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>>7
Reasons a Customer Service Agent Should Be Stopped Cold
The sole reason for the
customer service position is to serve customers ---to be
of assistance, to help, to create value. When dealing
with complaints, problems, and difficult customers, it's
easy to lose sight of our purpose as service
professionals.
No matter how difficult
the circumstance or the customer, we must never lose
sight of our purpose. To help keep you in
"check" I am providing my list of 7
unforgivable sins of customer service employees. Read on
to see how you measure up.
Note:
This content was extracted from my Dealing
With Difficult Customers: How to handle demanding,
irate, and unreasonable customers web seminar.
1.
Hanging up on a customer. We
all know it happens and there are certainly many times
you want to slam the phone down, but do think twice.
Patience, diplomacy and professionalism can help you
remain calm and above the customer's ill-bred attitude.
2.
Arguing with a customer. You
can never win an argument with a customer.
Theoretically, you can prove your point but you may end
up losing your customer so you really lose.
3.
Saying, "This is all I can do." You
are there to help. Give your customer options and look
for every way you can help.
4.
Telling a customer to calm down. Certainly,
there are times when a calm disposition would make every
one's life easier, but telling your customer to calm
down is rarely effective. Like you, your customers don't
like to be told what to do. Try this approach instead: "Clearly
you're upset and I want you to know that getting to the
bottom of this is just as important to me as it is to
you."
5.
Escalating voice. Avoid
the temptation to yell just because your customer is
yelling. You don't want to get caught up in their drama.
Instead, remain centered and calm, relying on your
ability to communicate with diplomacy and
professionalism.
6.
Telling a customer s/he is wrong. You
will be smart to never tell a customer they are wrong or
mistaken. Telling a person they are wrong arouses
opposition and will make the customer want to battle
with you. (Ever tell your spouse they are wrong?) In
"How to Win Friends and Influence People" Dale
Carnegie points out an indisputable fact, "it's
difficult, under even the most benign conditions to
change people's minds." So why make it harder
by starting out on the wrong foot? If you know your
customer is wrong, it's better to start off saying,
"I thought the contract read otherwise, but let's
take a look."
7.
Failing to apologize to customers in the wake of
problems. One
of the easiest and quickest ways to diffuse anger,
create rapport, and regain goodwill with unhappy
customers is to apologize. Offering an apology to a
customer who experiences a problem should be a natural
response from customer service providers. Yet, recent
research reveals the startling fact that 50% of
customers who voice a complaint say they never received
an apology.
Not
only does an apology give "soft benefits" such
as creating calm, shaving minutes off of talk time, less
stress on the employee, etc., it can also translate into
significant and measurable savings in reduced lawsuits,
settlement costs, and defense costs.
An
apology does not have to be an admission of fault. It
can be offered to express regret. For example, "I'm
so sorry for any inconvenience this misunderstanding has
caused you."
Avoid
the 7 cardinal sins of customer service professionals
and you will find that dealing with unhappy customers is
much, much easier.
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Tim
O'Laughlin
The
Coca-Cola Company
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Director
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