Exceptional Customer Service and Retention

A customer throws a product on the counter and says, “I want my money back now!” He attacks your personal integrity and you can feel your anger ready to erupt. The customer says, “I’ll never do business with you again . The customer problem could be one or two things , the customer was dissatisfied with the product that he purchased or the quality of the product did not stand up to the type of quality it was suppose to hold up too, Leading up the to the customer frustration and anger .

To provide effective customer service—especially in difficult situations—we need to deal with the customer’s emotions first, then the problem. When dealing with difficult customers and situations, it is important to use the following strategies. Use active and reflective listening skills and Empathize. Empathy means putting yourself in the customer’s shoes, letting him or her know that you understand not only the situation, but also how the situation makes the customer feel. When we empathize, we connect with the person’s feelings in two ways: (1) by making a statement that tells the person we understand the feeling, and (2) by paraphrasing his or her words to show the person we understand the issue, while not necessarily agreeing with him or her. Don’t take the anger personally. As a professional, recognize that customers may have legitimate concerns buried somewhere in their anger and venting. They may be overreacting, but you need to remain objective, assess the problem, and focus on solutions. If you feel that your client is being unreasonable, you might start to get upset, especially if he or she is criticizing you, or your organization, unfairly. So learn anger skills so that you can stay calm in these situations. Occasionally a client or customer may become verbally abusive towards you or your team. Know in advance what you'll tolerate, and what you won't. If things escalate, you may need to be assertive and stand up for yourself, or even walk away from the situation to...