Chapter 7 HANDLING DIFFICULT CUSTOMER encounters
Chapter 7 focuses on a topic difficult for most customer service people – dealing with customers who do not fit the “normal” (however they define that term) mold. Handling unusual circumstances or people, who either have special needs, demands, or requirements, requires special skills and patience. This chapter provides an overview of some of the customer categories requiring additional time and skills for effective service.
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- Handling emotions with the Emotion Reducing Model
- Angry Customers
Be positive
Acknowledge the customer’s feelings or anger
Reassure
Remain objective
Determine the cause
Listen Actively
Reduce frustrations
Negotiate a solution
Conduct a follow-up
- Dissatisfied Customers
Listen
Remain positive
Smile, give your name, and offer assistance
Don’t make excuses
Be compassionate
Ask open-ended questions
Verify information received
Take appropriate action
- Indecisive Customers
Be patient
Ask open-ended questions
Listen Actively
Suggest other options
Guide decision-making
- Demanding or Domineering Customers
Be professional
Respect the customer
Be firm and fair and focus on the customer’s needs
Tell customers what you can do
- Rude or Inconsiderate Customers
Remain professional
Don’t revert to retaliation or try to “show them” who is in control
- Talkative Customers
Remain warm and cordial, but focused
Ask specific open-ended questions
Use closed-ended questions to control
Manage your conversation
Avoid gatherings of friends and loud conversations in your workplace
Maintain sound grooming and hygiene habits
Don’t overdo call forwarding
Avoid unloading personal problems
Avoid office politics and gossip
Pitch in to help
Be truthful
- Step 1 – Identify the Problem
Ask questions
- Step 2 – Compile and Analyze the Data
- Step 3 – Identify alternatives
- Step 4 – Evaluate alternatives
- Step 5 – Make a decision
- Step 6 – Monitor the results
Planning to Serve
This chapter provides an introduction into the various types of difficult customers that service providers typically encounter in face-to-face and telephone service situations. Along with the types, strategies for better serving these customers are offered. Remind students that Chapter 8 deals with diversity issues and addresses strategies for dealing with people of various age groups and who speak English as a second language. Both of these can be difficult groups to serve.
As you go through the chapter material, offer your own suggestions and solicit others from students. You may also want to have students visit businesses prior to this class to identify examples of difficult customer situations and how they are handled.
Other options to enhance the material in the chapter include:
Instructor Note 7-1: Show PowerPoint 7-1 – Customer Service and Behavior
The following are suggested instructional approaches related to Chapter 7 – Handling Difficult Customers that you could use to facilitate the class.
QUOTE
You may want to draw attention to the quote and ask for reactions to it.
Instructor Note 7-2: Show the chapter objectives with PowerPoint 7-2- Learning Objectives and briefly discuss how you will address each objective throughout the chapter (e.g. strategies, support materials, activities). Also, discuss any other chapter content-related information necessary.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this chapter, and when applying the information within, you will be able to:
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Instructor Note 7-3: Have students complete the Quick ü Preview quiz, then go over their answers and tie into the chapter content. Tie them into chapter content and any other items related to what you will cover in the class.
Quick Preview Answers:
1. True
2. True
3. False
4. False
5. False
6. True
7. True
8. True
9. False
10. True
11. True
12. True
DIFFICULT CUSTOMERS
Instructor Note 7-4: Show PowerPoint slide 7-3 – Difficult Customers and briefly discuss the types of difficult customers that might be encountered.
Spend a few minutes discussing why some customers may appear to be difficult to a service provider. Stress that each service provider has a different personal behavioral style and will react to certain customers differently. The key is to treat each customer as an individual and attempt to serve to the best of their ability.
Using all the communication skills and other knowledge gained in the textbook can assist when dealing with any type of customer.
Each of the categories discussed from the slide can be difficult to handle depending on your knowledge, experience, and abilities. A key to successfully serving all of the groups is to treat each person as an individual. That means avoiding stereotyping their behavior to a point where people who demonstrate particular behavior, say or do things that remind you of previous customers, or have a certain appearance are treated the same. The act of stereotyping on your part can lead to a breakdown in the customer-provider relationship and result in your having to deal with an emotional situation.
Ultimately, successful service will be delivered through your effective communication skills, positive attitude, patience, and a willingness to help the customer. A big part of accomplishing these things will be your ability to focus on the situation or issue and not on the person. These things are especially important when dealing with difficult situations in the service environment. For, while you may not understand or appreciate a person’s behavior, they are still your customer. Strive for a positive interaction and if necessary ask for assistance from a co-worker or refer to situation to an appropriate level in your operational chain of command, based upon policy or procedure.
Many of the difficult situations you will have to deal with as a service provider will be driven by you customer’s needs, wants, and expectations. As you explore the concepts outlined in this chapter, you will discover potential service challenges, along with their cause and some strategies for effectively dealing with them.
WHY PEOPLE BUY
Instructor Note 7-5: Show PowerPoint slide 7-4 - Why People Buy. Ask students for their opinion as to why people buy and then briefly discuss what motivates customers to make purchases based on the information below and your experience and research.
Talk about the New Coke incident and how people’s buying habits are often shaped by emotion.
Elicit examples of purchases that students have made recently and their reasons for buying. Help them understand the differences between buying something they need and something they “want.”
Factors such as, needs, wants, and emotional reaction drive customer purchases. Each of these factors provide stimulus for the customer to shop, compare, and possibly purchase a product or service.
Needs are things that a customer feels compelled to address or that they feel are necessary for whatever reason. Such needs are an individual matter and are driven from an internal source or motivation that varies from one customer to the next based on their situation and background.
An important realization on your part that will assist in better serving customers is for you to acknowledge that all customers haveneeds. Since each customer’s needs are likely different, no two customers are going to like the same thing or buy the same product or service for the same reason. Because of this, some of the basic customer service techniques discussed in other chapters will aid your success in determining and addressing customer needs, while there will be times when these techniques will not help you. The diversity of customers that you will read about in Chapter 10, along with customer expectations and the various circumstances in which you and your customers find yourselves also impacts your success. Depending on the customer, situation, emotions, and other contributing factors, you may consider some customer contacts to be more challenging or difficult than others. These instances are not generally hopeless if you plan ahead and mentally prepare yourself for the extraordinary.
Another crucial factor for you to understand is that needs alone do not drive customer purchases. Research has shown that emotion or what people want often influences buying decisions. A classic example of this was demonstrated when the Coca-Cola Company decided to introduce the “New Coke.” Prior to the introduction of a newly formulated version of the original soft drink, company executives had become concerned about the slipping market margin. They were losing ground to their major competitors, Pepsi® and 7Up®, and also to their own “Diet Coke®.” Additionally, they had seen the price of sugar cane sugar rise and were looking for a way to reduce costs and increase revenue. They decided that they would introduce a new product and gradually take the original Coca-Cola® off the market. One of the things that separated the taste of Coke®, Pepsi® and Diet Coke® was that the latter two had a smoother, sweeter taste.
