1.08

Resolve conflicts with/for

customers to encourage repeat

business

Handle Difficult Customers

3 Main Types of Difficult Customers

1. Disagreeable– Unpleasant and hard to help

2. Domineering/ Superior:– Feel they know more and are better than the

average person– Overly confident

3. Dishonest:– Intentionally attempt to avoid paying part or all of

the price for a good or service

Categories of Disagreeable Customers

• Argumentative: – Seem to look for problems and disagree

• Impatient:– Show verbally and nonverbally that they do not want

to wait

• Leave-me-alone:– Don’t want any assistance or advice

Categories of Disagreeable Customers

• Irritable/Moody:

– Display any attitude that is difficult to deal with

• Insulting:

– Make unpleasant remarks or use foul language

• Complaining

– Think everything is wrong

Categories of Disagreeable Customers

• Slow/Methodical:

– Hesitant to make buying decisions

– Require a lot of time to decide

Categories of Domineering/Superior Customers

• Suspicious: – Want facts and proof before making the final buying

decision– Question everything you tell them– Has had previous bad experiences with other businesses

Ways Customers are Dishonest

• Always trying to take advantage of employees• Do not pay for products

– Theft, pilferage or shoplifting

• Purchase goods–use them–and return them• Switch or alter prices in store• Damage goods in store and then ask for discounts

Situations when Customers become Difficult

• Problems with merchandise

– Broken or damaged items

• Changed mind

• Problems with company

• Rude treatment by an employee

Why Attempt to Handle Difficult Customers?

• “The Customer is ALWAYS right”• Strong Customer Service (aka successful handling of

difficult customers) =– Loyal customers who will spend money again– Advantage over the competitors (steal away their customer)– Word of Mouth

General Guidelines for Handling Difficult Customers

• Be a good listener

• Think before you respond– Be detached and professional– Do not offer excuses

• Involve senior management if needed

• Be aware of the rules– Know your company’s customer-facing processes inside-out

• Empathize– Show the customer you understand their situation

• Resolve the issue– Actively initiate a process to tackle the customer’s complaint – Tell the customer the steps you propose to take

Handle Customer Complaints

Complaint

A customer’s dissatisfaction expressed orally, silently

or in writing

– Some customers actually express the true reasons– Others do not tell the real reasons

• These customers normally conceal the real complaint• Example:

– Customer returns a pair of shoes due to the “color of the shoe” but the real reason was the high price

– Salesperson must skillfully question and inspect the product to discover the real complaint

3 Main Reasons for Customer Complaints

Some complaints are justified, while others aren’t

1. Products– Poor quality– Improper buying decisions (lack of assistance from salesperson)

2. Personnel– Pushy and rude salespeople– Gives incorrect information

3. Business– Type of business offered or lacking

• Example: Refusing to accept a credit card

– Don’t follow policy • Examples: Don’t take back a return

Costs of Customer Complaints• Loss of sales

– Present and Future– One dissatisfied customer may tell 10 other potential customers

• Damaged Brand Image• Additional Recordkeeping and Paperwork

– Equals TIME

• Markdowns on Returned Goods – ½ of returned goods are resold but at a reduced prices

Benefits of Customer Complaints

1. Goodwill– Properly settling complaints will promote goodwill (positive

feeling towards the business)

2. Increased sales– Repeat customers and may tell others

3. Buying information– Use previous complaint information to prevent future complaints

IMPORTANCE OF APPROPRIATELY HANDLING CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS

• Should:

– Be immediate

– Be effective

– Offer customer satisfaction

– Follow company policy

– Follow company procedure

Handling Customer Complaints:POLICY

• Develop Company Policy– General rules followed by personnel– Avoids misunderstandings– Fair & consistent treatment of customers– Flexible for interpretation by management– Based mainly on customer satisfaction

Handling Customer Complaints:PROCEDURES

• Develop Company Procedures– Step by step processes for performing specific tasks

when handling a customer complaint

1. Listen for the reason of the complaint

2. Thank the customer for bringing the problem to your attention

3. Restate the Complaint to make sure you are on the same page

4. Investigate the problem

5. Explain company policy to the customer

6. Take action to solve the complaint

WHEN HANDLING COMPLAINTS A SALESPERSON MUST REMEMBER:

• Take action based the solutions that are possible within the business's policies

• Prevent customer complaints by accurately determining each customer's needs– Suggesting appropriate products to meet those needs

• General Steps to successfully handling a customer complaint1. Salesperson must fully understand a customer's complaint

2. Decide if the complaint is justified

3. Investigate the problem to determine how the situation can be handled within company policy