“I did everything right!”
“I listened carefully and let her vent!”
“I explained everything calmly . . . and after all that – SHE STILL HUNG UP ON ME!!!”
These were the words of an office manager (let’s call her Paulette) who I met at a networking event. When she heard I had written a customer service book, she made a beeline to me to share her story. “After 20 years on the job, I learned to accept that some customers just can’t be reached,” she said.
Most would agree. Some customers don’t play well with others. Do you have a customer who continuously creates financial win-lose situations? Does the client behave in inappropriate ways that compromise the values, safety, or coping abilities of your most talented staff? When you identify a customer that your business is not designed to serve, it’s wise to kindly refer that person to a more compatible fit with one of your competitors.
That said, I offer a cautionary question: Could you be writing off a customer for the wrong reasons?
Could you be writing off a customer for the wrong reasons?
Paulette fell into that trap. As she recounted the details of her interaction with the customer she deemed undesirable, the real issue came to light. Here’s what happened:
Paulette’s customer was upset. She knew that the fee for services depended on several factors that couldn’t be determined up front. When all was said and done, the cost was much higher than she had hoped. She was having a hard time coping with a large fee she was obligated to pay. When Paulette phoned her customer about the amount due, she listened to a mini “freak-out” over the fee, as the customer struggled with the unexpectedly high bill.
Paulette was excited as she told me how she had responded to her customer’s shock and awe at the final total. She went into great detail, even telling me the words she used. Unfortunately, she completely missed the judgmental tone in her words. She said, “I told her – ‘You were the one who made the decision to have the repair done, weren’t you? You knew from the start that there was a chance that the cost would end up this high, didn’t you? I know that you knew what your deductible was because we talked about it. You don’t expect us to provide services without getting paid, do you?”
Yikes. Paulette didn’t even notice that she had shamed and blamed her customer. While everything she said was correct (meaning accurate) she said it all wrong. Paulette was completely unaware that she had just thrown gas on the fire - her customer’s displeasure had grown exponentially and that’s why she hung up on Paulette.
It wasn’t intentional – it just fell directly in one of Paulette’s great big blind spots. In many other areas, she is highly competent, and does many things right. In this case, she’s exposed a need to prove herself right, no matter what the cost to the customer relationship. Did I tell Paulette what she might have done differently to save the customer relationship? Nope. Why not? She didn’t ask. In her mind, this was one customer she would rather not see return. Just imagine the lost dollars in repeat and referral business.
Things to keep in mind:
- Starting a sentence with the word “you” puts the customer on the defensive.
- Ignoring a customer’s upset feelings intensifies those feelings. Acknowledge them and express your sympathy.
- Notice how your thoughts affect your tone of voice. What are you thinking? When there’s even a hint of negative judgment in your thoughts, it will come through in your voice and put off your customer.
- Have a compassionate attitude. A sure fire way to lose customers is to have the attitude: “I’m going to prove that I’m right and make you admit to being wrong.” What if you thought: “I’m here to make this situation better for my customer. How can I do that?”
Notice how the following statement could have helped to calm Paulette’s customer:
“I am so sorry that the price ended up going over the minimum that you had hoped for. Do you recall when we talked about it before we got started? I know it’s not easy to hear the news when it comes in higher.”
These statements acknowledge the customer’s feelings, with no mention of who’s right and who’s wrong. (After all, who cares?) It also reminds them that the higher possible figure was discussed in advance without blaming them.
What do you think?
Do you ever feel the need to be right, even when it’s not good for your customer relationship? Have you ever discovered one of your blind spots? What might happen if you ask a trusted coworker to tell you what blind spots you have that may keep you from being the best possible service provider?
Marilyn Suttle is the co-author of the best-selling customer service book, “Who’s Your Gladys? How to Turn Even the Most Difficult Customer into Your Biggest Fan.” She is president of Suttle Enterprises, a personal and professional growth training firm through which she has taught thousands across the country how to have happier, more productive relationships with customers, coworkers, and even their children. You can reach Marilyn at Marilyn@MarilynSuttle.com#p#分页标题#e#
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