Customer Satisfaction: How to Handle Angry Customers!!**
Continuing the guest author spot on the Managingsales people blog is Sean Mirze an internet marketing coach.
This is a great article and one to send to you team to print off and keep with them.
No matter who you are or what you sell at some point you will have angry and irate customers. It is a fact of life.
Listed are some logical steps I know. Ye in the heat of the moment it is so easy to forget them.
Hope you find them useful
The 10 Steps and 1 to Grow On
1. Prepare yourself
2. Let them vent their anger
3. Listen
4. Verify for understanding
5. Empathize with these customers
6. Ask what they would like done to solve the problem
7. Get agreement
8. Apologise
9. Conclude the call
10. Follow up
11. Take care of yourself
1. The Call – Prepare Yourself
The first step to take when dealing with an angry or irate customer is to prepare your self. Sit up straight, make sure your posture is good, put a smile on your face, and take a deep breath. In many cases, you’ll have to prepare yourself while the customer is on the line. Of course, don’t take that deep breath directly into the phone, but do take a deep breath, and do prepare yourself. In some cases, you’ll know you’re about to work with an irate customer momentarily. Your office mate may field the call and toss you “that look” as he or she transfers the call to you. (You know “that look”; it communicates, “Boy, do I have a customer for you!”) Before answering the call, take one or two seconds to prepare yourself. Then pick up the line and begin the call flow process we describe below.
2. Let Them Vent Their Anger
The second step is letting angry and irate customers vent their anger. You need to allow these customers to vent from beginning to end. And don’t interrupt. Unlike the typical call flow process we discussed earlier, don’t use short messages with irate customers. The odd thing about these customers is that they have a “tape recorder” in their heads. When they call, they’ve already prepared their speeches. They’ve been practicing, and you’re going to hear it-all of it. If you interrupt their speeches with short messages such as “I see” or “I understand,” angry or irate customers push stop on their “tape recorder,” hit rewind, go back to the beginning, and play the whole tape again. So you need to allow these customers to vent without any interruptions.
3. Listen
The third step in dealing with angry or irate customers is listening. In addition, we recommend you take notes. Taking notes forces you to actively listen. Plus, you’ll be able to refer back to your notes later in your conversation.
4. Verify for Understanding
The fourth step in handling angry or irate customers is verifying what they have communicated to you to ensure you understand the situation. Repeat their central messages to them-word for word. Do not paraphrase. What can happen if we paraphrase an angry or irate customer’s message, but we get it wrong?
The customer just gets madder. He or she might pound a fist on the desk and declare, “That’s not what I said! You weren’t listening!” By repeating the problem word for word, the angry customer will agree with your statement, and you will be able to verify the problem for your understanding.
There are two advantages to verifying for understanding. The first is that you have a better opportunity to correctly identify the problem. Second, repeating the problem or situation in their own words means they will agree with your description, and they will agree with you because you will be correct. One of the keys to handling angry and irate customers is getting them to agree to anything as quickly as possible. This step is your first opportunity to get these customers to agree with you.
5. Empathize with Them
Providing an empathy statement is a critical step in the call flow process when dealing with angry and irate customers. Remember, each of these steps is designed to defuse these difficult customers, and we’re guiding these customers to a point where we can provide them with both service and solutions.
6. Ask What They Would Like Done to Solve the Problem
Next in the call flow process for working with angry or irate customers, you’ll want to determine what these customers need, respond to their needs, and get their input on the action plan. Determine customers’ needs by asking open-ended and close-ended questions. Ask enough questions to get all the information you need. And be sure not to paraphrase their responses-repeat the information word for word.
Next, respond to their needs by developing a plan of action to resolve their problem. If they don’t agree with the plan you propose, find out what they would like to see as a solution. At this point, you can determine if they are unrealistic as well as angry. However, most customers are defused by this time in the conversation, and they’ll be calm and realistic.
So ask these customers what they’d like to see for a solution. If they’re still angry, their response might be, “Just fix it.” Or their response could be unrealistic. But it’s possible they have some suggestions you haven’t thought of. In fact, you might come up with more than one plausible plan for resolution. Keep in mind that customers love alternatives, and giving them options (if you can) is a real treat for them.
Getting your customers involved in the resolution process means they’ll be part owners of the solutions. When they help you determine the action plan, they’re more apt to buy into the solution. In addition, it’s difficult for them to come back to the help desk and claim you didn’t do your job if they helped arrive at the solution. So ask these customers what they would like to see as a solution, and, together, determine a plan for resolution.