Before making such an important decision, the Coca-Cola management did all the right things. They experimented to find just the right combination of ingredients and market tested their product through blind taste tests (where consumers were solicited to participate in the tests, blindfolded, and asked to sample various products including the original Coke®, Pepsi®, and Diet Coke®). During the tests, consumers overwhelmingly selected the “New Coke” as their product of choice. Coca-Cola then put together fancy advertisements and an advertising campaign to introduce the product with great fanfare.
When all was said and done, Coca-Cola executives were sure they had a huge success on their hands and could see leaving Pepsi® and other products far behind in the market acceptance ratings. Instead, they failed miserably, in part due to the fact that Coca-Cola had kept secret it’s plan to remove the original Coke® from shelves the same week that the new product was released. The public was outraged and Coca-Cola had one of the greatest marketing fiascoes of the 20th Century on their hands. What they had failed to reckon with was the “emotional” reaction of the public. Even before people tasted the new product, they felt betrayed by a company they had come to trust. As a result, they rebelled and wanted the original Coke® back. After all, they had grown up with this product. Many had gotten their first Coca-Cola® as an infant in a bottle, others had given it to their children. The New Coke® was introduced on April 23, 1985. Within days, Coca-Cola was receiving thousands of calls and letters of complaint. On July 11, 1985 at a press conference, the Chairman of Coca-Cola (at the time), Roberto Goizeuta, and President and CEO, Donald Keough, announced, “We have heard you.” New Coke faded into oblivion and “Classic Coke®” was born with the original formula. The emotional public celebrated (with a Coke® of course!).
The Basis of Customer Needs
Instructor Note 7-6:
Show PowerPoint 7-5 - Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Lead a discussion of the Hierarchy of Needs and how it relates to customer service and a customer’s buying decisions.
To address customer needs you first need to understand their origin and why people buy different products in the first place. As psychologist Dr. Abraham Maslow once stated, “The human being is a wanting animal and rarely reaches a state of complete satisfaction except for a short time. As one desire is satisfied, another pops up to take its place. When this is satisfied, still another comes to the foreground and so on. It is characteristic of human beings throughout their whole lives that they are practically always desiring something.”
Figure 7-1 - Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs shows some of the typical things that
customers need. The needs are often derived from internal motivators or things that make us happy and satisfy us. A classic study on human motivation conducted by Maslow following World War II might help you understand human needs. While his work focused on the need of employees in the workplace, it has application in many other environments.
In his research, Maslow found that people have specific needs starting at the basic or physiological level where they need items that will sustain life (e.g. food, shelter, clothing, water, and air). Once people have satisfied their basic needs, they can move up
the hierarchy to others needs, such as the second level of safety or security. At that level, people focus on products and services that will help them feel protected or free from harm (e.g. insurance, firearms, security devices, and fault-free electrical or mechanical products). The third level identified by Maslow was social, which addressed the need to feel accepted, loved, or that a person fits in. Products or services that can assist in attaining this level can go a long way to making people feel successful (e.g. flowers, gifts, or other items that demonstrate love, affection, and caring). Basically, anything that can make people feel that they belong to a group or subculture will help. A fourth level of need experienced by customers is that of esteem or ego. Items that can help them feel better about themselves (self-esteem), project status or prestige, or have others respect or value them more are important (e.g. clothing, cars, furniture, jewelry, body adornments,
or grooming products). The highest level on Maslow’s hierarchy is self-actualization or in the vernacular of a U.S. Army recruiting slogan, “Be all you can be.” Anything that can help customers attain their highest potential addresses this final need category (e.g. educational software, professional development seminars, or tools that enhance effectiveness and efficiency).
To relate Maslow’s theory to reasons that customers become dissatisfied and difficult to
deal with, think about a situation where a customer goes into a gas station convenience store on the way home from working in a very stressful job. He earns minimum wage and
his wife is unemployed at the moment. Recently he had to quit taking classes at a local college, where he was trying to get an associate degree in order to qualify for a higher paying job, because he had to take a second job to help support the family. He has two sick toddlers at home and has stopped in after purchasing gas to get cough medicine. He specifically chose this convenience store because he had see a flyer in the morning paper indicating that cough syrup was on sale. When he checked the shelf, the product is out of stock. The customer is not happy!
Instructor Note 7-7: Have students complete Worksheet 7-1 - Determining Needs (http://www.mhhe.com/lucas05). Once they have done so, lead a discussion where you check the accuracy of their answers. If you would like to give them additional practice identifying needs, divide them into groups and have each group develop at least two additional statements that a customer might use to exemplify each of the five Maslow needs.
Customer Expectations
As you have read in earlier chapters, today’s customers are more discerning, better educated, have access to more up-to-date and accurate information, and are often demanding. They have certain expectations about your products and services, and the way that you will provide them. Figure 7-2 - Typical Customer Expectations shows some of the common things that your customers might expect from a service organization. Failure to provide some or all of these can lead to dissatisfaction and in some cases confrontation and/or loss of business.
Instructor Note 7-8:
Use Figure 7-2 – Typical Customer Expectations to discuss typical customer expectations of people, products, and services. Elicit additional expectations that students themselves have as customers. You could also include a discussion, with examples, of how holiday buying is often based on “wants” more than needs. Exchange ideas about the difference in the two and how it impacts the ability to provide quality service.
THE ROLE OF BEHAVIORAL STYLE
As you saw in Chapter 6, behavioral style preferences play a major part in how people interact. Styles also impact the types things people want and value. For example, people with high Expressive tendencies will likely buy more colorful and people-oriented items than someone who has a high Decisive tendency. People with high Inquisitive styles will often seek out items and information that is a better quality and which has been rated by highly consumer publications. People with high Rational styles will often be concerned about the warranties that cover items and their safety and durability performance.
The more you know about style tendencies, the easier it becomes to deal with people in a variety of situations and to help match their needs with the products and services you and your organization can provide. Take a few minutes to return to Chapter Six to review Figure 6-3 before going further in this chapter. The suggested strategies found there can assist you in dealing with customers who exhibit a specific behavioral style preference and are upset, irrational, or confrontational. Keep in mind that everyone possesses all four behavioral styles and can display various types of behavior from time to time. For that reason, carefully observe your customer’s behavior and use the information you learned about each style as an indicator of the type of person with whom you are dealing. Do not use such information as the definitive answer for resolving the situation. Humans are complex and react to stimuli from their surroundings in various ways, so adapt your approach as necessary. Additionally, learn to deal with emotions in an effort to better resolve or prevent escalated emotional situations when serving customers.
