Transcript Handling the Difficult Customer

Handling the Difficult
Customer
Best Responses
What to say – and what not
to say!
Two major obstacles in a service
professional’s job


Customer problems
Angry customers
These conflicts are a natural part
of service.
Four Basic Customer
Expectations
 To
be listened to
 To
be cared for
 To
be understood
 To
be treated fairly
Three Approaches in Dealing
with Service Conflicts
Approach
 Aggressive direct/controlling
 Passive indirect/submissive
 Assertive direct/working
together
Result
Escalates conflict
Passes the
buck/finger points
Resolves conflict
The Gifts of Conflict
 Instills
personal satisfaction
 Provides a challenge
 Inspires creativity
 Improves personal skills
 Restores customer goodwill
 Creates a positive image…for
you and your organization
Difficult Personalities
Bullies
Know it Alls
Blamers
In Problem Situations,
the Customer may:
…calmly describe the
problem and ask for help
B …be accusatory
C …be angry, defiant,
demanding, or
unreasonable
A
To Hose Down Customer
Hostility:
 remain
calm and portray a ‘caring attitude’
 restate the customer’s concern
 never take it as a personal attack
Remember the Q-Tip Tip:
Quit
Taking
It
Personal
Acknowledge Problems by:
…using the complaint as valuable
information to solve the problem
 …viewing the complaint as an opportunity
to improve service
 …remembering mistakes will happen and
can result in greater customer respect and
cooperation

Remember…you cannot please everyone but
you can always be professional!
Apologizing Pointers
1. Misunderstandings
 be sincere  personalize
2. Mistakes
 state the
reason
 avoid excuses
3. Inconveniences
 be timely
 be natural
When Customers are Angry,
They may Feel:
 Worried
 Abused
 Stubborn
 Inpatient
 Confused
 Irate
 Disconnected
In Angry Situations:
 …remain
cool, calm, and collected
 …communicate positively
 …be solution oriented
Soothing the Angry Customer
Don’t take comments/insults personally
– remain cool, calm and collected
 Never interrupt the customer
– be patient and listen
 Empathize
 Stay focused

Always “think” before you
“speak!”
Seven Responses to
Douse the Fire
“Let’s go over what’s happened.”
 “Let’s get together to talk about this.”
 “Let’s have someone else hear what’s
happened.”
 “Let’s see what we can do to resolve this.”
 “Let’s hear how you think we should solve
this.”
 “Let’s talk about ways to prevent this from
happening again.”

Use “Let’s” to douse the fire!
When You’re Fuming:
…relax
…keep
perspective
…lower the volume
…let go…afterwards
…work it off
…never let them see you sweat or out
of control
In the Company of Anger:
…don’t
join it
…calm down
…show compassion
…listen more than talk
…don’t make it a contest
Avoiding Anger Altogether
 Track your triggers
 Identify what you can and
cannot change, then take
action
 Get healthy
 Be prepared
Coping Strategies
 Know
your options
 Don’t take it personally
 Ask non-threatening questions
 Make small talk
 Call for back up
 Regroup
 Breath slow and deep
 Maintain your professionalism
 Enjoy healthy pleasures
Good Planning is the Key!
 Identify
the types of unpleasant
situations
 Discuss each scenario
 Formulate a plan
 Roll play responses
 Practice
Be proactive vs. reactive!
“People who fight fire with fire
usually
end up with ashes.”
-Abigail van Buren-
Situations Requiring
Service Recovery
Scheduled procedures/appointments that
don’t begin within a reasonable time.
 Meals that are delivered cold, late or
incorrect.
 Medications that are not administered on
time.
 Test results that are late or have errors.
 Rooms that fail to meet cleanliness
standards.
 Any situation that embarrasses, upsets,
inconveniences, angers or disappoints a
customer.

What Not to Say!






I can’t do anything about it…sorry.
You’re right—the service could be
better.
You’ll have to call the supervisor.
We are short-handed, and I don’t
have time right now.
It’s not my fault. I didn’t work that
shift.
It’s just the way we do things here.
What to Say!
 Let
me see what I can do for you.
 I apologize we did not meet your
expectations.
 I am very sorry for the inconvenience…
let me fix it right away.
 Thank you for bringing this to my
attention.
 That’s a good question, however, my
experience has proven this procedure
works better for the patient.
What to Say…
How may I make this better for you?
 Let me research this, and I will followup with you. (be specific on the time)
 I see your point. This is how I can
help.
 Thank you for letting me know. I will
notify the other department as soon as
I leave your room.

When is the Best Time to do
Service Recovery?
As soon as possible…while the
situation is still smoking!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Learn from your experience.
Always be the bigger person and
take the higher road!
Two things you should never
compromise?
1.
What’s best for the patient.
2.
Your professional behavior!
Remember…
YOU are
Patients and Visitors are always
listening and watching to see if your
words match your behavior!