How to handle “challenging” customers?

The answer is in the mirror

Themes for today

• Who is this guy?• Confessions, Common Sense and

Sharing… • Is it cool to call them

“customers”?• Road signs or speed bumps?• Nobody likes the mirror…• Why do I keep hitting my golf ball

in the woods?• Why should I care…they just keep

calling!• Group Therapy

Who is this guy?

• United States Air Force 1982-2003 (Retired)• Three specialties and well-traveled• More training “than a wet dog has stink”

• Higher Education • Director of Personnel, AFROTC (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) • University at Albany 2004 – Present

• Associate Director, Student Accounts 2004 – 2007 • Director, Student Financial Center & Veteran Services 2007 -

Present

Joel B. Davis

Confessions, Common Sense & Sharing

Confessions

• If you came to hear an expert…I think you have the wrong class• 33 years and I am still learning…and stumbling!• I bet most of you are better at this than I am

• So why am I here? • Expertise? debatable…• Experience…now that I have

One-Stop!

Student Financial CenterFinancial Aid / Student Accounts / Bursar

Offering one-stop assistance to students and families in matters related to financial aid, billing and student financial accounts.

www.albany.edu/sfc

• One Phone, One Lobby, One Email• 80,000 (yes thousand) contacts

annually• Less than 10 staff

• Anyone working in a One-Stop?

One-Stop!

If you build it…they will come! Staffing plan criticalWait times shiftedCounseling sessions naturally

longerMore answers = more questions

Lessons Learned

One-Stop! Lessons Learned

Full investment in training is key! It will be challenging but not

insurmountable Effective policy and procedures are

essential! Not there yet…build them as you go

One-Stop! Lessons Learned

Attitude is CRITICAL to success (more later)!!! Avoid self-fulfilling prophecies (e.g., too

hard) Don’t believe the hype about the “other

side”

One-Stop! Lessons Learned

How did it go?

Depends who you ask!

One-Stop! Lessons Learned

Overnight success – they instantly LOVED IT!!! No more of the infamous “student shuffle” Counselors were able to answer ALL questions More importantly, counselors connect the

dots! Staff can see the entire “forest” Can help guide customers versus blame

“them”

Students and Parents ?

One-Stop! Lessons Learned

A picture is worth a thousand words! As expected, fear of change was the norm Many left within first year – all original staff

gone! So what’s the good new?

Staff…any guesses?

One-Stop! Lessons Learned

Ok, so its not a restful day on the beach, but we do have an effective model with new and more positive “norms” Recruited a different “type” of professional Specific experience came second to attitude

(more later) Expectations and roles were clearly outlined from

start Shifted values from “theirs” to “ours”

Staff Now ?

One-Stop! Last Thoughts

Would you rather contact one place to get all the answers to your financial aid and billing questions

or two?

But I am not working in a consolidated office…what does this have to do with me?

Build allies and be your own One-Stop!

My philosophy? – It’s Common Sense!

• Good service concepts are common sense, but…• Are they common where you work?• Are they common in service areas you use?

• Most of us already have the instincts• What works outside of work will work at work…or

fail• Use bad experiences as good lessons!

Common Sense

VS. • Pointless exercise of the day; “what is the

best…?”• Find a style you like and make it yours• What works for some will not work for others• Too many moving parts (and complicated

people)• Learn from other artists; they are all around

us!• Imitate those you find doing it well• If someone already has a finger burn, avoid your

own!

Sharing

“We are drowning in informationbut starved for knowledge.”John Naisbitt

• Pride will often prevent us from seeking help• We do not have to be original, just

effective!• The wheel is out there; find it, polish it and

use it!• Enough rhetoric…how about some examples?

Tips to make us better

Don't Blame the Customer or the

Company

Don't Blame th

e Customer or th

e

Company

Listen patiently.Show empathy

Be wrong to be right

Demonstrate emotional control

It's not personal

Respect

Negotiate

Repeat Their Concerns

Adjust Your Mindset

Present a Solution

Take Action and Follow-up

Build rapport through empathy

Assume all your customers are watching

Never get angry or upset

What are the best ones?

Doesn’t matter which tip/s you use – if you are not genuinely enthusiastic your impact will be

limited

So act like it is a….First Date or Anniversary

When the honeymoon is over…

When they just will not accept the answer or

The kids are driving you crazy…

Drop them off at your neighbors!

We all have limits…know yours!

• As a colleague to tag in• Take a message and call back• Ask a supervisor for assistance• Take a break!!

When you sense things heating up…

Road signs or speed bumps?

Are we helping to avoid creating challenging customers in the first

place?

Before we touch on proactive communications to customers…

Is it cool to call them “customers”?

Full Definition of CUSTOMER1 :  one that purchases a commodity or service 2 :  an individual usually having some specified distinctive trait <a real tough customer> Source: (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/customer)

• It doesn’t matter what you call them – only how you treat them

• Students and parents are the only reason we have these jobs!!

• If you don’t buy into this concept, all of this will be a tough sell

Road signs or speed bumps?

Much of the success of a “One-Stop” (or any office) will depend on how

well we communicate to our customers… before they call!