Handling Emotions with The Emotion Reducing Model
An important factor to remember when dealing with people who are emotionally charged (e.g. mildly irritated, angry, upset, crying, or raising their voice) is that they are typically upset with the structure, process, organization, or other factors over which you and/or they have no control. They are usually not upset with you (unless you have provoked them by exhibiting poor customer service skills or attitude).
Before you can get your customer to calm down, listen, and address the situation, you must first deal with her or his emotional state. Once that is done, you can then proceed to use problem-solving strategies, discussed later in this chapter, to assist in resolving her or his issue. Until you reduce their emotion, they will not likely listen to you or be receptive to what you are saying or your attempts to assist them. In some cases, she or he may even become irritated because you are perceived as being non-empathetic or uncaring.
To help calm the customer down, you must send verbal and nonverbal messages that are customer-focused. To accomplish this, you need to demonstrate patience and use all the positive communication skills you read about in Chapters 3-5. Most important among those skills is the ability and willingness to calmly listen to what the customer has to say without interrupting or interjecting your views. This is a lesson taught to many law enforcement officers when they are learning to deal with crisis situations (e.g. domestic disturbances where two people in a household are fighting or some other conflict scenario is in progress). If your customer perceives that you are not attuned to his or her emotional needs or if he or she thinks you are not working in the customer’s best interests, you become part of the problem, rather than part of the solution.
One approach that you can take to assist is to remember that a customer generally wants to be respected and acknowledged as an individual and as being important. As you interact, you can soften the situation and reduce emotion by providing customer-focused responses throughout the dialog. Simple customer-focused messages can put you on a friendly (human) level while at the same time helping to calm the emotion.
Here’s how the Emotion Reducing Model works. As a customer approaches (or when you answer the telephone) greet him or her with “Good morning/afternoon,” a smile, and open body language and gesturing (a customer-focused message). Additionally, as they explain their problems (emotion), you can offer statements such as, “I see,” “I can appreciate you concern, frustration, or anger,” or “I understand how that can feel.”(customer-focused messages) Such statements can help you psychologically mesh with the customer. Continue to use positive reinforcement and communication throughout your interaction. Once the issue has been identified and resolved (problem resolution), take one more opportunity at the end of your interaction to send a customer-focused message by smiling, reassuring the customer, and thanking them for allowing you to assist. Also, one last apology may be appropriate for any inconvenience, frustration, mistreatment, and so on (customer-focused).
Instructor Note 7-9: Lead a discussion on purchases made by typical customers and what drives them. Elicit examples of items students have purchased recently that they really needed, and those purchased because of emotion (they simply wanted something). Relate this to buying habits of customers. You may want to refer back to sections of Chapter 6 to review some of the characteristics of the various styles and relate how these characteristics impact customer buying and satisfaction decisions.
Instructor Note 7-10:
Use PowerPoint slide 7-6 – Emotion-Reducing Model and Figure 7-3- Emotion Reducing Model to review the elements of this model and how it can be used to defuse emotional customer situations. Once you have provided an overview of the model, show a flipchart with the following questions on it (or provide a handout with them) and have students individually answer the questions. After a few minutes ask for volunteers to share what they wrote and discuss as a class.
What types of customer interactions have you been involved with (as a provider or customer) in which heightened emotions were present? What emotional behavior was present (e.g. frustration or anger)? What was done to effectively address the emotion? What was done that was not effective? How can you prevent making any of the mistakes you just identified when dealing with your customers?
WORKING WITH DIFFICULT CUSTOMERS
Most customers have a specific type of product or service in mind when they contact your organization. They are also willing to let you help them if you do so in a positive, pleasant and professional manner. There are many others who, because of their own outlook on life, attitude, personal habits, or background, may cause you frustration and require additional effort. The key is to expect the latter type of people and try to service them to the best of your ability. Additionally, with difficult customers, you should remain calm and professional.
Instructor Note 7-11: Before reviewing the text related to difficult customers, elicit and flip chart a list of difficult customer situations from students. Comment on each presented and tie into content in this chapter. Any types that are not addressed in this chapter can be the basis of an activity at the end of the chapter in which students list each difficult situation and then brainstorm and share ideas for handling them. Or, if you prefer, you can have the class do that activity as a group.
Angry Customers
Dealing with angry people requires a certain amount of caution due to the emotional nature of the situation. For you to effectively serve an angry customer, you must move beyond the emotions to discover the reason for his or her anger.
Instructor Note 7-12: Use PowerPoint 7-7 - Angry Customers (1) and 7-8 Angry Customers (2), to lead a discussion on dealing with angry customers. Go over the strategies for effectively dealing with an angry customer.
Tell the customer what you can do, rather than what you cannot do. If you say,
"Our policy won't permit us to give you a refund," you can expect an angry
response. On the other hand, you might offer, "What I can do is issue a store
credit that may be used at any of our twelve branch stores in the city."
Before dealing with customers, check with your supervisor to see what your
policies are and what level of authority you have in making decisions. By having
this information BEFORE a customer encounter, you have the tools and
knowledge necessary to handle your customer’s more effectively and
professionally.
You cannot and should not try to deny the customer’s anger. To do so could
result in a severe verbal or physical confrontation. Instead of saying, "You really
don't have to be upset," try, "I can see you're upset. I want to help resolve this
issue, so could you please help me understand what's happened?"
By taking this approach, you've acknowledged his or her feelings, demonstrated a
willingness to assist, and solicited the customer’s participation in resolving the
issue.
Use words that reassure the customer that in addition to understanding why he or
she is angry, you will work to resolve the underlying concerns. Statements such as
the following can help ease the frustration of your customers:
“I’m going to do my best to help resolve this quickly.”
“I can assure you that this will be resolved by Monday.”
“You can rest assured that I am going to make this a priority.”
As we discussed earlier, becoming part of the problem is not the answer. Even if
the customer raises his or her voice, or uses profanity, remain calm. This may be
difficult, however, it will help keep the situation from escalating. If necessary,
count to ten in your head and take a deep breath before responding. Remember,
angry customers are normally angry at the organization, product, or service that
you represent, not at you. If they do not settle down, calmly, but assertively,
explain that while you want to assist, you cannot do so until they help by
providing information. If possible, suggest moving to a secluded area away from
other customers and contact a supervisor or team leader, if appropriate.
Through a combination of asking questions, listening, feedback and analyzing
data received, try to determine the root cause. The cause could be simply that the
customer misunderstood what was said or given to them. In such an instance, a
clarification may be all that is required. Try something like, “There seems to be
some confusion, may I explain” or possibly, “It appears that I was unclear, may I
explain?”
