Dealing with Customers 🌎
Languages: English, French, Spanish (North America)
Media Editing: The video module(s) in this subject are editable under our Content Studio offering unless otherwise indicated. For more information about Content Studio, contact your CSM.
Description: This training, designed for a customer-facing audience, will provide learners with some key steps for dealing with difficult customers. Strategies like using positive self-talk, or when to terminate a conversation, are included in the curriculum, and learners are challenged to recall information as they answer a variety of questions based on these strategies. Finally, learners are given several opportunities to apply their knowledge in some realistic, real-world examples. After completing this training, learners will enjoy new-found confidence in their abilities to handle difficult customer interactions. Likewise, customer satisfaction scores will improve, leading to an increase in meeting sales targets.
Topics
Dealing with Difficult Customers
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This topic teaches learners how to develop and implement strategies for dealing with difficult customers. For example, learners will focus on points like: avoid sarcasm, don’t take things personally, remain professional and polite, even when the customer is not, and so on.
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Questions (level 1, 2, 3)
Video module
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Translated content is typically AI-generated, and in some instances, it's been human-reviewed. Review the list below for translation details within this topic.
English
French
Questions = human-translated
Video = human-translated
Spanish
Questions = human-translated
Video = human-translated
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Actively sympathize. After the customer vents, they want to know you understand where they are coming from and how they feel. Showing sympathy will help make the customer understand that you really are trying to help them. Respect and understanding will help you manage a difficult customer.
Be impartial. Do not offer your opinions or introduce your own biases into the conversation. Always take a neutral position on issues, but empathize with your customer’s needs. By taking a neutral position, you can resolve problems in an efficient manner.
Be professional and patient when listening to the customer. Listening patiently can help the situation, as long as the customer feels acknowledged in his or her complaint. When they are done talking, summarize what you’ve heard and ask any questions to further clarify their complaint.
Clarify your resolution and make sure your client understands what has been done at the end of the interaction. Even if the issue is not totally resolved, clarify the resolution that was reached.
Do not take it personally. The customer is not upset with you, they are upset with something your company did or didn’t do. Your job is to take the negative energy, channel it properly, and convert it to something positive.
If the complaint is covered by store policies, be respectful in pointing out the store policies.
If you are dealing with a difficult customer, try to manage the issue without the involvement of a manager or supervisor. However, if the customer requests to speak to a manager or supervisor directly, follow their wishes.
Never use sarcasm since it will only fuel the customer’s anger and worsen the situation.
Once you understand why the customer is unhappy, offer a solution. Ask them what they feel should be done or put forward your own fair and realistic answer to the problem. In most cases, that’s all the customer is looking for. A solution may result in providing some degree of satisfaction.
Regardless of whether the customer’s complaint is legitimate or not, you need to express an apology for the problem they are having (or perceive to be having). A simple, statement is often all that is needed: “I’m sorry you’re not happy with our product. Let’s see what we can do to make things right.” Sometimes upset customers just want to have someone apologize to them for the bad service. Hopefully the customer will cool down a bit once you apologize on behalf of the company.
Remain calm and maintain control of your emotions. If a customer starts yelling or being rude, do not respond in a similar manner since it will probably escalate the situation.
Dealing with Abusive Customers
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The Dealing with Abusive Customers topic teaches equips learners with essential tools to help them successfully and calmly help and interact with difficult and abusive customers. Learners will apply strategies like: avoid retaliation, use positive self-talk, use calming voices, and more.
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Questions (level 1, 2, 3)
Video module
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Translated content is typically AI-generated, and in some instances, it's been human-reviewed. Review the list below for translation details within this topic.
English
French
Questions = human-translated
Video = human-translated
Spanish
Questions = human-translated
Video = human-translated
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Be honest if you are not sure how to handle the complaint. If necessary, ask your superiors or colleagues for help.
Be professional and avoid retaliating by listening patiently and maintaining a polite and formal tone.
Calmly explain to the customer that you are attempting to help them and that they must remain calm in order to resolve the issue.
Empathize with the customer. State that you understand their frustrations and that you are working towards a common goal and resolution.
If the complaint is covered by store policies, be respectful in pointing out the store policies.
If the customer starts to use abusive language or threatens you, let them know that you will not tolerate the abuse and that you will terminate the discussion if it continues.
If you are unable to amicably finish the conversation with the customer, politely terminate the conversation.
If you are unable to deal with the customer, don’t be afraid to pass the issue to your manager or colleague.
Let the customer finish stating their position without interrupting them. If the customer interrupts you, ask that they extend you the same courtesy as you did to them.
Use positive self-talk. Give yourself confidence to deal with abusive customers and use phrases such as “I can handle this”.