7. Get Agreement
Next, you want to get agreement with angry or irate customers. You’ll want to follow the same strategy for getting agreement. Getting agreement is the step in which you and your customers jointly finalize the action plans you’ll take to solve the problem. Remember; don’t impose an action plan on customers. To achieve customer satisfaction, you need to give them the opportunity to verbally accept the action plan you propose. This step can be as brief and informal as asking, “Does this direction sound like the way to go?” And their reply: “Sounds good to me.”
8. Apologize
The next step in our call flow process for handling angry or irate customers is to apologize. Now, some customer support professionals may argue that there’s no need to apologize if you didn’t cause the problem. In addition, you may not feel comfortable making apologies to customers.
However, from a customer service standpoint, you have nothing to lose by apologizing and everything to gain-if you are sincere. Customers usually respond positively when you apologize. In fact, they may apologize to you for their behavior. This step in the call flow process can make a big difference when dealing with difficult customers-again, if you are sincere.
If you are unable to apologize using a sincere tone of voice, don’t apologize. The wrong tone of voice will come across negatively, and your customer will know your apology is not sincere. A misstep here can completely destroy everything you’ve gained up to this point.
9. Conclude the Call
The next step is to conclude the call. When dealing with angry or irate customers, in particular, be sure they are completely finished before you hang up.
10. Follow Up
You may want to follow up with angry and irate customers. Even though you have defused the situation, solved the problem, and provided good customer service, you might consider making a follow-up call to these customers. You want them to remember their positive contacts with your help desk or support center, and a follow-up call can help achieve that.
11. Finally, take care of yourself
This is an extremely important step. Handling angry and irate customers can be very stressful, and you need to be sure you have a calm, positive attitude before taking your next call or handling your next ticket. This may mean taking a few minutes away from your desk for a quick break. Just be sure to take care of yourself, so you can provide solutions and service to your next customer.
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——————————————————————————– Sean Mize teaches coaches, consultants, and small business owners how to package their knowledge and sell it in high priced coaching, consulting, and online class packages. Sean says “If you have an existing marketable service or skill that you can teach others, I can teach you to package it into a high-priced class or coaching program, guaranteed” Visit Sean at: Internet Marketing Coaching |
To you and your teams success,
Best Wishes
Denise
Popularity: 94% [?]
The 5 Things To Think About Before You Change Your Sales Or Marketing Strategy
I was reviewing this artice “The 5 Things To Think About Before You Change Your Sales Or Marketing Strategy” from a colleague of mine. It was particularly relevant as I had been consulting on a new clients business growth strategy for 2009. Or better put how can I get my team to sell and close more.
It can be a very easy thing to day when “its” not working to suddenly change everything you are doing. I hope you like this article from Bill that gives a simple foramt and series of questions to ask before you launch into anything.
“Establishing a new marketing strategy is a difficult undertaking for any sales and marketing professional. There are so many things to consider and so many people who will be impacted by the decision. Even minor changes in marketing and sales strategy will be noticed by the lowest level employees, current clients, and prospects. Here are five of the most important questions to ask when you are considering a new direction in your sales and marketing efforts.
1) How will it affect what we are currently doing? Your current practices have led you to where you are and a change is likely to have an impact on the foundation you have established. Will the change allow you to build on your success?
2) How risky is changing? The potential rewards of the change must be reasonably attained. Is the reward measurable? Is the risk limited and easy to overcome if mistakes are made? What needs to be done to reduce the risk involved?
3) What do we get out of it? If all goes well, what are the expected gains? Who comes out the winner? Does anyone lose?
4) Whose feathers will get ruffled? Some employees and executives are sure to have a greater stake in the change than others. If certain people have a vested interest in opposing the change because it would mean a loss in power or income, is the cost of possibly losing them worth it?
5) How will the competition react? You probably have your finger on the collective pulse of your competition. They are sure to pick up on a significant move for market share. How will they react?
If it is time to make a change in your business, consider the above questions before coming to a definitive conclusion . ”
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Bill Tamminga helps companies grow. He wrote a marketing assessment tool called Advanced Business Triage and his next book, a how-to marketing book for service businesses, will be out this spring. There are some great things happening at his blog http://www.GoalRevolution.com, |
To You and Your Teams Success
Denise
Popularity: 61% [?]
Valentines Day Selling and Your Customers ? Where is the link?
Valentines Day Selling and Your Customers ? Where is the link? in an effort to link something topical with our communication to you our customers ( Hint Hint top tip)
I have attached parts of an article from an internet marketer who comes from a similar background to us and raises some excellent and thought provoking subjects. I have highlighted and focused on a couple of points that are good thinking points for us. Especially if you like winning.
