Respect is how you treat everyone, not just those you want to impress – Richard Branson
The service industry can be challenging especially when dealing with an upset or angry customer. How do you remain respectful when someone is criticising you, expressing disappointment or raising their voice at you?
When dealing with an upset customer, the first thing you need to realize, is that the upset is usually caused by something not happening as per the customers expectations. Customers get upset when:
- They experience slow, unprofessional service or a lack of response to a problem raised
- They feel you lack sufficient knowledge to help them and yet you are the service provider
- Your service or product does not meet their expectations
- Sometimes they have had a really rough morning or day and any of the above would trigger them immediately. Even a negative non-verbal communication from the service provider may rub them the wrong way and elicit a negative reaction quite fast
Is the customer always right, NO. However, how you resolve the problem is the most important aspect of dealing with an upset customer. At the end of the day, you want to ensure you deliver on your promise as a service provider and that the customer leaves satisfied. If the customer is completely irrational and no matter what you do, you cannot please them, then the most important thing for you to know is that you did your best to resolve the problem.
One way to handle an upset customer is to show them that you CARE.
C – Show Concern, Remain Calm, and Courteous
If they are angry, allow them to vent, do not interrupt. It is important to be present, whether you are on a phone call or face to face, the customer can feel and see when you are not listening to them.
A – Apologize
The truth is we all make mistakes and sometimes our mistakes affect the customer we are trying to please. The mistake may not be yours but a colleague’s or another department and you just happen to be the one dealing with the client. Regardless of whose fault it is, it is important to acknowledge that something went wrong and apologize for it on behalf of the company. Most clients just want to feel that you are sorry for the inconvenience caused by the error or delay.
R – Resolve the problem ASAP
Do your best to offer a solution that will solve the problem and make the customer feel better. If the problem is too big to be solved by you or if the client is being abusive, respectfully excuse yourself and escalate it as soon as possible to a manager or necessary authority.
E-Ensure that the customer is happy with how the problem was resolved.
Regardless of what caused the upset, you do have the responsibility to try and resolve the situation to the best of your ability. Richard Branson says it well – Respect is how you treat everyone, not just those you want to impress. Respect the upset customer and show them you care.
