No one deserves to be berated by angry customers. These tactics can help get them to back down.
They come from business expert Christopher M. Knight. Try one or several in any angry customer situation.
- Be a diplomat. Hear them out and give an immediate, diplomatic response that recognizes their emotions and facts. Say, “Clearly, we’ve upset you. Getting to the bottom of this is just as important to me as it is to you.”
- Apologize – and include the customer’s name. Nothing is more sweet to a person’s ear than his or her name – except maybe his or her name coupled with an apology. Say, “Francis, I’m sorry this has happened.”
- Disarm customers. Go into computer mode so customers can focus on facts, and put emotions behind. Ask questions that start with “when,” “where” and “how much,” so they can only give short answers. Follow up with questions that only require a yes or no answer.
- Show appreciation for the feedback. Remind angry customers that they’ve been heard with phrases such as, “Thanks for being so honest” and “We appreciate customers who let us know when something isn’t right.”
