You have a client on the phone. By his or her tone, you can tell he or she is clearly unhappy. However, as a small business owner, it's your responsibility to take care of the situation. Every company gets the occasional upset consumer. It's important to know how to handle him or her, such as with the tips below:
1. Categorize the customer
Is the person angry or does he or she just need help? Is the tone strong or shy? Knowing who you're talking to allows you to determine what approach to take, according to Help Scout. The "Meek Customer" tries to avoid confrontation at all costs and you'll have to work to get to the root of the actual problem. The "Aggressive Customer" isn't afraid to tell you what's on his or her mind and won't be polite about it. The "Chronic Complainer" requires a lot of patience on your end because he or she will call constantly for help. While you should always be polite and helpful, you might have to alter your approach depending on who you're talking to.
2. Be friendly, but not overly enthusiastic
There is a fine line between being polite and being fake. Unhappy customers don't want you to kill them with kindness – they want someone to help them. Keep the enthusiasm to a minimum, Entrepreneur suggested. You should be professional, polite and efficient. Customers aren't calling you to chat. They want their problems solved quickly and correctly so they won't have to call again.
3. Listen
With every client phone call, you need to make sure you're paying attention. You need to hear their problems in order to help them. Don't interrupt or immediately offer solutions. Let unhappy customers voice all their concerns first, and then you can attempt to fix things, The Muse explained. Let them take control of the situation for a moment. Then switch places and you'll be in charge. Acknowledge their problems and ask questions if you need clarification. Then help them, whether that means you talk to them personally or you get someone who knows more about it than you.
4. Offer a solution
One of the easiest ways to lose a customer is not being able to help them. If they're unhappy, they're not calling to check up on your day – they want you fix their issue with your product. If you need to transfer someone, do it, but make sure customers knows why you're sending their calls to someone else, according to Help Scout. They want to know you're getting their problems fixed. Don't be afraid to work an IT expert into your financial plan if you need to. If you can help them, tell them what to do or answer their questions. Make sure they understand you because nothing is worse for customers than having to call again with the same problem.
When it comes to dealing with unsatisfied customers, you need to maintain your cool and be willing to help them in any way possible. Remember CARP, Help Scout suggested – Control, Acknowledge, Refocus and Problem solve. Following those four steps will get you the resolution you and your client want.