Customer Experience News & Trends

He said what? 3 smart answers to dumb questions

A customer made a stupid request – and he’s totally serious. How do you respond?

If the request isn’t a threat to his or your safety and well-being – and is just a dumb thing to want – take these steps to steer him straight:

  1. Clarify the request. Just in case you misunderstood, repeat it and ask if you have it right.
  2. Play it straight. Explain what can or will go wrong if you do what he has requested. Example: “If I customize the item to that shade and size, it’s likely it won’t perform as well as the products you’ve had in the past.”
  3. Suggest an alternative solution. Give the customer one or two other ideas that you can guarantee will meet his needs. Say, “What I can do in this situation is order the basic model, and get you the upgraded maintenance package. That works for almost all my customers.

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