Dealing With Nasty Customers
Here are some easy techniques for dealing with nasty customers effectively and helping you keep your cool and calm the customer also.
So, here we go:
1. Record the call!
Always, always record the conversation wit the customer. Inform the customer you are recording the call (very important) and commence the call wit the customer. Its important to record the telephone conversation in case the client tries to suggest you said things which you didn’t. In addition, prior to installing your recoding software, its worth a call to the DTI to clarify what you can and must do regarding calls that are recorded under the data protections act. Here is a link to the DTI (Bis.Gov) http://www.bis.gov.uk/contact
1. Stay Composed!
A common thing with nasty people (or customers) is they like to attack you directly, not your company, YOU. They may fire all types of bad language at you, covertly try and destroy you and depress you this can include the F word, the B word and the like. The handling for this then is let the client finish what they are saying then advise them if they continue to attack you on the phone, you will end the call there and then.. If they then continue to be aggressive, end the call by telling them to email you the specifics of there grudge and you are ending the call, and end it. Why this is relevant? Because you have the basic right to receive communication or give it, simple as.
Dealing With Nasty Customers
2. The Customers Worth!
We all hear the “customer is king” but actually is this true? if the customer is screaming at you and suppressing you, then the question is – is this customer worth keeping. The question alone determines your actions. Manners rule the waves; for sure this is true but in actuality if a customer treats you like dirt once they will tend to do it again. Certainly be nice to the customer, but don’t stand for aggressive behavior.
3. Stand your ground but grant beingness to the customer!
Occasionally people merely have a bad twenty-four hours and are searching for someone – literally anyone to take it out on and vent there anger. an awful, threatening customer is often one of these types of people. If you feel you have to listen to their moaning and sufferings and then answer with a charitable heart telling them you realize their frustration and you would like to work with them not against them to arrive at a settlement, you will often disperse the anger and reveal the reasonable human being..
4. Refunds
If the customer is requesting a refund or arguing about the goods, its merely about the value of the goods that determines whether you give him/her a refund. Stick to your guns on this point, its all too easy to become effect of the customer and give them a refund “just to get rid” but actually if your in the right, you dont need to do this, if you have included a standard set of terms and conditions with the sale of the item its basically the terms of sale that determines if the client is due a refund. Dont be pressured when you are in the right – dont give in!
On the other hand, if a refund is genuinely due, then send the person a refund and that’s that.
Dealing With Nasty Customers
5. If all else fails, lose the customer.
As we have covered already a happy customer tells one person about your business and its happy days, on the other hand an unhappy customer will tell 20 or more how bad you are. Word of mouth remains the best form of advertising and can be relied upon. But a customer who is trouble, creates the same and as we know bad news tends to travel fast – lightning fast.
5. Call the Police
In exceptional circumstances, when the customer is making threats towards you you can always call the Police, as threatening behavior is not ok. In addition one more tip, record all calls, this gives you evidence of threats to yourself.
End Note:
The unhappy customer may promise you the world if you refund them, lots more orders and recommendations are common false promises and believe me they normally are. Stand by your guns, be big and flourish and prosper! Dealing with Nasty Customers.