When people are angry, they need the opportunity to vent their frustration and be
heard. Avoid interrupting or offering "Yes but..." types of remarks. This only
fuels their anger. For example, a customer calls to make an appointment for an oil
change and is told the special sale ended yesterday. The customer then says that
there was no indication in the advertisement he saw in the paper that there was an
expiration date. You respond with, “Yes, that’s true, but we always run our sale
ads for only one week; everybody knows that.” In this case, that was obviously
not true and the customer is now upset. A better response would be something
like, “Although that sale ended yesterday, we will honor the coupon because the
expiration date was inadvertently omitted from the advertisement.“ The reality in
such cases is that it usually makes no real difference if you give such a
concession. You actually build stronger customer relationships in doing so
because you are bringing in money you might not have gotten if the customer got
upset. Additionally, the customer is now satisfied, may tell others, and will likely
return.
In any event, you should then inform your supervisor of the problems being
created by a lack of expiration date on coupons.
Don't do things that will create further tension. For instance, don't: (1) transfer a caller to another telephone extension if the customer told you he or she has already been transferred several times; (2) interrupt to serve another customer (especially for a telephone caller – unless your organization’s policy requires that you do so); or (3) put the person on hold repeatedly to handle other customers or tasks not related to serving the original customer.
Elicit ideas from the customer on how to solve the problem. If the customer’s suggestions are realistic and possible, implement them. If the ideas are not possible, negotiate an alternative. By using their suggestions, you are likely to gain their agreement. Additionally, if something goes wrong later, they may be less likely to complain again since it was their idea.
Don't assume the organizational system will work as designed. If there is a
breakdown, the customer has your name and may let your supervisor know of the
situation. Or, the customer may not complain, but go to a competitor. Either way,
you lose.
Once an agreed upon solution has been implemented, take the time to follow-up to ensure all went well. This may involve personally calling accounting to ensure that proper credits were made, delivering an order or materials to shipping yourself, or calling/writing the customer after a period of time to reinforce their value, ensure the customer's satisfaction and offer future assistance. Whatever it takes, do it to ensure customer satisfaction; under promise and over deliver.
Instructor Note 7-13: Have students pair up and complete Work It Out 7.1- Dealing With Angry Customers, then as a group discuss their results.
Dissatisfied Customers
Occasionally you encounter customers who are dissatisfied or unhappy when you meet them. Possibly they have been improperly served by you or one of your peers, or a competitor in the past. Even if you were not personally involved in their previous experience, you represent the "organization" or may be considered "just like that last service employee." Unfair as this may be, you have to try to make these customers happy.
Instructor Note 7-14: Elicit a definition of “dissatisfied customer” from your students. Use this and the information in the text to lead a discussion on what makes someone be a dissatisfied customer and what service providers can do to prevent and deal with such customers. You may want to talk about the impact of dissatisfied customers related to lost business (present and in the future).
After the discussion, show PowerPoint 7.9 - Dissatisfied Customers and go over the strategies for dealing with dissatisfied customers listed in the text.
Take the time to actively listen as outlined in Chapter Four. Often, when
someone is upset all they want is to know that you're willing to attend to their
concerns.
Even though these types of people drain your energy, don't get drawn into a
scenario where you begin to mirror their discontent or agree with their putdowns
of your company, competitors, peers, products, or services. This only fuels their
fire. If appropriate, smile, and interject positive comments into the conversation
as you listen to determine an effective course of action.
Additionally, keep in mind what you read about the power of positive language in
Chapter 3.
Instructor Note 7-15 : Review Figure 7.4 -Positive Wordingon positive alternatives to
language with students. Elicit other examples that students can think of. Lead a
discussion on how language can escalate or reduce emotion in a situation.
Sometimes a typically cheerful greeting is not possible because a customer
verbally attacks you before you even realize they are present (e.g. you pick up a
ringing phone or they walk up as you are serving another customer or looking
down or away). In such instances, listen to what the customer is saying, use
positive nonverbal cues (e.g. nodding, open/non-threatening body posture, and
possibly smiling) and inject paralanguage (e.g. Uh-huh, Hmmmm, Ahhhh, or
other vocalizations) as you read in earlier chapters. By demonstrating positive
nonverbal behaviors, you may be able to psychologically “bond” with the customer. People are less likely to attack a “friend” or someone they know and who is trying to assist them. Again, for that reason, many law enforcement officers are trained to introduce themselves and to use the person’s name when greeting them.
Your customer is typically not interested in why they did not get the product or
service he or she wanted or thought he or she paid for; the customer just wants the
issue resolved (in his or her favor). Look for ways to correct a mistake rather than
cover it up and protect. Remember, if you get defensive, you become part of the
problem and not part of the solution.
Try to remain warm, be compassionate, and show empathy to your customer’s
feelings in an effort to find the cause of the discontent. You can then attempt to
service the customer properly and promptly. Many times this can be done by
using statements such as:
“I see”
“I can relate to that”
“I understand what you’re saying”
“I can appreciate your point”
“I know how you feel” (use caution with this one if someone is very emotional, especially if you have never experienced a similar situation to that which the customer is relating. This type of comment could cause the customer to become more angry and escalate the situation).
Try to obtain as much information as possible through open-ended questions
while allowing the customer to speak. By using specific open-ended questions
you can obtain information necessary to serve them. For example, "Mr.
Washington, can you explain exactly what you expected from our service
contract?"
To prevent misunderstandings or the possibility of further escalating an
uncomfortable situation, ensure that you received the correct message. Too often,
we feel we understand the meaning of a message only to find out later that we
misinterpreted it. Test your interpretation of a customer's message by
paraphrasing it in your own words. For example, "Mr. Rasheed, if I heard you
correctly, you were told by the clerk who sold you this table that it would be
assembled upon delivery, but the driver refused to do so. Is that correct?"
Take the time to think about what the customer tells you. After you have gathered
all pertinent information to make and analyze a decision in an effort to work with
the customer to satisfy his or her needs.
Instructor Note 7-16: Have students complete Work It Out 7.2 - Identifying
Dissatisfiers, and then discuss their answers as a class.
VIDEO – Goodhands Insurance 9 minutes 37 seconds
Introduce Video
Have students take out a piece of paper and prepare to take notes based on what they see. They should note verbal and nonverbal interactions between characters, what worked, and what did not work from a service perspective.
Characters: Female Customer Service Representative (Susan Novrotsky)/ Male policy owner (Mike Chang)
Scenario: Policyholder dissatisfied because of reimbursement made on his policy following an apartment fire that destroyed all his belongings. He is emotional and aggressively attempting to get resolution. Service Representative is trying to gather information to resolve the issue.
Show Video (Stop after the dialog and before Susan does a synopsis of what she thinks went well or not so well).
Debrief Video:
What was going on in this scenario?
Based on what you know, was the customer justified in his claim and stance or not? Why or why not?
What did the Customer Service Representative do to handle the situation that was effective?
