Angry Customers = Annoyance Or Opportunity?

Angry Customers = Annoyance? Or Opportunity?

Those operating businesses, and the frontline employees that deal day-to-day with customer complaints, would typically take offence to an unruly customer and most likely make the situation worse. With so many people involved in the supply chain that handle the basic functions from receiving an order to its delivery, there are any number of factors that could slip through the cracks to the customer’s ultimate dissatisfaction.

The employee that receives the angry call or visit from an unsatisfied customer is not always responsible for the problem but it is essential that they know how to deal with it effectively. Dealing with angry customers is a tough business but there are proven methods to defuse the situation to everyone’s satisfaction.

Dealing with difficult customers is a fact of life and will happen in every business at some time or another. A few of the recommended reactions to an angry customer are:

1. Remain calm – let the customer vent their frustration to the extent that they wish.
2. Listen – Make sure that you take notes of their problems as they speak and try to pinpoint the source of their anger.
3. Do not interrupt or get defensive. This will only make the customer angrier and escalate the already bad situation.
4. When the situation allows and you have gathered all pertinent information needed to bring the problem to its successful conclusion, assure the customer that you will do everything in your power to fix the issue.
5. Give them a reasonable amount of time for you to investigate and come up with an acceptable solution.

In a lot of cases, it is quite easy to turn these problems into an opportunity. Not only can you calm your customer through your professionalism and concern for their problem, it is even possible that they will become a word of mouth referral. People love to tell other people about their experiences, whether positive or negative, and a referral about a company that made anangry customer happy is one of the best sources of new business.

On-site training is available so that your customer service staff, supervisors, or managers can take advantage of specific skill sets to ultimately protect your most valuable asset….your customer.

While there are other resources that include public and private seminars, professional books, and online education programs that offer advice and instruction, nothing compares to having experts right there on-site, where your business takes place, to walk your managers or employees through everything and enable your company to grow with a stellar reputation.

Someone said that if you have a satisfied customer, they will tell 1 or 2 people. If they are dissatisfied they will tell 10 people.

Proven Training Solutions has been offering employee and management training services in a wide range of topics including dealing with angry customers.

Contact us at 1 800 403 5456 for a no obligation consultation. Dealing with difficult customers and employee issues are no match for us!