Here are 10 tips for dealing with angry customers :
1 . APOLOGIZE . Nothing calms down an angry customer faster than a sincere apology .
55 % of customers will pay more for a better experience .
2 . DON ’ T TAKE IT PERSONALLY . Easier said than done but try not to take it personally . Chances are the customer is not mad at you but at the situation .
70 % of buying experiences are based on how customers feel they are being treated .
3 . STAY CALM . Getting defensive or showing anger back is not going to help the issue . Stay calm , listen , show empathy and then apologize .
4 . UNDERSTAND WHY THEY ARE ANGRY . Nine times out of 10 the customer is angry for a valid reason . It is likely our fault and understanding this will help you feel more concern when you hear customers complain .
5 . MOST CUSTOMERS DON ’ T WANT COM- PENSATION … THEY JUST WANT IT FIXED . Very few customers complain for the sake of complaining . They have a problem and want it fixed . The few that will ever take advantage of the situation and demand compensation are few and far between .
6 . PUT IT INTO PERSPECTIVE . In the big scheme of things , very few customers complain compared to the amount we deal with on a daily basis . Don ’ t let these few concerns wear on you as most customers are very happy . Deal with the issues and move on .
7 . TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE PROBLEM . Once you have a customer complain to you , take control of the issue even it if is not your customer to begin with and ensure it is completely fixed . The last thing you want is for there to be additional problems and then they have to deal with another person making them even angrier .
8 . OFFER THEM A SMALL COMPENSATION FOR THEIR TIME . Although the majority of customers are not looking for compensation , they have been inconvenienced and offering them a small offering for their time is not only smart business , but it will gain long-term loyalty from a bad situation .
9 . FOLLOW UP . Don ’ t assume everything has been fixed and all is good again . Ensure it is by following up one last time with the customer . They will be shocked and pleased to hear from you .
10 . THANK THEM FOR THEIR BUSINESS AND APOLOGIZE AGAIN . Take this opportunity to thank them again for the business , their patience and apologize one last time for any inconvenience .
Last tip : you can completely change a customer ’ s bad experience into a great experience by following the steps above . So much so that they become even more loyal than if they had not had the bad experience at all … just saying !
Trudi Charest is the Co-Founder and CTO of 4ECPs , an eyecare resource company . 4ECPs has several divisions including Marketing4ECPs , Jobs4ECPs , Training4ECPs , SocialMedia4ECPs , Events4ECPs & Payments4ECPs . Visit their website www . 4ecps . com or email trudi @ 4ecps . com .
Reference : www . slideshare . com / rightnow / 2011customerexper ienceimpactreport