How to Deal With Unhappy Customers
It happens to everyone, even your best sales people. A customer will take offense at your pricing, your product or something else about you or your company. You can't just ignore their hostility, that only sends the message that you don't care about their problem. When a customer is determined to argue with you, you can defuse the situation in four easy steps.
Thank the person for his/her comments -- even if those comments were shouted at you. Remember, the attack is not personal, so do not treat it that way. Keep your cool, even when being berated.
Start your half of the conversation with the phrase: "Let me see if I understand you completely." Then restate the person's argument -- slowly. This does two things, one, it gives the person a chance to calm down and two, it shows that you are truly listening and are taking their concerns seriously.
Find a least one thing in the argument that you can agree with. Even if you think the argument as a whole has no foundation, pick out one major point you can agree with. Build your rebuttal on that point. For instance: "Well, Mr. Smith, I can certainly see your point about the delivery being late. I will make sure that does not happen again. Now regarding your other concerns?" By conceding a point or two right away, you show that you are not defensive about the situation and that you really want to solve the problem, not duck blame or make excuses.
Solve the problem. Remember, when customers pick a fight, what they are really saying is, "I have a problem." Solve that problem. By doing so, you turn a negative around and actually, gain points. Smart salespeople do not mind when customers complain. They see it as their chance to shine and to win the customer's loyalty.