Anywhere it talks about marketing substitute with selling. Selling is one of the oldest crafts going.
The truly great at it have an amazing connection with their customers. From the point of view of really wanting to serve them.
Take yourself back to the time you first fell in love. Or if you are my age one of the times!! Remember how it was all about the other person?
You would turn cartwheels for them. Buy their favorite food and cook it. Wear something you would never normally wear because they liked it. It was all about them. For some of us lucky people it might still be **!!
Lets explore why reading on will be worth it to you.
I was trained in traditional sales and marketing in the pharmaceutical industry . Very scientific and a real example of how cause and effect works. Money and resources in profit out.
Lets have a look at how this stopped working for Bernadette when she started her own business
Of course, none of that counted for anything when I started my own business. I didn’t have the budget to establish a brand presence, the idea of spending thousands to advertise the launch of a new product or service was unthinkable. I didn’t need a bar chart to tabulate my sales results – in the early days I could count them on my fingers!
But I am so grateful that it was that way, because those circumstances forced me to look beyond marketing as it is taught in text books, and ask, ‘What really works for small business owners in the real world?’
Today I can state with confidence that love has everything to do with marketing, ( SELLING !!**) and even if you feel that you are David ( ONE LONELY SALES MANGER OR SALES PERSON) being towered by Goliath, when you harness the power of love in your marketing efforts ( SELLING !!**), you are tapping in to the most powerful and unexploited marketing resource of all.
Is your marketing ( SELLING !!**) being driven by fear, or guided by love?
Everything boils down to two emotions: love and fear.
Which plays the bigger part in your marketing ( SELLING !!**) efforts? Are you being driven by fear? Fear that there won’t be enough? Fear that you’ll miss out? Fear of being misunderstood? Fear that you are not good enough?
Which are you choosing? If you are human, the answer probably varies! Today I just want to make you aware of the distinction so you can notice sooner when fear has taken over your marketing, and make the conscious choice to be guided by love.
If you want clients who love what you do, then you need to start by loving what you do!
Do you love what you do ? If not then find a way to do that Then find a way to fall back in love with the service you provide, or move on to a new field. If you don’t love what you do, you are short changing yourself and your clients.
Do you love your clients?
‘One of the biggest mistakes, probably the biggest mistake, people make in any business is that they fall in love with the wrong things. They fall in love with their product service or company. You should believe passionately in your product, service or company. But you should fall in love with your clients.’ Jay Abraham, Getting All You Can Out of All You’ve Got
There is no marketing technique that is more effective than genuine, sincere concern for your prospective clients and a true desire to assist them in solving a problem and reaching their goals. Nothing.
Guess what? Sometimes I don’t feel like writing a post on the blog. Guess who motivates me to write it? You do! I feel like we’re on the same team.
I help you by sharing the managing and selling expertise I have selling that I have developed over the years. You help me by being a reader of this blog. We both win.
Have a great weekend,
Denise
Popularity: 74% [?]
The Top 10 Reasons Your Sales Team Don’t Get More Business
The Top 10 Reasons Your Sales Team Don’t Get More Business is probably something you know already…or do you.
A colleague of mine Drew Stevens from Top Sales experts recently posted a great and thought provoking article on lead generation and just some of the things that get in the way.
Some you might say. Yeah of course we always do that !. Think it through though. Do you actually do these “key things” all the time
Thought you might find it useful.
“Sales Managers are perplexed with selling professionals. There is work to be done, goals that must be met and pipelines that must be filled. Yet as the year has begun the exasperating issues from last year reinvent themselves in the new one. There are several reasons for this.
With the plethora of competition and the need to lock in clients, it is amazing how selling professionals repeatedly commit the same errors. Customers today want one question answered, “How can it benefit me?”
However, professionals consistently buck the answer. Listed here are the top 10 issues that stop you and the sales staff from getting business.
1. Stop talking about you. There is a current commercial trying to get consumers to purchase a dietary product. Ironically, a celebrity endorser speaks of the 10 reasons why she uses the product. No one cares. Kennedy stated, “Ask what you can do for your country”. That said, ask what you can do for your client.
2. Stop talking period. Your creator gave you one mouth and two ears. Stop talking and listen to client needs.
3. Provide value. Too often selling professionals continually mention features. Customers purchase based on the value they gain from your service. Turn features into benefits.
4. Stop Closing. Yes I said stop closing. The notion of closing based on ridiculous questioning techniques and statistics is false. You gain business when you engage in participative conversation. Relationship controls the business.
5. Procrastination. Too many selling professionals are not organized and spend much time shying away from undesired calls and paperwork. Wasted time is what builds. Do the things you hate to do first and end your day on a crescendo.