What did the Customer Service Representative do that was ineffective from a service standpoint?
What could the Customer Service Representative have done differently to positively influence the service outcome?
What other observations do you have about the situation?
How can you use this scenario to improve your own service delivery?
Show Susan’s Summary of the Scenario
Discuss any additional student thoughts or reactions.
Indecisive Customers
Instructor Note 7-17: Using PowerPoint 7.10 - Indecisive Customers, lead a discussion on what service providers can do to assist someone in decision making without appearing pushy.
You will encounter people who for one reason or another cannot or will not make a
decision. They sometimes spend hours vacillating back and forth. In some cases
indecisive customers truly do not know what they want or need, such as when searching
for a gift on some special occasion. At other times you may have to serve customers who
are afraid they will choose incorrectly. In these instances, all of your communication
skills need to come into play, otherwise these people will occupy large amounts of your
time. Indecisive customers can detract from your ability to effectively do your job or to
assist other customers.
You should be aware that some people really are "just looking" as they scout out sales,
kill time between appointments, relax, or are simply lonely and want to be around others.
Keep in mind that while indecisive people (especially if you have a high D
behavioral style preference) can be frustrating, however, he or she is still a
customer. Like any other customer, you should greet him or her and offer to
assist. If he or she refuses your help or want to browse, that’s fine, but tell him or
her where you will be and then keep an eye on the person in the event he or she
signals for assistance.
Just as you would do with a dissatisfied customer, try to get as much background
information as possible. The more data you can gather, the better you can evaluate
the situation, determine needs, and assist in resolution of any issue(s).
Use the techniques learned in Chapter 4 on listening to gather information. Focus
on verbal and non-verbal messages for clues to determine emotions, concerns, and
interests.
Explain other alternatives that will reinforce decision-making and reduce the
customer’s anxiety. For example, "Ms. Sylvester, if you find the colors don't
match your wallpaper, you have 30 days to return it." This approach shows that
you are informed and trying to assist while at the same time may help the person
make up his or her mind. Suggesting a warranty or exchange possibility may
make the customer more secure in the decision-making process.
By assertively, not aggressively, offering suggestions or ideas, you can help customers make a decision. Note that you are helping them, not making the
decision for them. If you push your preferences on them, they may become
angry, return the item or be frustrated later. Then you, or someone else, will have
to deal with a dissatisfied customer.
Instructor Note 7-18: Have students complete Work It Out 7.3 – Helping an Indecisive Customer, then review their results as a group.
NOTE: As an alternative to Work It Out 7.3, ask the following questions and elicit responses from various students:
Think of a time when a service provider pressured you into making a decision to buy a product or service. Were you ultimately satisfied or dissatisfied? Why or why not? Did you keep the product or service? If you kept it, did you use it?
Instructor Note 7-19: Elicit a list of the students primary behavioral styles from their activity in Chapter 6. List these along with each students name on a flip chart or other writing surface. Next divide the students into groups based on their primary style. In their groups, have them spend approximately 5-7 minutes generating a list of characteristics that they believe makes someone seem assertive.
After the allotted time has expired, discuss the group listings. Note any trends in terminology by the different groups. Point out that often based on personal style preference, some people perceive behavior as domineering where others see the same characteristics as assertive. Stress the point that while some may view a customer’s behavior as boorish, others may not. For that reason, they should use caution to stay objective in the handling of ALL customers so they do not end up escalating emotions by their own nonverbal reactions or behavior.
Demanding or Domineering Customers
Based on the situation, some customers can be demanding for a number of reasons. Many times a domineering behavior is part of a personality style, as discussed in Chapter 6. In other instances, it could be a reaction to past customer service encounters. A demanding customer may feel a need to be or stay in control, especially if he or she felt out of control in the past. Often, such people are insecure.
Instructor Note 7-20. Show PowerPoint 7.11-Demanding Customers and discuss demanding or domineering customers.
ASK: Can you think of a time when a service provider pressured you into a decision
to buy a product through his or her comments and/or persistence? Were you
ultimately satisfied or dissatisfied? Why? Did you keep the product? If so, did you
use it?
Don't raise your voice or verbally retaliate. This may only cause your
customer to revert to past negative learned behavior. Remember as a child
when someone called you a name and you retaliated by responding by
yelling back. Soon voices raised, and possibly shoving started. This is how
we learn behavior that we often repeat as adults. The outcome of such an
episode is that both you and the customer lose once a situation escalates.
Treat your customer’s fairly and use positive service strategies such as making
eye contact, smiling, using the customer’s name, apologizing where necessary and
appropriate, and reassuring the customer that he or she is important to you and the
organization.
Assertive behavior, as you read in Chapter 3 is an appropriate response to
a domineering or demanding person, aggression is not. Also, remember
the importance of treating each customer as an individual.
Don't focus on negatives or what can't be done when dealing with your
customers. Stick with what is possible and what you are willing to do. Be
flexible and willing to listen to requests. If something suggested is possible and
will help resolve the issue, compliment the person on his or her idea (e.g. “Mr.
Hollister, that’s a good suggestion, and one that I think will work”), then try to
make it happen. Doing this will show that you are receptive to other ideas, are
truly working to assist in meeting the customer’s needs and expectations, and that
you value his or her opinion.
Also, remember that if you can psychologically partner with the person, they are
less likely to attack. You do need to make sure that your willingness to assist and
comply is not seen as giving in or backing down.
If it is, the customer may make additional demands or come back again in the
future with similar issues. To avoid this you could add to the earlier example by
saying something like, “Mr. Hollister, that’s a good suggestion, and while we
cannot do this in every instance, I think that your suggestion is one that will work
at this time.” This puts the customer on alert that while he or she may get his or
her way this time, it will not necessarily happen in the future. Another strategy is
to make a counter offer. By being thoroughly familiar with your organization’s
policies and procedures and your limits of authority, you are prepared to negotiate
with demanding customers. If they want something you cannot provide, you
might offer an alternative that will satisfy them. Remember that your goal is
customer satisfaction.
Instructor Note 7-24: Have students complete Work It Out 7.4 - Handling the Demanding Customer, then discuss their answers as a class.
Rude or Inconsiderate Customers
Some people seem to go out of their way to offend or get attention. While outwardly
they appear overly confident and self-assured, inside they are often insecure and
defensive. Some customer behaviors might include, raising the voice, demanding to
speak to a supervisor, using profanity, cutting in front of someone else in a line, being
verbally abrupt (snapping back at you) even though you’re trying to assist, calling you
by your last name viewed on a nametag (e.g. “Listen Smith”), ignoring what you say, or
otherwise going out of the way to be offensive or in control.
Instructor Note 7-25: Show PowerPoint 7.12-Rude or Inconsiderate Customers and discuss strategies for dealing with such people.
