In these days of grade inflation, kids in school probably don’t ever receive an F as a grade on anything anymore. In my day, getting an F in a class was painful, and getting three Fs was the academic kiss of death. My, how times have changed! Why, these days any self-respecting customer service rep wants to aim for three Fs at all times! Let me explain.
One of the most difficult challenges a customer service rep can face is dealing with difficult customers– people who are angry, disappointed, or hard to please. As these folks drone on and on about their problems and frustrations, the pressure begins to build in the CSR to do something to turn this horror story into a success story. So, what do you do? Apply the three F process.
The first F stands for Feelings, as in, “Let the customer have time to express his feelings.” Customers with problems want to be heard – they want to know you care – and one of the best ways to show you care is to listen quietly and empathize. Don’t interrupt and most of all don’t make excuses for yourself or your company. Even if the customer is misinformed or has misunderstood the issues involved, hear him out. Offer some brief sympathetic words of support such as, “I am sorry to hear you have been having this problem,” to demonstrate that you are listening and you care. The customer is more likely to work with you if you first demonstrate that you are willing to work with him by listening instead of interrupting and correcting him. When the customer has completed his opening remarks and you have expressed your sympathy, you are ready to move to the next F.
The second F is for finding Facts. Now is the time to ask as many questions as you can to help you understand what the customer’s needs are and how you can best offer a solution. Start with the simple who-what-when-where-how-why questions; these are called open-ended questions, because they encourage the customer to open up and speak freely. This will help you learn even more about the customer’s needs and expectations.
As the customer begins to answer your questions, you must do two things. The first is CLARIFY your understanding of their answers. Comments such as, “Tell me a little more about that,” or “does that mean you were expecting X?” will help the customer explain his situation more clearly. The other thing you need to do is CONFIRM your understanding of what the customer is telling you. As you begin to form a better picture of what the customer needs and what should be done to satisfy him, be sure and nail your assumptions down by saying something like, “Let me be sure I understand you correctly. What you want right now is to return this product for a full refund, have us pay the shipping, and order the next larger size. Is that correct?” If the customer agrees, proceed to step three; if not, ask a few closed questions (answered by Yes or No) to refine your understanding. Then CONFIRM one more time.
This brings us to the third F – Finding solutions. If you have done a good job with the first two Fs, the customer should be calmer and you should have a pretty good idea of what would satisfy him. Now is the time to begin to offer solutions and test to see which ones will be most acceptable to the client. Start by reaffirming your understanding of the customer’s need as well as your understanding of the solution that would be most satisfactory to him. If possible, provide the customer with a set of options so that he will feel he has some power in creating the solution that is most acceptable to him. Once the customer has identified which of your offerings he wants, confirm the choice and agree on how and when it will be implemented.
What if the customer wants a solution that you can’t provide? Unfortunately, anything from company policy to federal regulations to the limits of the space time continuum might prevent you from giving the customer exactly what he wants. What happens next? Above all, NEVER TELL THE CUSTOMER “NO.” This will likely throw you back to step one. Instead, smoothly transition to your best solution by saying, “I understand your situation Mr. Jones, and here is what I can offer you.” Then pull out all the stops to give him the best deal available to you. Maybe you can throw in something extra to create a WOW effect. Stay focused on what you can do, and express appreciation to the customer for his patience and understanding.
Dealing with distraught customers is never easy, but if you follow the three Fs, you will get an A+ in customer service and create a satisfied customer who will stick with your company for a long time.
Re-Print Permission
This article may be reprinted in it's entirety if the following
conditions are met:
May Customer Service Quick Tip of the Month
Here are four easy steps tips to help your customer service reps be more caring:
Rule #1: Be patient and listen! You have to understand what the customer wants and how he feels before you can help him. Don’t interrupt or argue. Don’t offer responses until you are clear about the problem.
Rule #2: There is no reason to become defensive. The customer may be mad about the product or the company, but it has nothing to do with you. The best way to help him is to remain calm and be understanding.
Rule #3: Before you say anything else, respond with a sincere apology for any inconvenience or other problems the customer may have experienced. Sometimes just saying, “I understand how you feel,” is the first step toward creating a solution.
Rule #4: At all costs, avoid saying, “this is not my department.” As an employee of this company, it is now your job to find a constructive response, even if you have to go out of your way to do it.
