5 Tips for Handling Customer Complaints with Confidence
Dealing with customer complaints professionally is an art in itself. It is often unpleasant when a customer complains. Nobody likes to hear criticism, and sometimes the customer's tone can be harsh. But how do you react correctly in such situations? When a customer complains, it is essential to remain calm, recommends communication expert Anja Persch. The worst thing to do is to engage in the tone of snappy criticism. The consequences are that the conversation escalates, and in the worst case scenario, the company loses the customer. Additionally, the customer will share the negative experience with others, creating a negative image of the company. However, customer complaints are an opportunity. By viewing the complaint as a customer's invitation to dialogue and trying to exceed the customer's expectations through positive behavior, angry customers can quickly turn into delighted ones. To calm down upset conversation partners, the following five tips are helpful:
- Avoid Reprimands
When faced with a customer complaint, many people have the impulse to initially doubt the customer's statements. Phrases like "That can't be true what you're saying!" or "You misunderstood that!" are often the first reactions. However, this is the wrong approach. The customer feels not taken seriously, patronized, and becomes even more annoyed. Justifying and explaining how the situation occurred also often leads to more resentment from the upset party. Take a deep breath, and take a short break.
- Active Listening / Show Understanding / Be Respectful
To turn the situation around positively, it is essential to remain calm, actively listen to your conversation partner, and show understanding. This includes letting them finish speaking, never interrupting the customer's flow of speech. Saying "I understand your situation" helps defuse the aggression in the conversation. The customer feels valued. We treat them with respect. If you want to steer the conversation in the right direction, it's good to catch the descriptions of your counterpart with praise. Phrases like "Thank you for describing the situation in such detail" often work wonders.
- Avoid Using Subjunctives
In the heat of the moment, many tend to use subjunctives to sound "more polite." Unfortunately, this has the opposite effect. It appears uncertain and lacks competence. Phrases like "I could look into that for you" or "I would offer you the following" only lead to more incomprehension from angry customers. It often results in responses like "Can you do it now or not?" and "Are you offering me something now or not?" In these cases, the conversation almost always escalates. Better statements are: "I will gladly look into that for you!" and "I am happy to offer you the following." This way, statements are clear and understandable. Take a stand.
- Involve the Customer in Finding a Solution
Your customer must trust you. Get them on board with the words: "Together we will find a solution." If you achieve this, you have won them over for the long term. Agree on binding further steps and explain the available options. A positive response to a complaint is the best customer retention strategy.
- Establish a Unified Communication Strategy
If complaints occur frequently, employees should communicate the issues to their superiors and establish a unified communication strategy. For example, if guests at a restaurant complain that the lunch menu has become more expensive, it is important in this case to gather arguments for the change - such as wanting to improve quality for customers - and communicate this to all parties involved.
