A successful retailer does not only sells goods. Their customer service matters too. However, there are customers that make it difficult for you to give the best service. To solve the problems, ERP softwares will help you to automate the best service in your business.
this article will discuss several ways of handling upset customers correctly. With these tips, you would be able to face that situation professionally.
Get the right attitude
Take a few seconds to breathe. You have to remind yourself that the customers are not angry at you, but to the situation that they are in. This is why you and your team must develop a thick skin so you will not sink into the upsetting situation. It takes time, of course. With this right attitude, you can express a calm and professional manner response. Don’t make the customers feel like they’re scolding you. The moment they realize you are the wrong person to shout at, they will be calm and (hopefully) leave you.
Listen and empathize with them
People who are angry want to be listened to. Let them convey their complaints and don’t interrupt them. Practice being an active listener: do actually listen and understand the problem and not just simply standing still.
Most of the time, threats, physically or verbally, come from angry customers because they feel ignored and belittled. Therefore, during the interaction, you should maintain proper eye contact and body language. It’s your normal reaction to shout back or be defensive when someone yells at you, but do not ever do that. No matter how trivial the problem is, take it as seriously as they do.
The right language to respond to them is using hospitality expression. Show your empathy by saying “I understand what has become your concern” or “I am sorry that we fail to meet your expectations.”
Give the right response
Responses that you give, both said or unsaid, affect how customers’ reactions. If you show that you’re bored, impatient, or mad, it’s going to be tenser. So, watch for the words and your body language.
Verbal expression
- “I am sorry. I don’t understand. Could you tell me again?“
- “Yes.“
- “I will check this first and return here.“
- “While I am checking the problems, please wait here.“
- “Thank you for waiting.“
Body Language
- Face –Â show calm, caring, and interested expression. Do not roll your eyes, looks offended, or bored.
- Eye contact –Â make proportional eye contact. Do not stare too much or move your eyes excessively (nervousness).
- Hand and arms –Â on the side of your body with open palms. Do not clench, fold your arms, or point.
- Posture –Â straight and show openness. Do not stand too close to the customers.
Speak slowly with a lowered voice. Remember, there are people who watch your conflict. They might even spread it to social media. Hence, you must protect your company’s reputation even in undesirable situations.
Give solutions or compensations
After hearing the complaints, you should confirm the story, to show that you listen and care, and apologize. Then, state what you can and can not do. Do not ever say “I can’t do anything to help you.” This will only trigger further commotion.
Instead, you can say “I really want to help you, but this is beyond my authority. I will try to reach the person in charge (or the position). Can I have your phone number so I can reach you to solve this problem?” Act quickly, if not, however, they will leave a bad impression and spread it to everyone.
Tell them that you will make up the mistake and prevent it from happening in the future. If the problem lies in you, give them compensations such as refunds, replace the products, coupons, or discounts. You can also get public liability insurance to cover compensation for the damage your customers experienced because of your business activities.
Related articles:Â The Importance of Customer Retention
Prevent it from happening
After all, the best solution is to prevent it from happening. Always stock sufficient inventory so that the customers will always have what they want. If most selling-goods are running low, do immediate purchasing.
Speed up customer service. Some of them don’t have much time to shop. Therefore, give your employees the right training and keep monitor their performance. Speed up the transaction process. No one likes to wait in the long line. The POS retail system will help you. All sales connect to inventory and accounting. It also accommodates various payment types and promotion divination.
Conclusion
Here are five suggestions for handling upset customers. Your business will suffer if you are unable to provide the best service to your customers. Handling upset customers is not easy, but it’s unavoidable. If you succeed, the undesirable situations will benefit you instead. If you can resolve it, that awkward situation could work in your company’s favor. HashMicro’s ERP softwares will help automate your business processes and drive your companies growth significantly. You can start HashMicro’s ERP Software demo for free now.
