Utility CSRs Must
Treat Irate Customers In A Careful, Professional Manner
By David Saxby
It’s impossible for utilities to make every
customer happy all the time, but I strongly recommend that utility customer
service representatives be particularly professional and careful with the
small number of customers who call and are angry.
The good news is that about 97 percent of a utility’s customers are
reasonable people who just want to be treated with respect and feel
appreciated for their business. This certainly gives them the latitude to
become upset if a mistake was made, but they will generally forgive the
error.
The challenge is the other 3 percent of customers who can ruin a CSR’s day
with a single phone call. And isn’t it Murphy’s Law that phone calls from
this minority seem to come earlier in the day rather than later, giving CSRs
just that much more time to fume and fuss?
It doesn’t have to be that way. Following are six tips on how to
handle irate customers so that the outcome is productive for everyone
involved – the customer, the CSR and the company.
Tip One: Let the angry customer vent. Give your customer the chance
to “get it off his chest.” Don’t interrupt. Just let him say what he needs
to say. When he comes up for air, that is the appropriate time to say you
are there to help. If the customer uses abusive or vulgar language, let him
know you would be happy to help but that you’re unable to do so under those
conditions. Explain that you are going to end the conversation, but
encourage the customer to call back when he has calmed down.
Tip Two: Put emotional distance between you and the customer. Your
customer’s anger is not about you. It’s his problem, so choose not to take
it personally. Even nice customers can get angry when they feel a company
has mistreated them. Do the best you can to let your customer know you care.
Tip Three: It’s not the CSR’s job to teach a lesson. Anyone who deals
with customers on a regular basis will tell you that the customer is not
always right, that they do make mistakes. They will also tell you that some
customers are dishonest. But it doesn’t matter whose mistake caused the
problem your customer is calling about. You are not in your job to serve as
judge and jury. If the customer actually caused the problem, you will only
add fuel to the fire by pointing that out. Keep things simple, review the
problem and work toward resolving it.
Tip Four: Treat even angry customers with respect. This doesn’t mean
you need to agree with the customer’s opinion. Most people just want to know
that someone is willing to listen to their concerns and show they care. You
don’t know what has happened to the customer during his day, so give him the
benefit of the doubt. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and ask
yourself, “If this was me, what would I want?”
Tip Five: When all else fails, give up. Some customers simply will
not give you the opportunity to fix their problem. Some are chronic
complainers. If the customer has a track record of abusive language and
angry calls, it may be better to say goodbye to the business. However, this
message needs to be communicated to the customer by your manager.
Tip Six: Learn to let go. It’s not always easy, but don’t carry the
baggage of one angry customer over to your other customers. If a customer
has upset you, get up and walk away for a few minutes. Get a drink of water,
take some deep breaths and allow yourself to become neutral before you take
the next call.
Most customer problems are the result of a lack of communication. Focus on
helping your customers, not proving them wrong, even when they are. A kind
word, a listening ear and respect will teach them a far greater lesson than
pointing out the error of their ways.
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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.
