Negotiating Bonus Tips

Ten Steps to Create a Win-Win with Customers

Last week, I found myself one of the last two people at the airport baggage turnstile. The turnstile was going around and around but, unfortunately, my luggage was not on it. The other gentleman whose luggage did not arrive proceeded over to the lost luggage counter. He thought the way he could get the counter person to find his lost luggage quicker was to yell at her. It was her quick-witted response to this gentleman I will never forget. After being yelled at for about one minute, she quietly replied, “Sir, it is 11:55 p.m. and there are only two people in this whole world who care about your lost luggage. I need you to know, one of them is rapidly losing interest.”

Almost every person has had an experience in dealing with a difficult person, employee or customer. The following ten tips will help create a win-win in difficult situations.

When you need help, ask for it. One of the realities of dealing with difficult customers is that they seem to show up when you and your organization are incredibly busy. In fact, that is one of the reasons why customer problems occur in the first place. Because we are so busy, some things just slip through the cracks. Whenever you feel stressed or overwhelmed, the last thing you need is a difficult or angry customer. Then the best thing you can do is ask a fellow employee or manager for assistance in helping you solve the problem. Teamwork makes difficult situations much easier to handle.

Develop your positive mental attitude. Wouldn’t it be great if every customer were a perfect customer? A customer who needed no instructions and the only time they spoke to you was to give you a compliment? One perception that will help you deal with difficult customers is to understand that, without customers who have problems, your contributions may not be needed. If every customer were a perfect customer, we would need less managers and less staff. One of the reasons you are specifically needed is to deal with people and situations that others cannot. Become an expert at difficult situations. That is why you are there.

Stay objective–do not get hooked. Customers sometimes say things to trigger a response from you. A great mental picture is to visualize the customer dropping a hook down in front of your mouth. What is important to understand is that whether you swallow the hook or not is your choice. Most times, when you feel angry or defensive, the best thing you can do is ask the customer a question. We heard a manager say, “I am sorry your order was not delivered on time as we promised. What can I do to help make this situation better for you?”

Let the customer unwind. As long as the customer is talking–or venting, let the customer continue. The worst thing you can do is cut the person off and start talking. Let the customer vent, listen to determine the real needs, and begin thinking of the specific actions you can take to help improve the situation.

Reward the customer. This sounds funny, but we recommend that you thank the customer for bringing the problem to your attention. Only approximately 4 percent of your customers have the guts to call you and tell you about their problem. The other 96 percent quietly walk away and never say a word to anyone. When someone tells you there is a problem with you or your organization, thank that person. He or she is truly a valuable customer.

Respond first to the customer’s emotion, then to the facts. When customers complain, they are most often angry or upset. An appropriate response might be, “I know that you are frustrated that the product was not delivered on time. Let me pull up your record and see what we can do to get this problem rectified.” By acknowledging the emotion, the customer knows that you are listening and that you do care.

Keep your cool. In fact, when a customer is angry or upset, we recommend you actually get calmer. Speak quietly. Trail your voice off at the end of your sentence. This method will indirectly create a calming effect on your customer. The worst thing you can do is escalate your voice. It will only make the customer more upset and angry.

Offer alternative solutions. Instead of telling a customer what you cannot do, provide the customer with alternative solutions and let the person choose. A manager might reply, “We can correct the problem tomorrow and ship it to you FedEx. Or, if you are not in a hurry, we can ship it by regular mail. Which would be best for you?” Give your customer options.

Take immediate action. The one thing that will make a customer even more difficult is the feeling that nothing is being done to solve the problem. Assuring the customer that something is being done is critical to your success. Respond quickly to customer problems and state what actions you are going to take to solve the problem. The longer the customer perceives it takes you to solve the problem, the greater chance the severity of the situation will escalate.

Follow-up. If you want to be remembered for an organization that provides GREAT service, it is critical that you follow-up with your customers to ensure that the customer is satisfied. Once the problem is resolved, call the customer, and say, “I just wanted to make sure everything was okay and that the problem was resolved to your satisfaction.” The customer will remember that you and your organization really do care about the level of service they provide.

You can also help your employees deal with difficult customers by sharing the above ten tips with them. Empower your staff with the confidence and latitude to resolve the problem without having to pass the customer on or take a message. Remember to reinforce their skills by giving praise when you catch them “doing something right.”

If you would like to receive the Tactic of the Week, visit our book page www.peterstark.com/negotiatingguide and fill-in the subscribe box. With this subscription, you will receive a tactic each week along with a counter to the tactic to ensure your negotiating success.