Strategies with dealing with difficult customers and staying in control of the situation.

1. HOSTILE CUSTOMERS
Without Becoming One

2. PRESENTED BY:
Jim Marteney
Professor of Speech Communication
Los Angeles Valley College

3. WHO ARE
YOUR
CUSTOMERS?

4. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN
Upset Customer
Difficult Customer

5. UPSET
CUSTOMER
Can be Fixed

6. STRATEGIES
FOR
CONTROLLING
AN UPSET
SITUATION

7. DON’T
ARGUE

8. AVOID
BEING THE
EXPERT

9. AVOID
CREATING
MORE
ANGER

10. WATCH
YOUR
WORDS
Red Flag Words

11. AVOID
PERSONAL
FEELINGS

12. 6 STEPS OF DEALING WITH
UPSET CUSTOMERS
Step One: Begin with a positive attitude
Step Two: Let Customer Vent
Step Three: Be Empathetic to the Customer
Step Four: Demonstrate You Understand
Step Five: Begin Active Problem Solving
Step Six: Mutually Agree on the Solution

13. Step One: Begin with a positive attitude
We are not
born with an
attitude.

14. Step One: Begin with a positive attitude
Causes of poor attitude
Low self esteem
Fear
Boredom
Resentment
Unresolved conflict

15. Step One: Begin with a positive attitude
Keeping a Positive attitude
Start each day fresh
Enjoy the moment
Surround with Positives

16. Step One: Begin with a positive attitude
Two Types of People
Fountains Drains

17. Step One: Begin with a positive attitude
Glass half
full?

18. Step One: Begin with a positive attitude
Depends if you are
Drinking
or
Pouring

19. Step One: Begin with a positive attitude
“I see a glass
that is twice as
big as it needs
to be.”

20. Step Two: Let Customer Vent
Nothing can be
solved while
customer is angry

21. Step Two: Let Customer Vent
Venting allows
anger to subside

22. Step Two: Let Customer Vent
Zip Your Lip
Accept Anger
Don’t take it personally
Listen Carefully
Never Say “Calm Down

23. Step Three: Be Empathetic to the Customer
Whats the Difference
between hearing and
listening?
Listening is a learned skill.

24. Step Three: Be Empathetic to the Customer
3 Levels of Communication
Words 7%
Paralanguage 38%
Nonverbal 55%

25. Step Three: Be Empathetic to the Customer
2 Types of listening
Deliberative Focus on Words
Empathic Focus on Speaker

26. Step Four: Demonstrate You Understand
Paraphrase

27. Step Five: Begin Active Problem Solving

28. Step Five: Begin Active Problem Solving
Friendliness
Understanding
Fairness
Information
Options and Alternatives
Control

29. Saying No
Hard No
Service No

30. Saying No
Hard No
“That’s not our policy.”
“That’s not my job.”
“I’m not allowed to do that.”
“I have no idea.”

31. Saying No
Service No
Phrase 1 What I will do is...
Phrase 2 What you can do

32. Step Six: Mutually Agree on the Solution

33. Remember

34. Remember
Make customer part of solution
Ask Informative questions
Don’t display power
Look for underlying reasons
Be professional

35. CUSTOMER SERVICE
“The Apple Way”

36. CUSTOMER SERVICE
“The Apple Way”

37. There are:
326 Apple Stores
60,000,000
customers

38. Apple Stores had more
customers than Walt
Disney’s 4 largest
theme parks.

39. Apple deals with angry,
frustrated customers

40. The A’s of Apple Service

41. The A’s of Apple Service
A - Acknowledge that
their concerns are valid

42. The A’s of Apple Service
A - Acknowledge that
their concerns are valid
A - Align with the customer, agreeing
that you would feel the same in their
shoes

43. The A’s of Apple Service
A - Acknowledge that
their concerns are valid
A - Align with the customer, agreeing
that you would feel the same in their
shoes
A - Assure the customer that you
will be able to solve their problem
to their satisfaction

44. Emergency First Aid for
Emotional Customers

45. Look for Underlying Cause of Reaction.
Frustration
Fear
Confusion

46. Reassure the Customer that
You are Here to Help

47. Listen and limit your responses
“Uh-huh”
“I understand”

48. Apologize when Appropriate
“On behalf of Apple, I would
like to apologize for...”

49. Are you feeling anxious?
Is your breathing getting
shorter and faster?
Take deep controlled breaths

50. Take Notes
Even when customer venting
Save time later
Help listening without interrupting

51. Acknowledge the customer’s
underlying reactions
“I can certainly understand how
frustrating this can be.”
“I know this can seem very
confusing.”

52. Remember

53. You are the
Professional