6. Asking inane questions. Customers cringe when selling representatives call and state, “How are you doing today?” Unless you are a relative stop repeating clichéd lines. The sweetest sounds people hear is their name repeat it, and the purpose for your call.
7. Reach decision makers. If sales staff craves rejection then continue to contact gatekeepers. If you desire unlimited revenue reach those that make decisions.
8. Research. Selling is a profession, similar to that of a healthcare professional. Physicians constantly use research to undisclosed illnesses and patient issues. Selling professionals must conduct themselves similarly. Discover information on the company and develop three reasons for connected with them.
9. Database. Customer Relationship Management databases are underutilized. Review your database for golden nuggets that have not been contacted for six months or more.
10. Did I mention stop talking about you. The selling process is concerned with gaining customers not how much money you make or how much you desire to place in your pocket. The purpose of any business is to create a client and revenue/commission is the reward for achieving success. Do not misconstrue your business purpose. Egregious behavior is short lived.”
© Drew J. Stevens Ph.D All rights reserved.
To you and Your teams success
Best Wishes
Denise
Popularity: 43% [?]
Prospecting for Business? Is it the best return on your time
Prospecting for Business? Is it the best return on your time and resources. A question that is often asked at the moment when people want to get all the revenue in that they can.
Below is a great story from Peter Thompson in the uk. It is a really interesting reminder about prospecting vs working with what you have.
More and more we are finding companies are asking us to focus on the business as well as the skill aspects of sales management. Rather than just giving sales coaching tips!
This is a great top tip and one I know that is very obvious. Yet we often over look it. Read on and let us know what you think?
“And the Salesman told me…”
I have this habit you see – not sure where it originated, but at times it’s been really useful and at times – well – the opposite.
It wasn’t until…
One of my guests told me I was doing it – I noticed how often I’d done it in the past.
So enough…
Here’s what I was doing. I was using superlatives in every question I asked!
Question: What’s the BEST thing you ever learned?
Question: What the WORST failure you ever experienced?
Question: What the INTERESTINGEST book you ever read? (I didn’t actually use the word ‘interestingest’ but it had a nice ring about it – in the rhythm of 3s didn’t it?)
And perhaps…
I could have asked:
Question: What are the 3 traits you believe great leaders have?
Question: If you were to recommend 4 books which you think everyone should read – what would they be and why those?
However…
There was a time when I asked someone a question, including a superlative, which taught me a profit-making idea I might not have discovered otherwise.
And here it is…
One day, some many suns ago – I was chatting with a car salesman. We’d done the deal. I was the buyer, he was the seller and we were getting along pretty well. Exchanging ideas, thoughts, even selling methods once he knew I had a fascination for business success.
And it was…
In that conversation he mentioned an idea to me which had me reaching for my ubiquitous notebook and pen. Just 5 words but “oh, what an idea!”
This is…
What he said: “Scratch ‘em – when they itch!”
Oh so obvious, oh so plain to see, oh so unseen by so many – including me before the moment of revealing.
“Scratch ‘em – when they itch!”
Now…
For the car salesman this meant – when a previous car buyer was reaching the stage when they’d be considering changing their car – it would be the time to make contact again and let them know what was on offer.
For true professionals – they’d be maintaining regular and unconditional contact – but the idea still holds true.
And so…
I was wondering if you might just know when your clients or customers are about to ‘itch’ and whether or not you’re poised to scratch ‘em.
Might be worthy of some thinking time – don’t you think?
So how may of your customers are about to scratch. Do you actually have this information to hand do you have a process in place to remind you?
Index cards software. It doesn’t actually matter as long as you have something. And you know what people will really value you for it as well.
Best Wishes
Denise
Peter Thompson can be found here
Popularity: 41% [?]
Want greater results? Then give more and get creative!
One of my mastermind buddies just sent out his newsletter. There are some really interesting points I thought you might like! For any one in sales management or sales it provokes a re evaluation of what is actually important when it comes to being successful
Did you see the independent report on childhood this week? According to the panel, “excessive individualism” is to blame for many of the problems children face and needs to be replaced by a value system where people seek satisfaction more from helping others rather than pursuing private advantage.
This struck a chord with me. It is easy to slip into patterns of habitual behaviour that seem normal as everyone else is doing it. It was not long ago when the acceptable norm was for hospital doctors to work 56 hour shifts.
Today the kennel club are in a mess because what is acceptable in dog breeding has been challenged by the Panorama programme. Do you think it is acceptable behaviour for you to sleep with your daughter an official was asked? If not why is it for dogs? They have a point.
I would like you to consider two points.
