emotions.  Engage logically while confronting issues and finding a resolution.

“Customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong.”  -DONALD PORTER