9to5 life
of a professional has many hazards. All those associated with
the service industry are well aware of the hazards of dealing
with customers on a day-to-day basis. Although most dealings pass
by without any incident, there are times when a customer may become
extremely upset. Handling such a situation
requires special skills and the best way to approach the problem is to
remember that every complaint is an opportunity to improve your
relationship with the customer. Below are some useful
tips about how to deal with a customer.
Here are a few
hr tips:
Keep calm and don’t get
defensive.
Put yourself on the same
physical level; stand if the person is standing, or if it seems more
natural, invite the person to sit down too.
Let your facial expression,
body position, gestures and tone of voice show your concern for the
customer.
Adopt sympathetic tone of
voice. Nod your agreement at the appropriate times- it lets the person
know that you are o their side.
Give the person your
undivided attention and maintain eye contact.
Your body language should be
directed towards the other person, for example, lean towards the person
s you sit in your chair.
Even if you believe the
complaint to be unjustified, acknowledge whatever is right abut it.
If a mistake has truly been
made, admit it. Do not excuse the error or minimize it.
Offer to follow up, but
NEVER admit that the complaint is common one.
There is nothing wrong with
saying, “I’m sorry” on behalf of the organization. This is not always
passive, it is often appropriate. You can apologize and still maintain
your dignity. It is all in the way you handle the problem.
