Masonry Magazine August 1999 Page. 29
Angry Customers
A Step-By-Step Guide to Turning Things Around
Something has gone wrong. You can see it in the customer's face, which is turning beet red. He may be raising his voice, or issuing veiled threats.
Your knees feel a bit weak at this verbal onslaught and you're frantically trying to compose a response while keeping your emotions in check.
You could easily encounter this situation. In fact, you probably do every so often. Handling it effectively is easier than you think if you develop and practice anger response skills. Here's what they're all about.
The Beginning:
The First 30 Seconds
First and foremost, listen. And listen immediately. No delays. And as you listen, remember the triggers that can deepen customer anger: a seemingly uncaring attitude, argumentation, or officious bureaucratic behavior. (See the accompanying sidebar "Anger Triggers: What Sets Customers Off".)
As you size up the offended customer, gauge his emotional type: Is he a methodical inquisitor? An avenger? A bureaucrat anxious to catch someone breaking the rules? A righteous victim? Understand his emotional type, and you'll be able to gear your conversation accordingly.
As the customer speaks, listen with your entire body. Arch forward a bit. Keep your head erect. Gaze at the customer, and nod as he emphasizes key points. At the same time, however, guard against displays of emotion on your part, however upset or angry you may be feeling.
If you should find yourself becoming defensive or angry, count to ten (yes, this technique really does work) or breathe deeply for a few seconds.
After the customer gets the conversation going, signal your willingness to continue: invite her to sit down, step over to a more private location, or enter your office. This simple action on your part symbolizes your interest in the customer and sets the tone for a productive resolution of the problem.
The Conversation: 2 to 10 Minutes
Allow your customer to blow off steam if she must. Early in the conversation, let her know that you take all complaints very seriously and that you're seeking a resolution of the problem. But don't promise anything at this point.
Picture yourself as an impartial observer. Let your customer know that your immediate goal is to understand the problem, as well as the circumstances that caused it, and then work with the customer to address it.
Continue to listen carefully as you walk through the problem with your customer. When you must answer a question or respond to a comment, speak slowly and thoughtfully. When the customer raises his voice, nod and make a notation on your notepad; this is an expression of your attentiveness.
If your customer's anger persists, offer a subtle reaction to his outbursts say, by moving your head back slightly whenever one occurs.
Remember the customer's emotional "profile?" Now is the time to use that knowledge. If the customer is angry that some rule wasn't followed, for instance, you might explore your procedures. If the customer feels her pride was insulted, you might praise and affirm her. Model your communication style in response to the customer.
While you must continue to actively listen, you can relax your body somewhat during this phase of the conversation. Here, you may put the customer at ease for the first time. Continue to acknowledge the legitimacy of his emotions and offer anecdotes about poor service or problems you've encountered in the past. Move physically closer to the customer when he relaxes a bit.
And if you can, ascertain why the customer is bothered by the problem. A customer who encountered a late delivery, for instance, might not be angry about the late delivery, but about having to change her plans as the result of the delay.
Attacking the Problem:
2 to 10 Minutes
Up to this point you've made no promises to the customer. In fact, you may not have said much, preferring instead to let the customer speak.
Apologize, if that's appropriate. Outline in general terms how you'll go about resolving the problem. If you can offer specifics such as correcting an error, making an adjustment on the customer's account, or replacing merchandise, do so, but be sure to underpromise rather than overpromise.
If you can't firmly resolve the problem, indicate your next step: asking another individual to look into it, for example, or investigating further, or writing a letter to a manufacturer.