Author: Rebecca Morgan
Often customers come to you with an annoyance or irritation. Depending upon how you and your staff interact with them, you can either de-escalate their ire, or you can send it sky high. In this article, I'll identify some areas for you to watch to make sure you're doing everything you can to keep upset customers from going through the roof.
Here are some areas for you to watch to make sure you're doing everything you can to keep upset customers from going through the roof.
Personal Presentation
One of the things that can irritate an already upset person is your personal presentation. If he feels your grooming and dress are unprofessional or inappropriate, he is likely to hassle you. Some areas of personal presentation, which if not seen to, may have a negative influence on an upset person. Check to make sure your:
• hair is clean, brushed or combed, and well kept.
• makeup is applied neatly, moderately, and appropriately.
• clothing is pressed, neat, clean, and in good repair.
• hands and fingernails are clean, no chipped polish.
• face is shaved or mustache/beard is neatly trimmed.
• stockings are run-free.
• breath is fresh.
We all make assessments of others, and initially those assessments are based mainly on personal presentation. Some experts claim we make decisions about people within the first four seconds of our meeting them. Bay Alexander, President of Professional Impact in Santa Cruz, California, says:
"If you are in a position where you are likely to interact with angry customers you have a chance to use your image as one of your more effective tools. You can use your image to signal your power, control, knowledge, and composure. If you are dressed inappropriately or too casually for your position and business, customers are more likely to push to get their way, and call for a higher authority if they don't like your response."
You may have experienced the power of your appearance when you are a customer. Have you noticed how much easier it is to return an item to a store when you are neatly dressed than when you wear torn jeans and a dirty tee-shirt? You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Nonverbal Communication
Here are some ways your body language and voice tone may have an influence on an upset person:
Facial Expression
When people complain, do you ever roll your eyes? Do you scowl? Do you have an inappropriate smile? Be aware of your facial expression when you communicate. Ask friends, coworkers, and your supervisor whether you have facial expressions that could be annoying, especially to upset customers. You want to have a calm, concerned, sincere, interested facial expression. You want to show the customer you care. Some people smile when they are tense, but you don't want to smile while a customer is expressing anger. If you do, the customer may feel that you're not taking her seriously.
Body Posture
Do you loll on your desk/work area? Do you slouch? Show you are attentive to your customer by standing and sitting up straight. When you loll or slouch you may seem inattentive or disinterested. Maintain a nonthreatening, open body posture. Stand far enough away to give the customer room. Don't crowd him-this may increase his irritation.
Movement
Do you move slowly when you have to find something for the upset customer? Upset customers want to see you respond to their needs speedily. This doesn't mean you have to sprint to help, but don't mosey either.
Gestures
Do you stand/sit with your arms crossed? Do you hold your head up with your hands? The most common interpretation of the arms-crossed gesture is that the person is closed and unwilling to listen. When communicating with an upset customer, uncross your arms to show you are listening and have an open mind.
Smoking
Don't smoke in front of customers, even if your employer allows you to smoke in your work area. Always put the cigarette out, even if your customer is smoking.
Touching
Avoid touching an upset person, especially if he appears potentially violent. This could set off his violence.
Chewing Gum or Eating
Don't chew gum or eat when you're on the phone or in the public eye. Even if your employer allows it, these acts can be annoying and can escalate an upset customer into an irate one.
Voice Tone
Your attitude is projected through your voice as well as your body language. Remember, helping customers is your job, and if you can't stand to help upset people, get transferred to another job. Make sure your attitude is always "I'm here to help as best I can." Do you sound annoyed? Does your voice go up at the end of a statement?
People respond more to how you say something that to what you say. When your voice is annoyed, impatient, or condescending, the customer will become angrier. When your voice sounds confident she will believe you know what you're talking about and it will be easier to calm her.