Just because the customer is exhibiting inappropriate behavior does not justify
your reacting in kind. Continue to remain calm, assertive, and in control of the
situation. For example, if you are waiting on a customer and a rude person barges
in or cuts off your conversation, pause, make direct eye contact, smile, and firmly
say, “I’ll be with you as soon as I finish with this customer sir/madam.” If he or
she insists, simply repeat your comment and let the person know, the faster you to
serve the current customer, the quicker you can get to the person waiting.
Additionally, maintaining decorum may help win the person over or at
least keep the customer in check.
Your goal is to resolve the issue and salvage the relationship. Use service
strategies learned throughout the text to do so. This will only infuriate them,
especially if embarrass them in front of others. Remember that they are still a
customer and if they or someone else perceives your actions as inappropriate, you
could lose more than just the confrontation.
Instructor Note 7-26: Have students individually complete Work It Out 7.5 –
Responding to Rudeness (encourage them to have fun with this). Next, divide them into
equal groups to discuss their results. After approximately 5-10 minutes, regroup the class
and review responses.
Talkative Customers
Some people will call or approach you, then spend excessive amounts of time discussing unrelated issues such as personal experiences, family, friends, schooling, accomplishments, other customer service situations, or the weather.
Instructor Note 7-27: Show PowerPoint 7-13- Talkative Customers and lead a discussion on talkative people and how service providers can possibly control them and the conversation.
Other customers should not have to wait while you finish conversations.
Recognize that a talkative customer’s personality style is likely primarily
Expressive and that his or her natural inclination is to connect with others. You
can still smile, acknowledge comments, and carry on a brief conversation as you
work towards completion of the service experience with the customer. For
example, if the person comments that your last name is spelled exactly like his or
her great aunt’s and then the customer asks where your family is from, you could
simply respond with “That’s interesting. My family is from...but I don’t believe we
have any relatives outside that area.” You have responded, but cut off a potential
next question. Anything less would probably be viewed as rude from the
customer’s perspective. Anything more could invite additional discussion. Your
next statement should then be business related (e.g. “Is there anything else I can
assist you with today?”).
Use questions designed specifically to determine the customer’s needs or
concerns.
Once needs are determined, switch to closed-ended questions to better control and
shorten the opportunity for customer input. You can limit talking opportunities by
using more closed than open-ended questions.
Keep in mind that if you spend a lot of time with one customer, other
customers may be neglected. You can do this through questioning and
through statements that let the customer know you are working on serving them.
In some cases a statement such as, “I know you said you have a lot of shopping to
do, so I won’t keep you any longer. Thanks for coming in. Please let me know if I
can assist in the future,” might work. Remember to focus on how your ending the
interaction is to benefit the customer. Otherwise, he or she may feel put off.
Instructor Note 7-28: Either take the class to a mall for observations or assign
Work It Out 7.6 – Building Your Skills as an out-of-class activity. Have them note
service behaviors and write the effective ones down. When they return to the classroom,
spend time discussing their observations and the implications to customer service that
they will provide.
Internal Customers
As we examined in earlier chapters, you have to deal with internal as well as external customers. While all your interactions with internal customers may not be difficult, they can often be more precarious than dealing with outsiders. After all, you see peers and co-workers regularly around your organization and because of your job, office politics and protocol, you often have to continue to interact with them for the duration of your tenure at the organization. For that reason, you should extend all the same courtesies to internal customers that you do to external ones. In some cases, more so.
Instructor Note 7-29: Elicit a definition of what an internal customer is from students then lead a discussion on the importance of providing the same quality service to them that they do to external customers. Use PowerPoint 7.14 - Internal Customers to discuss strategies for enhancing interactions with internal customers.
Since relationships are so important within the organization, go out of your way to contact internal customers periodically. This might be by dropping by their work area to say hello, sending an e-mail, or leaving a voice mail message. Doing this can keep the door to communication open so that if service does someday break down, you have a better chance of hearing about it and resolving the issue amiably. In addition to your “normal” internal customers, do not forget the importance of your relationships with the cleaning crew (remember that they service your office and work area), security (they protect you, your organization, and your vehicle), and the information systems people (they maintain computer equipment). All of these groups and many others within the organization add value and can be a big help at some point.
Too often service providers forget the importance of internal customers. Because of familiarity, they sometimes become lax and tend to not give the attention to internal people that they would to those customers outside the organization. This can be a big mistake. For example, if you depend on someone else to give and get products or services, your relationship with them is just as crucial as the ones you have with external customers. Don’t forget that if you depend on an internal supplier for materials, products, or information used to service outside customers, such people can negatively impact your ability to serve by delaying or withholding the items you need. Such actions might be unintentional or intentional, depending on your relationship.
To prevent or at least reduce such possibilities, honor all commitments made to internal customers. If you promise something, do your best to deliver, and do so in the time agreed upon. If something is not possible, then say so when your customer asks. If something comes up, let them know of the change in a timely manner. Remember, it is better to under promise and over deliver than vice
versa. If you beat a deadline, then they will likely be pleasantly surprised and appreciative.
Some people hold onto anger, frustration and other emotions related to others rather than getting it out into the open and dealing with it. Not only is this potentially damaging to your health as a result of stress-related illnesses, but it can also destroy working relationships. Whenever something goes wrong or an issue
surfaces that is on your mind, you should go to the person and, using the feedback skills you learned in Chapter 3, talk about the situation. Failure to do so can result in disgruntled internal customers, damage to the customer-supplier relationship, and your personal reputation. Don’t forget that you will continue to rely on your customer in the future, so you cannot afford a relationship problem.
Through your words and actions, go out of your way to let your customer and your boss know that you nave a positive, can-do, customer-focused attitude. Let both know that you will do whatever it takes to create an environment where internal and external customers are important. Additionally, regularly demonstrate your commitment to proactive service. This means gathering information, products, information, and other tools before coming into contact with a customer so that you are prepared to deal with a variety of situations and people. It also means doing the unexpected for customers and providing service that makes them excited about doing business with you and your organization.
Instructor Note 7-30: Use PowerPoint 7.15 - Adopting Good-Neighbor Policy, to lead a discussion on strategies for fostering good relations with coworkers and internal customers.
Take a proactive approach to building internal relationships in an effort to head of
potential negative situations in the future. If your internal customers reside within
your department, try to act in a manner that will preserve sound working
relationships.
This can beespecially annoying if you work in a cubicle environment where
sound travels easily. Respect your coworkers right to work in a professional
environment. If you must hold meetings or gatherings, go to the breakroom,
cafeteria, or elsewhere away from the work area.
Demonstrate professionalism in your dress and grooming. Avoid excessive
colognes and perfumes which might offend or cause problems for people with
allergies.
Business necessity sometimes requires you to be away from your workspace, and
policy indicates that you should forward phones to someone else. Do not abuse
this policy or your coworkers may retaliate in kind or get upset with you.
