Handle sticky situations with ease with the help of good customer service.
The cliché sales catchphrase “the customer is always right” doesn’t always hold true. Sometimes, you may find yourself in a difficult situation where you need to acknowledge that the customer is not right in order to provide a great customer service experience. Learn how to handle sticky situations with ease through the help of these good customer service skills from our team’s toolbox:
- Use compassionate listening
- Understand through empathy
- Stay calm
- Stand firm
- Don’t take it personally
Learn more about each of these customer service skills to rely on in tough situations below.
Use compassionate listening
The first skill for dealing with a difficult customer is compassionate listening. Don’t try to talk over your customer or argue with them. Instead, allow them to explain the entire situation from their perspective. Then, you can formulate a response based on their account of what happened.
If your customer is misinformed, don’t hesitate to clarify or correct the information that’s wrong politely. This approach can help clear up misperceptions and prevent negative opinions from forming about your business or products in the future.
Understand through empathy 
Good customer service often requires you and your colleagues to put yourselves in your customer’s shoes. Showing that you understand their position and feelings goes a long way toward deescalating the situation. Empathy may also help you find a solution that may not be what the customer has asked for – but is an alternative that’s agreeable to all.
Stay calm
In tense situations, it may be tempting to raise your voices and get angry or upset. However, good customer service is often about putting aside these frustrated feelings and handling situations calmly. If a customer is wrong, take a deep breath and give yourself time to collect your thoughts before you reply.
Stand firm
When dealing with insistent, rude, or disruptive customers, it’s essential to remain calm but also be assertive. When a customer’s behavior has become unacceptable, it’s okay to let them know respectfully. You may be able to negotiate a solution with the troubled customer, or it may come to a point where it is best to let the customer go on their way. It may be best to get help from your management team in these especially challenging instances.
Don’t take it personally
Another good customer service skill is learning not to take negative customer encounters personally. Remembering that the customer is often venting their frustration to you because you represent the company – not because they’re upset with you personally. This distinction may help make these sticky situations easier to handle. Try to ignore any personal comments – or use the tip above to respond to them calmly – and stick to the issue at hand so you can determine the most agreeable resolution.
These simple and effective customer service skills straight from our arsenal can steer you in the right direction when dealing with difficult customers or situations. Check out our blog for more helpful tips on office life – and contact us online today to discuss how we can help your Wisconsin-based business thrive.