Tips To Handle A Difficult Caller
Handling a disgruntled customer is not an easy job. Unfortunately, the employees at call centers have to do this job multiple times a day and until they develop expertise in this area, they remain vulnerable to negative experiences that may impact their morale as well as motivation levels. Bad words spread faster than good words. An angry customer is more likely to share his experiences with a bigger audience compared to a happy customer who may probably discuss about his experience with a small group of four or five people. Hence, call center executives need to make sure that they end every call with a happy note.
- Be Efficient: When you work efficiently, you are able to help many customers. Research indicates that most customers want their issues to be resolved over the phone and this means that you will have many customers on hold on any day. Customers get frustrated with longer wait times and this may make things worse if a customer is trying to contact you to complain about your product. Even if a customer calls you to place an order for your product, you may want to make sure that your customer is able to place the order quickly. If you fail to address online shoppers’ queries in an efficient manner, there are chances that they will not go ahead with the purchase.
- Listen Carefully: When an angry client calls you, he has a story to narrate. Be patient and listen to what he/she has to say. Don’t interrupt or seek clarifications when your customer starts explaining the issue. Take a pen and paper to note down important points. When you make your customer feel heard, you make a dispute resolution process easier for you.
- Seek Apology: After your customer finishes explaining his/ her complaint to you, you should apologize to him/her. It is not a good idea to blame your customer even if the issue is the result of the customer’s fault. When you blame a customer, you will make him angrier. By seeking apology, you will prove that you are his ally and that you can work together to resolve the issue.
- Study The Notes: Go through the notes that you have jotted down. You should understand the situation at hand before you start working on the solution. This way, you will make your client feel better and let him know that you are doing your best to resolve the issue.
- Identify An Appropriate Solution: If you know the solution, offer it to the client straightaway. It is not a good idea to make promises which you cannot fulfill. If you cannot answer your client’s questions instantly, you may consider putting him on hold and accessing available resources to find answers. Make sure that you get back to him as early as possible as customers hate long wait-times. When you have to transfer the call to another department, make sure that you inform the client before directing the call to another representative.
- Provide Compensation: One way to calm down a difficult customer is to offer him compensation. Special treatment can really work wonders, allowing you to create a positive impact in the mind of an angry customer. You may find it difficult to offer freebies or discounts to your customers, but if you can actually do this, you will retain a customer who will remain loyal to you.
The cost to acquire a new customer is six or seven times more than the cost to retain a returning customer. So you may always want to go that extra mile to keep your existing customers happy and to make them speak for you.
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