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DIFFICULT CUSTOMERS AND HOW TO DEAL WITH THEMLeave-me-alone Guideline– Be patient, give them space

Domineering /Superior Guideline – Let them have their say, compliment them

Insulting Guideline – Be neutral, especially with your body language

Slow/Methodical Guideline – Be sure not to overwhelm, give them space and simple choices

Suspicious Guideline- Explain and demonstrate good service

Argumentative Guideline – Ask simple, polite questions

Impatient Guideline – Agree on first common points

Complaining guideline – Respect their thoughts, listen actively

Dishonest Guideline- Don’t jump to quick conclusions or accusations

Irritable/Moody Guideline – Be positive

THE DIFFICULT CUSTOMER

I was at Famous Footwear and there was this lady that was being difficult. She wanted to exchange these shoes for a bigger size and she didn’t have the receipt. Her ex-husband had bought her daughter the shoes and so she didn’t have the receipt. The guy working at the store had said that she would need the receipt or something to show the purchase in order to exchange them, but she kept saying that she had never heard of that and that that she’d done it before. The guy tried to say that she needed a receipt but then after she just kept getting more upset, he tried to find out another way to track back who and when someone bought it. He then asked if her ex-husband had a rewards card or something and so then he looked that up to try to help he make the exchange.

DIALOGWoman: “I want to exchange my daughter’s shoes that are a size 5 and get a size 6.”

Employee: “Okay, I’ll go grab a size 6…(gets the shoes and comes back)…do these fit better?”

Woman: “Yeah they seem better.”

Employee: “Alright, we’ll just check them out now then…Do you have the receipt?”

Woman: “No, I don’t need a receipt, right?”

Employee: “We would need a receipt for you to exchange them.”

Woman: “Well I’ve been coming here and I've never heard of needing a receipt to exchange shoes for a bigger size.”

Employee: “Well when did you purchase them?”

Woman: “I didn't. Her (the daughter) dad bought them for her and they didn’t fit, but I don’t know.”

Employee: “Well does her dad have the receipt that he could bring in?”

Woman: “I have never heard of needing a receipt and so I’ll just go somewhere else!”

Employee: “I’m sorry but I don’t think we can do that. Do you know if he has a rewards card?”

Woman: “I’m not sure! He might? “

Employee: “Hold on for a moment. I’ll try to pull it up and If he does then that will show the receipt.”

CONCLUSION

This customer was an Argumentative customer and the employee handled it well because he asked simple and polite questions. By doing so he was also able to work through the problem and keep that customer.