Personal problems are a natural occurrence in human beings, however you should
not bring them to the workplace and burden coworkers with your issues. If you
are dealing with personal problems and need assistance, go to your supervisor/ team leader or human resources for suggested help. Just remember that if you get a reputation for always having personal problems in the workplace, your career could suffer.
Getting involved in office gossip can be a formula for disaster. Your purpose in
the workplace is to serve the customer and do your job. If you have time to spread
gossip and excessively network with others, then you should approach your
supervisor/team leader about new job opportunities to help you learn new skills.
This can increase your effectiveness and marketability in the workplace.
By being willing to assist co-workers, you can build a reputation for dependability
and as team player. If you have spare time and your co-workers need assistance
with a project, volunteer to help out. They may do the same at some point in the
future when you are feeling overwhelmed with a project or assignment.
One of the fastest ways for you to suffer a damaged Relationship, or lose the trust
and confidence of your co-workers and customers, is to be caught in a lie. Use
your word as your bond.
Failing to be truthful can negatively impact trust and can damage relationships.
THE PROBLEM-SOLVING MODEL
When customers have a complaint or an issue to be solved, they want solutions, not excuses. To ensure that you address customer needs effectively in these situations, you need to be effective at problem solving. Figure 7.5 – The Problem-Solving Model shows a concise five-step model for problem solving.
Before you begin to solve a customer’s problem, consider the fact that he or she may not really want you to “solve” the problem. In some cases a person simply wants to vent frustration or be heard. This is where the empathetic listening you have read about will come in handy. In many cases, your customer will often have a solution in mind when he or she calls or comes in. Your role may be to simply listen and offer to facilitate the implementation of the suggested solution. In some situations, you may have to “plant a seed” by asking an open-ended question that suggests a solution. If the customer picks up on your “seed” and nourishes it, you still end up with an outcome to which he or she feels ownership. For example, assume a customer wants a product that you do not have in stock. Instead of saying, “I’m sorry, that item is out of stock,” you could ask a question such as, “How do think ______ would work as an alternative?” You have now subtly made a suggestion without saying, “You could use ____ instead, it does the same thing.”
If you jointly resolve an issue, the customer feels ownership. Such ownership can help him or her feel that it is their decision and will more likely result in a satisfied customer.
The following are some key actions involved in that process.
Instructor Note 7-31:
Spend a few minutes discussing the role of service providers in identifying and solving customer problems. Refer students to Figure 7-5 - The Problem-Solving Model, in the text.
Use PowerPoint 7-16 - The Problem-Solving Process and discuss the Problem-Solving Model using the information in the text as a basis.
Step 1- Identify the problem
Before you can decide on a course of action, you must first know the nature and scope of
the issue you are facing. Often, the customer may not know how to explain his or her
problem well, especially if he or she speaks English as a second language or has a
communication-related disability. In such cases, it is up to you to do a little detective
work and ask questions or review available information.
Begin your journey into problem solving by apologizing for any inconvenience you or
your organization has caused. The customer likely wants someone to be responsible. A
simple, "I'm sorry you were inconvenienced, how may I assist you?," coupled with some
of the other techniques listed in this book can go a long way to mending the relationship.
Take responsibility for the problem or concern, even if you didn't actually cause it.
Remember that you represent the organization to the customer. Since you are
representing the company, you are "chosen" to be responsible. Don't point fingers at other
employees, policies, procedures, or other factors. It is also important to let the customer
know that you are sincerely remorseful and will do whatever possible to quickly and
effectively resolve the issue.
Step 2 – Analyze the problem
To be able to effective determine a course of action, you need as much information as
possible and a thorough understanding of what you are dealing with. To get that data,
requires the use active listening and a little investigative work. You may need to collect
information from a variety of sources, such as sales receipts, correspondence, the
customer, public records, the manufacturer, and organizational files.
In gathering data, you should also do a quick assessment of how serious the problem is.
You may be hearing about one incident of a defective product or inefficient service. In
fact, there may be many unspoken complaints. Als0o, look for patterns or trends in
complaints.
Once you have collected information through questioning and from other sources, spend
some time looking over what you have found. If time permits and you think it necessary
or helpful (e.g. the customer is not standing in front of you or on the telephone) ask for
the opinions of others (e.g. co-workers, team leader/supervisor, technical experts).
Ultimately, what you are trying to do is determine alternatives available to you that
will help satisfy the customer and resolve the issue.
Step 3 – Identify alternatives
Let the customers know you are willing to work with them to find an acceptable
resolution to the issue. Tell them what you can do, gain agreement, then set about taking
action.
Since you are just being brought into the situation when a customer notifies you of a
problem or their dissatisfaction, you can offer an objective, outside perspective. Use this
perspective to offer suggestions or viewpoints that the customer may not see or has
overlooked. Additionally, make sure you consider various possibilities and alternatives
when thinking about potential resolutions. Look out for the best interests of your
customer and your organization. To do this, be willing to listen to the customer’s
suggestions and to “think out of the box” for ideas other than the ones that you and your
organization typically use. Don’t opt for convenience at the risk of customer satisfaction.
If necessary, seek any necessary approval from higher authority to access other options
(e.g. to make a special purchase of an alternate item from a manufacturer for the
customer, or to give a refund even though the timeframe for refunds has expired
according to organizational policy).
Step 4 – Evaluate alternatives
Once all the facts have been collected, look at your alternatives or possible options. Be
careful not to let cost be the deciding factor. A little extra time and money spent to
resolve an issue could save a customer and prevent recurring problems later. Consider the
following factors in this evaluation process:
What is the most efficient way to resolve this issue?
Which are the most effective options for resolving this issue?
Which options are the most cost effective?
Will the options being considered resolve the issue and satisfy the customer?
Step 5 – Make a decision
Based on the questions in Step 4, and any others you wish to use in evaluation, make a
decision on what your course of action will be. To do this, ask the customer:
"Which option would you prefer?"
This simple question now puts the customer into the decision making position and he or
she feels empowered. It now becomes his or her choice and recurring problems may be
avoided. If the customer’s request is reasonable and possible, proceed and resolve the
issue. If not, negotiate a different alternative.
Step 6 –Monitor the results
Once you make a decision, monitor the impact or results. Do not assume your customer is satisfied, especially if negotiation occurred between the two of you.
You can monitor the situation with a follow-up call, asking if he/she needs anything else when you see him/her, or sending a written follow-up (e.g. thank-you letter with query concerning satisfaction, service survey, or e-mail).
If you determine that your customer is not satisfied or additional needs are present go back to Step 1 and start over.
Instructor Note 7-32: Spend a few minutes reviewing the key aspects of the chapter. Review the objectives in doing so and use a question and answer format to determine what students learned.
