MORE Secrets to Handling Unhappy Customers...

Ready to get your unhappy customer back on your side, and seeing eye-to-eye?

So, if you've followed our first secrets, you should have your customer at a point where they have felt thoroughly "heard" -- they maybe have relaxed a little, you've taken good notes about their viewpoint and are ready to move to the "solution" stage!

Now, it is important for you to stay calm and not take anything the customer has said too personally. Yes, they might be saying unreasonable things or accusing you or your employees of high crimes, but if you become defensive now, all your time will be wasted and you'll end up back at the start. So, stay impartial!!

It even helps relax them further by showing some sympathy for their situation. You might try "I'm sorry that your experience has been (insert THEIR word here...frustrating, long, ridiculous)" or "I'm sorry you felt our service was (terrible, stinky, the worst ever)." It's important you are sincere, and it is important that you recognizing you are simply apologizing for their experience. You haven't agreed to anything except that you are sorry that they had such a bad experience, even if it was their fault...

You may feel compelled to share "your side" of the argument -- and that's normal. But don't. Not yet. First, let's finish letting the customer take us down their path and gather ALL the info you need. You have to put your ego aside and know that this isn't about YOU... it's about THEM!

Okay, so the next step is to find out what the customer really WANTS. So ask them! Just say "Tell me what you think is fair." Just that simple -- straightforward and to the point.

Likely, they will tell you...
"I want a refund" or maybe "I want you to give me a free lunch" or sometimes, if they have truly gotten everything off their chest and you have done a great job of being sympathetic and listening, they might just say "I don't want anything but an apology."

So now that they have told you want they think is "fair", you have several choices:

- If it is easy to do, just say "Sure, we can give you a free candy bar!" and be done with it.

- If it is a difficult request and you need to weigh facts, then I would say "Great - let me gather more information from my staff about what you have shared with me -- it's only fair to let them respond -- and I'll get back to you about your request."

- If the request feels out of the question, you may need to help the client see your side of things. This means gather all the facts and data you need, and then get back to the client and share your side of things.

How to share without angering your client? Remember to keep their perspective in mind -- show empathy for the reality of their experience. As you walk them through your version of events, your empathy will likely help them with THEIR empathy.

Let me illustrate using an example of a client who didn't read the proof you provided for the nametags you printed:
"Well, Mr. Jones, I understand how frustrated you must have been getting your nametag with the name Miss Jones rather than Mr. Jones. That seems like an obvious thing, doesn't it! Let me tell you about how our processes work... We take your infomation and give it to a designer, who has never met you. This designer has no idea if you are a man or woman! When the designer lays out artwork into a proof, we send the proof to our customers to they have a chance to double check EVERYTHING... the spelling, colors, and design. From there, we count on our clients to check every and all details. We can't possibly be responsible for approving all the layouts -- there are too many and we can't know if we are always right or wrong!"

Once you've had a chance to explain your perspective, most clients will begin to see your side of things -- and maybe want to argue a point or two. Listen carefully -- sometimes the client is right, even when we don't like them!!

Next, its your turn to offer what you CAN do. Maybe nothing... maybe exactly what they want. But maybe a compromise!!

Maybe like this?

"I tell you what, Mr. Jones, I can see you're unhappy and we don't want to lose your business or have you leave with a bad experience. How about if we reprint it for you -- and you promise to review the proof this time -- and we'll give you 50% off your NEXT order?"

Chances are good, if the client is reasonable, if you have let them get their feelings off their chest, if you are open to learning something new, and you are eager to keep your customer.... a resolution will be found!

Does this process always work? No, not always.
Are some customers impossible to please? Yes, but rarely.

Also, this technique takes practice. I've been dealing with customers for years, and there are still times that I can find myself getting emotional and wanting to fight with my client, rather than resolve the problem.

Next, we'll be talking about good negotiating tips you can use to resolve complex or thorny problems with your customers!