Dealing with difficult customers

Question 1

What’s a difficult customer?

Answer 1

someone who challenges a customer service provider’s ability to deliver service and requires extra patience and skills

Question 2

Reasons why customers might get upset are

Answer 2

1. They did not get what they were promised or what they expected.
2. Someone in your organization was rude to him or her
3. They perceive an attitude of indifference. Someone just did not care
4. No one listened. This is perhaps the most troublesome reason, by not listening we have wasted the opportunity to make things right.

Question 3

Angry customers tend to

Answer 3

Feel someone has taken advantage of him or her

 Act in a defensive fashion because they feel vulnerable

 Display their anger by leaning forward and invading your personal space

 Make personal attacks, focusing their anger on anyone who is
convenient

Question 4

How to deal with a customer that is wrong?

Answer 4

Accept what the customer tells you. Don’t say, “There is no way that could have happened” or “I don’t know why one of our salespersons could have told you that.” When you say these things, you are telling the customer that he/she is lying. We
need to move to problem solving.

Question 5

how to Deliver bad news

Answer 5

If there is none, then deliver the bad news face-to-face or on the phone- never a letter. You need to inform the customer as soon as possible. Start the bad news with something like: “Mr Jones, you’re not going to like hearing this.” Your courtesy and professionalism will be remembered.

Question 6

how to deal with abusive customers

Answer 6

Gently set limits with these customers. Say something like “Mr. young, I want to help you. I am finding it difficult as long as you continue to use such language. I can help you resolve
this- will you let me?” In most cases, the customer will reply in the positive, because what it boils down to is that the customer really wants the situation resolved.

Question 7

What customer expect from a organisation after a problem occur

Answer 7

1. To receive an apology for the fact that the customer is inconvenienced
2. To be offered a “fair fix” for the problem
3. To be treated in a way that suggests the company cares about the problem, about fixing the problem and about the customer’s inconvenience
4. To be offered some value-added atonement for the inconvenience