CLARIFYING THE ISSUE

Welcome to Clarifying the Issue!

This Session will focus on getting to the heart of a customer service issue quickly and in a way that validates the customer and sets the stage for a resolution that will make the customer happy within company policies and procedures.

Welcome

Benefits:

• Quicker resolution to customer issues

• Consistent customer experience• Increased customer loyalty• Fewer customer service escalations

Lesson Objectives

Skills Developed:• The ability to use the 4 part clarification process to

clearly identify the customer’s concern.

Communication Target:Clarify a customer’s concern in 2 minutes or less using a 4 part process, while showing empathy and remaining neutral. The conversation must include:• Apologize• Acknowledge the concern• Ask open ended questions• Summarize the customer’s concern

Stay NeutralHandling customer concerns without judgment or validation

•Empathizing with a customer means putting yourself in the customers situation. How would you want the situation resolved if your positions were reversed? Your customer wants to know that you have a sincere desire to resolve their situation.

•Remaining neutral means that you do not allow emotions to run the situation. It means listening to the customers concerns without judgment or validation. Always remain calm and respectful.

Show empathy for the customer while remaining neutral

Without Judgment

Without judgment means not accusing the customer, or placing blame. Always work from the assumption that your customer used the product/service in good faith.

Without ValidationWithout validation means not accepting blame or feeding into the customer’s emotional state.

It may be acceptable to say, “I understand that you are upset, I am so sorry that the product didn’t work the way you expected.”

It is never acceptable to say, “Yeah, Bob never should have sold you that item, it was not designed to do what you need.” or ”I’d be angry if that happened to me, too!”

Four Step Clarification Process

We will use a 4 Step process to clarify your customer’s concern and determine their needs.1. Apologize2. Acknowledge3. Ask4. Summarize

Apologize

• A sincere apology goes a long way toward protecting or restoring the customer relationship when they have a problem.

• Be genuine, but there is no need to place blame with the apology, simply apologizing for any inconvenience or miscommunication that may have occurred may be enough.

Acknowledge

Express that you heard the customer and understand that they have a concern. “I understand that you are concerned about [the performance of the product, the approaching deadline, etc.]”

Ask Clarifying Questions

Use open ended questions and active listening skills. Understand not only the situation as the customer sees it, but also the customers expectations of what the situation should look like.

Summarize

• Rephrase the customer’s concern as you understand it, reflect back to the customer and gain agreement before proceeding.

• Clarify any issues with additional questions.

Practice Regimen• Practice using the 4 step

AAAS process to clarify all customer concerns.