Turn Negative Customers into Walking Advertisements
No sales organization is safe from complaining customers. You can't control how they'll react to your product or service. But you can choose how you and your salespeople respond to them. Follow these suggestions to build a caring customer service image:
Use positive language When you acknowledge a customer's complaint, avoid words such as "trouble" or "problem." Try "situation" or "challenge." Repeating negative works reinforces the customer's perception that there really is something wrong -- and maybe your organization won't be able to fix it.
Eliminate your emotions Don't take customer's anger personally. They're upset with the situation, not with you, no matter how it sounds. Maintain a calm, pleasant voice and a level head. Customer's anger and frustration will only increase if you allow your emotions to escalate in response.
Offer choices Try to generate more than one solution. That give customers the chance to select how they want the situation resolved. Irate customers feel they're in an out-of-control situation. Offering choices helps them feel better.
State what you can do When you outline options, tell customers what you can do -- rather than what you can't do. Don't say, "We don't accept personal checks." A much more pleasant statement is "We'll gladly accept your cash or credit card."