Dealing with various types of people can be frustrating but it can also be very satisfying. Many times you will have to deal with a variety of internal and external customers, including those who are angry, indecisive, dissatisfied, demanding, domineering, rude, or talkative. Your goal in all your efforts should be to work harmoniously with all customers. Whenever you can address customer needs in a variety of situations and find an acceptable solution, you, the customer, and the organization wins. To effectively assist customers doesn't take magic; all it takes is a positive attitude, preparation, and a sincere desire to help others. Through using the techniques outlined in this chapter, and others in this book, you're on your way to providing stellar customer service and satisfying customer needs.
SERVICE IN ACTION – Southwest Airlines
Instructor Note 7-33
Share the Southwest philosophy that is voiced through their mission statement and how it has helped the company build a solid reputation with customers. You may want to look the company up on the Internet to find additional facts and stories about Southwest Airlines which can be shared with the class.
KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS
Instructor Note 7-34
Use the key terms and concepts at the end of the chapter as a review vehicle, if desired. This might be in the form of a verbal quiz in which you ask students randomly to define the terms or describe the concepts.
CHAPTER REVIEW QUESTIONS
Instructor Note 7-35: Have students individually answer the Chapter review, then review their answers as a group.
Possible Answers for Chapter Review Questions:
Basic = impacts a customer’s need for survival items such as, food, shelter, and
clothing. Failure to be able to access these items can lead to frustration and bring
out a primal instinct for survival. For example, someone who needs provisions to
withstand a natural disaster such as a hurricane or blizzard.
Safety = creates a need for a feeling of security. For example, someone who
decides to provide more protection for his or her families with items such as
security alarms, locks, weapons, or security services.
Social = leads people to desire camaraderie or companionship. For example,
services such as restaurants, entertainment, and other businesses where people gather would serve this need.
Esteem = focuses on the need for acceptance by and perceptions of others. For example someone might seek out clothing, accessories, or health and beauty aids that make them more attractive and appealing to others.
Self-Actualization = drives people to want to achieve his or her maximum potential. This desire could lead to someone’s seeking out professional development services and materials (e.g. college classes, professional seminars, audio/videotapes, or books).
2. What causes customers to be dissatisfied and what are some strategies for appeasing them?
Failure to have needs met or inappropriate service can lead to service breakdown.
To help address the needs of a dissatisfied customer and appease them, listen,
remain positive, greet them with a smile and your name, along with an offer to
assist, don’t make excuses, be compassionate, ask open-ended questions, verify
information received, and take appropriate action.
3. What are some tactics for dealing with angry customers?
Acknowledge the customer’s feelings or anger, reassure, remain objective,
determine the cause, actively listen, reduce frustrations, negotiate a solution, be
positive, and conduct a follow-up.
4. What can you do to assist indecisive people in coming to a decision?
Be patient, ask open-ended questions, listen, suggest other options, and guide their decision-making.
5. Why might some customers feel they have to command or demand things from others?
It could be due to behavioral style preference, a reaction to past service
encounters, due to a need to be or stay in control, or they might simply be insecure.
6. How can you effectively deal with rude or inconsiderate customers?
to get even with the customer.
7. What are some steps to help regain control of a conversation with a talkative customer without offending him or her?
Remain warm and cordial, ask specific open-ended questions, use closed-end questions to control, and manage your conversation.
8. What strategies can you use to build strong relationships with co-workers?
Stay connected by periodically seeing/contacting customers and meeting all your commitments. Don’t save issues. Give feedback in a timely manner and discuss issues as needed. Build a professional reputation, establish a “good neighbor” policy. Maintain proper grooming and hygiene, avoid excessive forwarding of your telephone, and avoid dumping work on others.
9. List the strategies for effective problem solving.
Use the five-step model for problem solving: identify the problem, compile and analyze data, identify alternatives, evaluate alternatives, and make decisions.
SEARCH IT OUT
Instructor Note 7-36: Have students complete the Search It Out activity as an out-of-class assignment and be ready to present their findings at the next scheduled class meeting.
COLLABORATIVE LEARNING ACTIVITY
Instructor Note 7-37: There are two options provided for student practice in the Collaborative Learning Activity.
Option #1:
Divide students into equal sized groups and have them list each type of difficult customers identified in this chapter. Also, have them add others that they can think of. Give the groups thirty minutes to come up with at least two strategies for dealing with each category of customer (other than what is listed in this chapter).
Discuss their lists after thirty minutes.
Option #2:
Divide students into triads (three people) with two role players and one observer in each group. Have each student take turns in each of the roles (role player, listener, and observer) as they go through three separate practice scenarios. Have each person select one of the following scenarios (do not allow people in the same group to duplicate in order to have them view and experience different skills discussed in the chapter) and play the customer service provider for it. One of his/her peers will play their customer and the other will observe and provide feedback at the end. Depending on the scenario chosen, they can use copies of Worksheet 7-4 to plan their call. Each scenario will likely take less than 10 minutes to complete followed by approximately 5 minutes of feedback and discussion.
After all students have practiced their scenario and received feedback, lead a discussion on what they experienced. Ask the following questions:
What worked well for you as a “customer service provider?”
What challenges did you encounter and how the could you have overcome them to improve your message delivery.
What did you learn?
Based on what you learned, what will you do differently when dealing with actual customers on the telephone?
FACE TO FACE
Instructor Note 7-38: Have students read the case study, then individually answer the questions at the end. Once they have finished (approximately 10-15 minutes) form equal sized groups and have them discuss their answers. After 20 minutes, bring the class together and have them share their responses.
Possible Answers for Face to Face:
They were experiencing a need to have the damaged sofa replaced before their son and his wife arrived on Wednesday. They also wanted someone in authority to listen to and quickly resolve the issue. From a Maslow’s need viewpoint, they were concerned with the “esteem” need and about what their son and daughter-in-law would think if they saw the damaged sofa. As long time customers they wanted to be recognized for the value they added to Newsome’s Furniture.
The fact that Mr. and Mrs. Sommers are long time customers is important from a customer loyalty standpoint. Since all customers are valuable, you have to remember the potential that losing a customer is not good for business, especially if they tell others about the trouble they had. As part of your analysis, you should consider the possibility that the customers were never told about (or did not understand) the “as is” policy. In either event, the important point is to do some quick recovery and satisfy the couple.
was important. Also, the willingness to objectively listen, consider alternatives, and work with the customers to find a suitable resolution were all crucial in turning a negative situation into a positive one. You we able to maintain a service attitude. Through the use of positive customer service skills such as repeatedly apologizing, taking a low-key approach to gathering and sharing information, empathizing, complimenting the couple, and volunteering ideas.
PLANNING TO SERVE
Instructor Note 7-39
Have students work individually or in groups to complete the Planning to Serve activity.
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