Customer Service Level 2

Dealing with Difficult Customers/People

Mental Attitude

There is no place for anger in customer service.  Develop a mental attitude that you have control over your feelings.  Other people’s actions need not make you angry or upset.  You can’t change the other person’s behavior so you might as well change your own.

Solution selling

If there is a problem to solve seek the solution to the problem not someone to blame.  (Solution selling is a term used to describe this idea).

Ways to relieve anger and frustration

Not dealing with anger and frustration is said by the medical people to be a cause of ill health.

 

  1. Exercise
  2. Positive thinking/positive self-talk
  3. Focus on the solution
  4. Meditation/prayer/forgiving
  5. Develop interests
  6. Develop goals for yourself
  7. Be proactive (Act rather than react.  Do something about it)
  8. Discuss problem
  9. ________________________
  10. ________________________
  11. ________________________
  12. ________________________

Choose how you react

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Let the Customer Talk

Customers feel better once they have been allowed tell their story.  Do not interrupt the customer even if you have identified a solution in your own mind.  Interrupting may lead the customer to think you are not willing to listen to him/her.  The customer seeing you act professionally and with courtesy will be more likely to feel he is being taken seriously.

 

 

Acknowledging the customers point of view does not mean you agree with them.

 (I know what you mean; I understand what you are saying; you have a point there).

 

These words must be said with empathy.  The customers’ side is the safest place to be. If you can give the impression that you are on the customers’ side it is difficult for them to attack you. 

 

Circumstances don’t make a man, they reveal him

 

You won’t be punished for your anger, you’ll be punished by your anger

 

The Constructive Dialogue

This will allow a customer to see you as a real human being and not just the face of an organization.

 

The conversation can be directed perhaps to the weather, current events, children, family, prominent landmarks in the customers area (useful if dealing with a person over the phone).

 

Two ways of Thinking

 

Here are some examples showing that there are positive and negative ways at looking at events that happen as we go about our daily lives.  You may be able to add more examples. 

 

Negative Thinking

Positive Thinking

There’s nothing I can do

Let’s look at the alternatives

She makes me so mad

I control my own feelings

I feel used

I am in control of my own destiny

I must do that

I choose to do that

Things are getting on top of me

Lets see what are the things I can change

If only this were the case

I can and I will

I was never any good at these things anyway

What can I learn from this mistake/failure?

I can’t

Lets see what can be done

How am I going to get through all this work?

I will concentrate fully on the task in hand now

What will they think of me?

I have done my best and am happy with what I did

I  will never cope

I will prepare for this event

I must get the better of him/her

I will seek a win/win result (both of us will gain)

She annoys me so much

I will seek first to understand and then to be understood

What am I going to say (my turn to speak is next)? (Listening with intent to reply)

What is this person really saying?

(Listening with intent to understand)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. O. W. Holmes

 

Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least  GOETHE

 

The amateur salesman sells products; the professional sells solutions to needs and problem S. COVEY

 

FURTHER READING: Tele-Stress S. Coscia; The Seven habits of Highly Effective People S Covey

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