Dealing with Customer Issues and Complaints With Jim Facente, Creative Sales Solutions

SATISFYD CX Framework

Customer Experience Program Dealing with Customer Issues and Complaints 8:00 Start with magic genie, tell

Agenda How to maintain control of a bad situation Coping with difficult customers Making yourself more resistant to difficult people How to deal with specific difficult issues How to turn your worst customer into your best customer

Characteristics of Difficult People Hard to deal with or satisfy Love to complain They know it all Fault finders Want something for nothing Continually waste your time They’re unreasonable Seem downright evil

Agenda How to maintain control of a bad situation Coping with difficult customers Making yourself more resistant to difficult people How to deal with specific difficult issues How to turn your worst customer into your best customer

Listen Focus on what the customer is saying Where’s there’s smoke there may be fire They want to be heard – don’t interrupt Let the customer tell their story Want to air their grievances Don’t allow anything to disrupt the conversation

Empathize Difference between sympathy and empathy Understand the customer’s position Image the situation How has this affected the customer

Agenda How to maintain control of a bad situation Coping with difficult customers Making yourself more resistant to difficult people How to deal with specific difficult issues How to turn your worst customer into your best customer

Accept Accept what the customer says, even though they may be wrong They think they are right, and perception is vital to a customer If a customer thinks you believe them, they will be much easier to deal with

Respect If customers feel respected, they will likely return it If they feel disrespected, they may take it as a personal attack Remember, you can learn something from everybody Everyone deserves respect

Agenda How to maintain control of a bad situation Coping with difficult customers Making yourself more resistant to difficult people How to deal with specific difficult issues How to turn your worst customer into your best customer

Control Your Emotions When you get upset you add fuel to the fire Remember, they’re upset about the situation Take a deep breath, remain in control Think before you speak If the customer rattles you give the call to someone else

Negotiate When you listen, empathize, accept, and respect, you’re paving the way to negotiate You have put a difficult person at ease You have convinced them you’re in their corner They’re more likely to drop their aggression and negotiate – they believe you’re being fair The quicker the issue is resolved the better the customer will feel

Agenda How to maintain control of a bad situation Coping with difficult customers Making yourself more resistant to difficult people How to deal with specific difficult issues How to turn your worst customer into your best customer

When a Part is not in Stock Use positive language Stop saying, “I can’t… I don’t” Say what you can do and not what you can’t do If you have the part at another location, say it’s in stock

When You Don’t Know No one is expected to know everything Avoid “I don’t know responses” Don’t guess Make the extra effort If you don’t know… find out

When Transferring a Customer No one likes to be transferred… but Sometimes you need to transfer a call Help the customer understand why they’re being transferred Refrain from saying “I’m going to have to transfer you.” It’s annoying… try Let’s get this problem resolved for you. I’m going to transfer you to _____ , who’s the best person to solve this problem for you.”

Can You Bend the Rules for Me? Most requests from customers are not unreasonable Every effort should be made to make them happy A small request fulfilled can often make a positive impression with a customer Requests you truly cannot say “Yes” to Don’t say, “It’s against our policy…” Say what you can do, not what you can’t do Showing empathy and your willingness to find an alternative lessens the sting

Unhappy with the Part or Service Having a repair or part come up short is aggravating to a customer Showing empathy becomes important Explain how you’re going to fix the situation Don’t be frugal… go above and beyond and solve the problem Starbucks & Amazon Look what happened to Sears

Did You Know?

Did You Know?

Did You Know?

Did You Know?

Agenda How to maintain control of a bad situation Coping with difficult customers Making yourself more resistant to difficult people How to deal with specific difficult issues How to turn your worst customer into your best customer

7 Secrets for Dealing with Angry Customers

Secret #1 Do not get drawn into the customer’s emotion Joke, Baggage handler. Bottom line, if you become argumentative it will only enflame the customer and the entire situation can quickly spiral out of control.

Secret #2 The BIG MISTAKE Trying to solve the problem What the customer really wants: To be heard To be listened to To let you know they’re upset

Secret #3 What You MUST Do! Shut up – and listen Let them blow off steam Don’t interrupt Don’t tell them they are wrong Don’t try to justify your actions Don’t try and solve the problem 8:00 minutes

Agree With Them! Secret #4 Hit them with the last thing they would ever expect… Agree With Them!

Secret #5 Two Magic Words… I’m sorry You must apologize in a general manner I’m really sorry this has happened I apologize, I know how upsetting this is I apologize, I can see how you would be upset 2 of the most powerful words on the face of the earth Because people would not use these 2 word, couples have gotten divorce, law suite have been filed and wars have be fought. Next – Solving the Customer’s Problem

Secret #6 Try and solve the problem Never say, “It’s our policy…” Never blame others Assure the customer you will help Focus on the solution, not the problem How Larry Allen solves the problem Next Slide Shock the customer

Shock the customer… Follow-up Secret #7 Shock the customer… Follow-up

How to be a Hero You’re a hero when you: Show that you care Listen Let the customer blow off steam Agree Apologize Solve the problem Follow-up You will turn an angry customer into one of your best customers

Use the three-strike rule Abusive Customer Use the three-strike rule

Strike One Apologize again Assure the customer you are there to help Inform the customer you can’t help if they are abusive

Strike Two Apologize again Tell the customer you are on their side Let the customer know if they continue to be abusive they will have to speak to someone else

Strike Three You don’t have to take abuse Tell the customer you are going to get management involved Allow management to solve the problem

I’m Available As A Resource To You! Call Me Anytime! Jim Facente 1-800-539-1075 x25

For more information about Jim visit: http://www.satisfyd.com/proven-experts/ Contact direct by emailing: Jim Facente jim@css12.com Contact us at: CustomerSuccess@satisfyd.com To check out more about us visit our website at www.SATISFYD.com and take our Dealer Performance Assessment at http://www.satisfyd.com/resources/performance/!