Dealing With That Unhappy Customer

Things aren’t going well:

“I am willing to pay for your services – I just didn’t get what I paid for.”

“If I was advised of the charges upfront, I wouldn’t have agreed to them.”

“This is not the way I understood it. I am frustrated with your company.”

What do you do when you are dealing with an unhappy customer? How do you get past their unreasonable demands?

Let’s assume that once you’ve reviewed the situation you realize you haven’t made a mistake, rather the customer is mistaken. Unfortunately, in their eyes you will never be right – you will never win, so where do you go from here?

Step #1 – Focus on the problem

You have to set aside any feelings that you have about the situation not being your fault or that the criticism is unfair. Rather you want to step into your role as a problem-solver.

If you hear their complaint as a personal attack and become emotionally involved then you will react to their outburst and this will only serve to inflame the situation and steer you away from a solution.

Step #2 – Listen Actively

Put yourself in the customer’s position and consider his/her basis for being upset. Start the dialogue with a neutral statement, for example, “Let’s see if we can figure out what’s happened,” or “Tell me more about why you are upset.” This puts the two of you on the same side of the table focusing on how best to solve the problem. You are no longer involved in an adversarial tug-of-war, but rather are working together toward a mutual solution.

It is important to resist the temptation to solve the problem right away or jump to a conclusion about what happened. Rather let your customer tell their story and confirm you are hearing what they are saying by repeating back key points, for example, “You are upset because the bill was higher than what you had originally planned for, is that correct?”

Step #3 – Be Empathic and Apologize

Demonstrate you understand the customer’s concerns by showing you understand why they are upset. For example you could say, “I understand why you are upset. I would be too if I was planning on paying one amount and then discovered the bill was actually higher.”

Step #4 – Present a Solution

Suggest a solution and if the customer accepts it then make sure the customer has your contact details – this gives them a feeling of control because they can reach you again if they need to. Note down to follow-up with the customer in three to four days to ensure they are happy with the solution.

If they resist the solution you propose then you can give them the power to resolve things. For example you could say, “If my solution doesn’t work for you, I’d be happy to hear what would make you happy. If it is in my power I’ll get it done, and if it’s not possible then we can work on another solution together.”

Remember to follow-up after the problem has been resolved. Often an unhappy customer presents an opportunity to demonstrate exceptional customer service when it is needed the most.