Proactive, comprehensive, clear and consistent! Often has to be at a locked door (e.g., “To Do” items)

Effective communications (or lack of) will also impact greatly the volume of challenging customers

Many inquires are exacerbated by confusion Helps to have a clear reference to diffuse misplaced

frustration

How do we know if our signs (communications) are effective?

Are we helping or hindering?

Effective Communications Don’t assume…ask!

Students (work study) & Parents Staff from other offices

Don’t just ask, measure!Consistent confusion offers clarityEven simple staff tallies can help offer useful

info

Pride can blind us - it is better to be effective than right!Do not chain yourself to established

communicationsContinue to ask, measure and swallow pride It’s ok (often necessary) to change

Quickest way to MAKE a challenging

customer!

BLAME THEM!

Where to put our energy

Circleof

Influence

Didn’t read our messages…expect questions

Didn’t send clear messages…expect LOTS of questions!

Our circle includes doing everything we can to help them…not blame them! Speaking of

circles…

“Ring-Ring”

Phones on? Check!

Communications Sent? Check!

Positive Attitude?...Positive attitude?...Posit……

Let’s check!

Attitude is EVERYTHING!

“When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion.” Abraham Lincoln

Theories, tools, strategies, and training ALL depend on attitude!

I will take a positive attitude over experience every time! Experience is easy to alter – attitude…often impossible

Short-term easy with “tough love” Long-term…not so much

Every human interaction is an opportunity to feel good What is your “good” percentage each day? How about those around you?

What often determines the percentage can be found of course in… the mirror!

Nobody likes the mirror

• How do we see ourselves…do we even look? • Would we want to talk to us…and on our worst

day? • What would others say about how us?

• Do we hear others in our office display negative attitudes?

• If so…do I play along with “Negative Nancy”?

Do you look in the mirror?

Self Assessment is important…I suggest THE most important!

We often will only change something if we see it in ourselves

How many here love feedback…from anyone?

Look for signs of trouble Impatience, irritability, arguments Do you have more difficult customers than

others

Use those you trust to tell you the truth…but be ready for it!

Many tools out there to help us…just a click away!

Quick Test

1. When you're thinking to yourself, you tend to use positive words and encouraging phrases.

2. You don't worry about things you can't control.3. Most of all of your friends have upbeat attitudes4. In the past month, you’ve described yourself as depressed5. You tend to think about your strong points more than your weak points6. Even when things are stressful, you are able to focus on what

needs to be done7. If someone criticizes you, you tend to take it in the worst light8. You are usually the first person to give out a compliment9. You have something good to say about everyone, even your enemies10.When you think about getting older, you are (Pessimistic or Optimistic)?11.You tend to expect the worst in people12.You are not a procrastinator. You tend to get things done on time.13.When things go wrong in a group you blame others or yourself?14.You tend to be quite afraid of losing people you love15.You have a good posture16.When talking to strangers, you tend to smile and try to sound friendly17.Instead of participating in gossip, your rule is to say something

nice or not at all18.You tend to like to be well dressed and looking your best19.You are often reminding yourself what you should be doing20.You find it easy to forgive people and forget the bad things that

have happened to you (www.3smartcubes.com/pages/tests/attitudetest/attitudetest_questions.asp)

Self-Assessment

“Life is a journey, not a destination.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

The tool we use to assess ourselves is probably not nearly as important as the act of trying!

Simple Test

“The best two assignments in my career was the one I just left and the place I am going…”

Joel’s Air Force Buddy describing people that are never happy…

If your best job is the one you have now…you pass the test!

Is this just a “me” thing?

Attitude is about me – Environment is about us!

Attitude PoliceLeadership!!!!

Set the standard – and is responsible for enforcing it! Do you receive annual formal feedback from

supervisors? Does your supervisor speak informally and regularly

with you? Do they address attitude challenges with others?

Co-workersA. Isolate the poison (setting positive examples)B. Building trust and trying to help (ignoring doesn’t help)C. Identify challenging behaviors to leadership only when A &

B fail

You It still depends heavily on us!

Is your default response open or defensive? Does your finger point inward or outward? And of course…

Yet another corny adage…

Leadership must address those refusing to drink!

Why do I keep hitting my golf ball in the

woods?

• Beginners• Some are natural’s – but still need

lessons• It takes time - expect to lose golf balls

• Mid-range Handicappers• Swinging often doesn’t result in a better

swing• Play with people better than you!

(remember the artists?)• Professionals• Even the pros must practice, practice,

practice• Stress can make a pro look like a

beginner• Don’t forget to use your caddy!

(feedback)

Speaking of practice…

“insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting a different

result”Albert Einstein?

“The second time you knowingly touch a hot stove you probably should not wonder why

you burnt your finger!”Joel B. Davis

Why should I care…they just keep calling

Do people really say this?

If not, how about how they say things?

How does it make you feel when you see it?

Now imagine our customers…

Why should I care…final thoughts

• Remember that dreaded mirror…who do you want to see?

• What I try to apply and remember…

• Air Force Core Values• Integrity first!• Service before self!• Excellence in all we do!

• Reminder from a colleague • “Students are not a distraction from

our work…but the purpose of it!”

Wrap up

Group Therapy!

Horror (funny) stories?Group Q & A