Your company may be known and world renowned for its outstanding customer’s service but at some point, there will be an unhappy client. This is a given that occurs in any business and often times, it’s simply that the client is having a bad day. A company relies heavily on the happiness of their clients and therefore, make every effort to make certain they are happy with the products and services received. One bad review or reference can be the onset of a lengthy road to recovery of an otherwise stellar reputation. There are many approaches that can be taken to handle difficult clients and not all of them will work in every situation. However, taking the time to assess the matter at hand and apply the appropriate method of diffusion and an unhappy client can quickly forget that they ever had a problem.
Lend an Ear
This is far from a passive approach and could be the most essential step to battling the blaze of the unhappy client. Once the client is in your presence or on the phone, take the time to listen to the full extent of their complaint. This is best done without interruption and it may help to take notes during the conversation as well. Once the client has completely relayed their issues, begin your address by restating what you’ve gained from their statement. This shows them that you were fully attentive and eager to please the situation.
Weigh All Options
There will sometimes be the need to simply remain quiet when the client is irate or difficult to speak with for the sake of resolution. Attempting to move forward with a slanderous client is only a burden to an existing bad situation. Once the client is calm and thinking rationally, discuss with them the options that are available to rectify their complaint. Be certain to point out how this will benefit or correct their initial complaint in hopes that they’ll agree. Communicate with the client to find out where things went wrong and identify that as the underlying issue. Never be afraid to take the blame if it’s actually yours to take. In some cases, the company may even consider biting the bullet and taking a loss if it means retaining the client. When one is weighed against the other, the decision must be made to accept the loss and make the client happy or stand the ground and move forward with the risk of losing their business.
There are many Tips on How to Handle Difficult Clients but utilise those which adhere best to the clients in your industry. Conflict Resolution Training & Consulting values quality initiatives to preserve the satisfaction of clients.