When your voice goes up at the end of a sentence it sounds as if you're asking a question. Listen to yourself in a tape recorder and hear if your voice goes up at the end. If so, practice having an even tone, or one that ends on a lower note. You will sound confident and competent. Speak with a calm, firm, caring, soothing tone.
Sighing
Sighing often suggests annoyance or impatience. Don't sign in front of an upset customer.
Cursing
Even if the customer curses, there is never an excuse for you to curse. No matter how many insults he shouts at you, remember that you are a professional. Compose yourself as best you can, and avoid responding to abuse. It is a sign of strength, not weakness, to stay calm and respond with patience when someone is cursing and insulting you.
Words That Make A Difference
The words you use with customers can help communications or they can start a fight. Here are some common Fight Starters and some suggestions on replacing them with Communication Helpers.
Keep It Impersonal
If the customer did something wrong, point out the mistake indirectly. She will often be embarrassed at her mistake. She may get angry because of this embarrassment and try to blame you.
Avoid statements that are sarcastic, blaming, or condescending. Even if the customer is wrong, the time to make it known is not during a rage.
Use "I" Instead of "You"
Fight Starter: "You're wrong."
Communication Helper: "I can see there's been a miscommunication (or misunderstanding)."
Fight Starter: "You're confusing me."
Communication Helper: "I'm confused."
Don't blame the customer. When explaining what went wrong, use either the indirect approach or "I" statements as much as possible.
Avoid Giving Orders
Fight Starter: "You have to...."
Communication Helper: "Will you...please?"
Fight Starter: "It would be best if you...."
Communication Helper: "It might be best if we...."
People don't like to be given no choice. Ask them pleasantly to do something or explain how it will be to their benefit.
People don't like to be given orders. Rephrase it more politely as a question.
Fight Starter: "You should have done..."
Communication Helper: "We want your next visit to go as smoothly as possible. This will assist you."
Fight Starter: "Wait here."
Communication Helper: "Would you mind waiting while I speak to my supervisor?"
When people hear "should" they often think of their parents or some other authority figure telling them what they did wrong. Instead of telling them what they should have done last time, tell them what will be helpful for next time. The past is past and there's nothing anyone can do about it. Focus on the future-the next time-instead.
Take Responsibility
Fight Starter: "I can't...."
Communication Helper: "I don't have the authority. However, Mary should be able to help you. Let me get her."
If you cannot help, connect the customer with someone who can.
Even if what the customer needs isn't within your job duties, never tell her that. Tell her how you can help.
Avoid Causing Defensiveness
If people think they're being criticized, they'll react defensively...that is, angrily.
Fight Starter: "You never do it right."
Communication Helper: "This is often not done correctly."
Fight Starter: "You're always late."
Communication Helper: "This payment is often late."
"Always" and "never" sound critical and uncompromising, use "often" instead.
Fight Starter: "You filled this out okay, but...."
Communication Helper: "You filled this out well, and...."
People don't listen to what you say before the "but"...they concentrate on what follows. Use "and" instead, so they'll listen to the whole sentence.
"Cost" sounds negative, and costs can imply time, aggravation, and other things in addition to money.
People don't like to have problems, and they don't like others to know they have problems. Use the communication helper instead.
These areas are a lot to be conscious of, so practice even with customers who aren't upset. Also, engage a co-worker or your supervisor in helping you become aware of any habits you have that would increase a customers upset. This way you can work on eliminating these annoyances.
Rebecca L. Morgan, CSP, CMC, is a professional speaker and seminarist. She is the author of four books, TurboTime: Maximizing Your Results Through Technology, Calming Upset Customers, Life's Lessons: Insights and Information for a Richer Life, and Professional Selling. For information on her speaking services, books, and tapes contact her at 1440 Newport Ave., San Jose, CA 95125, 408/998-7977, 800/247-9662, fax: 408/998-1742, rebecca@RebeccaMorgan.com, www.RebeccaMorgan.com.
Copyright 2000 by Morgan Seminar Group, Inc. Used with permission.