Give and you shall receive – ‘….helping others rather than pursuing private advantage’. These statements are not actually exclusive. If you are generous in giving to others, it is human nature that usually you will receive in return. This is a great principle for business. If you add value to your customers in innovative ways you increase the likelihood of receiving more business in return. If you come from a position of what can I get; rather than what can I give; this is counterproductive and you will ultimately suffer the consequences. This is the same with children. Give generously of your time and you will be rewarded with ‘private advantage’ through a closer relationship. By helping others you can attain advantage.
It is worth always asking yourself ‘where can I add more value to others’?
Creativity not competition – The report said people are over competitive. We have been conditioned from early childhood to be so. However, it does not always result in an endearing character and can mean we are focused on what others are achieving rather than developing ourselves step by step to achieve more. Those companies who are really excelling, compete not by continuously using the competition as the benchmark but by looking to add greater value for the whole through creation. Take Apple IPOD who created a new market sector rather than price cutting in existing sectors. They got very creative. Nintendo Wii is another example.
In the words of ‘Wallace Wattle’ while writing about wealth creation ‘People must be taught to become rich by creation, not by competition. Every man who becomes rich by competition throws down behind him the ladder by which he rises, and keeps others down; but every man who gets rich by creation opens a way for thousands to follow him, and inspires them to do so.
How can you get creative?
Being creative and adding value for some sales people are new concepts for others the really successful ones maybe not?
Chris Cooper launches his new website in a matter of days you will find it here
Best Wishes
Denise
Popularity: 39% [?]
What Does President Barack Obama, The Principle of Cause- Effect and Sales Managers Have in Common?
What does Barack Obahma, the principle of Cause-Effect and Sales Managers have in common you may well ask?
During the November Presidential campaign, the principle of cause and effect was often employed by Barack Obahma. There’s a great lesson here for any sales manager not just new and aspiring sales managers!
As with most political campaigns, there seems to come a time when one of the opponents begins to criticise professionally and often very personally their fellow opponent. Sometimes it seems with little regard for the feelings of others.
There were times in the recent Presidential campaign when Presidential nominee Barack Obahma was criticised for his inexperience, lack of depth regarding policy detail and his views on foreign affairs to name a few.
Often in these situations, the recipient of the initial verbal attack launches an equal if not more critical response.
The now President Barack Obahma was an exception. Even in the face of recommendations from his campaign team to some heavy criticism, President Obahma stood firm and refused to respond. He did not want to allow himself to get thrown off track or message and be at the effect at what was happening in his environment.
Rather, his chosen response was to focus on his own campaign and “key messages”.
This was all part of a well thought out plan, where the “Effect”, was to win the Presidential campaign.
In order to do this, Obahma and his team researched Presidential campaigns dating back to J. F K’s
campaign and included the speeches of Martin Luther King. The team identified what they believed were the key success factors that ‘Caused’ a Presidential nominee to win the election.
Then they designed their campaign strategy and implemented it. One of the ‘success factors’
identified was ‘Cause and Effect’.
In simple terms;
Focus your efforts and energy on what will ‘cause’ you to get the results you want. Stop yourself from reacting to and being at the ‘effect’ of what is going on around you.
Back then to my original question.
What does President Barack Obahma, the principle of Cause- Effect and Sales Managers have in common?
It can be easy as a Sales Manager to allow yourself to be at the “effect” of others in your peer group,
senior management, your own team, even clients.
For example, at the moment you might find some of your management colleagues having a conversation about how “difficult” times are right now. Maybe even saying, “How hard it’s going to be this year to hit sales quotas and targets”.
A Sales Manager, like any other person, has a choice.
You can either, join your colleagues and allow yourself to be at the ‘effect’ of what is going on globally right now. OR, you can focus your energy on the “cause” and what are the key things you will do and actions you will take to move your business forward.
Managing and Leading a successful Sales Team is an ‘effect’. It has specific causes.
Find a successful Sales Manager and ask them ‘What are the key things they focus on that deliver results?’ Then go and do those same things. If you implement the ‘Cause’, you will ultimately get
the ‘Effect’.
Thinking then about your Sales Representatives, the same ‘Cause, Effect’ principle applies.
Millions of people are involved in the fields of Sales and Sales Management. Sadly, the vast
majority are unaware of the ‘Cause, Effect’ principle. When they are, few truly understand it and even fewer use it.
Now you understand the principle, let me ask you a few questions.
What will it mean for you in terms of how you now generate sales with your team?
What will you do differently?
When will you start?
How will you share this principle with your Sales Team?
To your success
Sharon
Popularity: 44% [?]
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