Angry Customers Are
No Laughing Matter
By David Saxby
Have you “HEARD” the joke about the angry
customer?
There isn’t one. Angry customers are no joke!
How many times a day do your customer service representatives take a
telephone call only to find an upset, angry or frustrated individual on the
other end? Something your utility did or did not do has irritated that
customer to the point of emotional distress.
The action and statements your rep makes in the first 10 to 20 seconds of
that call can make the difference between losing or keeping a customer. The
ones you keep, the loyal ones, will continue to do business with you. Those
who leave obviously take their future business with them, but even more
potentially damaging is the fallout from an unresolved conflict.
How many people does one dissatisfied customer tell about their “poor
experience” and what does that equate to in terms of a financial loss?
What’s the cost of employee turnover because reps can no longer stand the
conflict and leave? The training you provide your reps on how to handle
conflict resolution and irate customers is crucial to retaining your loyal
customers and improving your bottom line.
So when in conflict with a utility, what is it that most customers want? Is
it always to “get their way”? Or is it more about feeling like the utility
actually listened to their concern, empathized with their position and tried
to find a solution?
As humans, we have two natural instincts when confronted – fight or flight.
At the most basic level, our natural tendency is to either “duke it out” or
run away. How we choose to act upon our natural tendencies can vary greatly.
Some choose to take the literal description while others choose some
polished form of that. And your reps get to deal with all of them! We must
all do our best to not personalize customers’ emotional outbursts.
Are you aware of the “HEARD” technique? This is a very simple technique to
help those who deal with customer conflict.
H – Hear what your customers have to say. Let them describe the problem or
reason for their emotional distress. Do not interrupt or attempt to cut them
off – that, in and of itself, is rude. Give them the opportunity to express
their feelings about the situation.
E – Empathize with their situation. It’s very calming to someone who is
upset to hear the words “I appreciate” or “I respect.” By the same token,
it’s very irritating to hear “I understand.” How can one really understand
if they are not in the situation?
Train your employees to stay away from using trigger phrases such as
“company policy” or “it’s a computer problem” or “we can’t do that.”
Customers don’t want excuses – they want a solution to their problem! Train
your reps to use appropriate phrases that help diffuse the emotion rather
than escalate it.
A – Ask questions to determine what can be done to create a solution. The
number one question your reps should ask is “What can we do to make this
right for you?” It’s one of the simplest things you can do to understand the
customer.
Most management is afraid to empower their staff with that question for fear
the answer will be something ridiculous or costly. Research has proven that
in most situations the customer’s suggestion for resolving the conflict is
less costly than what the company would have offered as the final solution.
R – Respond with a solution to the problem. Creating a solution with the
customer on their first telephone call is absolutely vital to customer
retention. Research by T.A.R.P.(Technical Assistance Research Program) has
shown that 90 percent of customers with a problem will continue to do
business with the company if they feel the person handling their complaint
is genuinely concerned with resolving the situation.
But in order for that to happen, you must first identify the conflicts your
reps are most likely to encounter and then train them so they have all the
possible solutions. Knowledge is power! But this knowledge will be useless
unless you empower your reps to take the corrective actions. They must know
what the possible solutions are as well as their level of authority to
institute those solutions.
D – Deliver on the promise made to the customer. Make sure there’s a clear
understanding with the customer as to what will happen and when it will
happen. Restate these two items in very simple terms.
If you want to truly set yourself apart from your competition, go the extra
mile and call the customer after the problem has been corrected. Ask if they
are happy with the solution. Ask if there is anything else you can do for
them right now. Let your customer know that you care!
People are just people. And it is our emotions that make us unique. Have you
trained your reps on how to understand your customers and their needs? Do
your reps understand that your customers are not all the same – and neither
are their needs? Do your reps understand the bottom-line value of a
satisfied customer?
Make sure your customers are being “HEARD” because if they aren’t being
heard by you, they may just go find someone who will listen!
-------------------------------------
David Saxby is president of Measure-X, a Phoenix,
Ariz.-based measurement, training and recognition company that specializes in
customer service and sales skill training for utility companies. He can be
reached at 888-644-5499 or via e-mail at
david@measure-x.com. Visit the Measure-X Web site at
www.measure-x.com.
