Information Sheet CCHE 323-5.
5
Handling complaints/ conflict situations, evaluation, and
recommendations
Learning Objectives:
After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to:
1. Identify the procedure in handling situations, evaluations, and
recommendations
2. Discuss the 10 Conflict Resolution Tactics for Your Customer Service
Team
3. Demonstrate the steps and procedure in handling customer’s complaints
Introduction
According to Lorri Freifeld (2013), complaints, conflict situations,
evaluations, and recommendations happen every day. When a customer
complains, it is usually for a good reason or genuine concern. They usually
have made a purchase that did not meet their expectation of a product,
service, or maybe a combination of the two. In the business and customer
service industry, we cannot avoid that. We must take care of the customer
by listening to the complaint, and resolving it, to ensure a happy customer.
Customers want to know someone is listening and they are
understood, and they are hoping you are willing to take care of the problem
to their satisfaction. No matter what the situation is when a customer brings
a complaint to your attention even if they do it in a less than desirable way
be thankful. As the old saying goes, “We can’t fix it, if we don’t know it’s
broken.” Moreover, we must realize that improper handling of a customer
complaint can be costly to the business.
Complaints, evaluations, and recommendations handling procedure
Once you have developed a policy you can create a procedure for handling
complaints. A procedure will ensure complaints are dealt with the same
way, every time. The procedure should be easy to understand and follow by
all your staff.
Your procedure could include the following steps.
1 - Listen to the complaint
Thank the customer for bringing the matter to
your attention. Apologize and accept ownership,
don't blame others, and remain courteous.
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2 - Record details of the complaint
Go through the complaint in detail so you can understand exactly what the
problem is. Keep records of all complaints in one central place or register.
This will help you identify any trends or issues.
3 - Get all the facts
Check that you have understood and recorded the
details of the complaint correctly. Ask questions if
necessary.
4 - Discuss options for fixing the problem
Ask the customer what response they are seeking;
it could be a repair, replacement, refund, or
apology. Decide if the request is reasonable.
5 - Act quickly
Aim to resolve the complaint quickly. If you take a long time they tend to
escalate.
6 - Keep your promises
Keep the customer informed if there are any delays in resolving their
request. Don’t promise things that you can’t deliver.
7 - Follow up
Contact the customer to find out if they were
satisfied with how their complaint was handled. Let
them know what you are doing to avoid the problem
in the future.
Make sure your staff is trained to follow your
procedure when handling complaints and that they
have the power to resolve issues as quickly as
possible.
Encourage your customers to provide feedback and complaints so that they
let you know when there is a problem and allow you to resolve it.
10 Conflict Resolution Tactics for Your Customer Service Team
1. Listen to customers
Listening should be your first and foremost strategy for handling problems
with angry customers. Patiently allow them to communicate whatever needs
they have and listen intently to what they're saying.
2. Watch your tone
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Sometimes, we say certain things and even mean them that way, but our
tone suggests otherwise. Watch your tone when speaking to customers and
avoid sounding dismissive or annoyed this is a vital part of conflict
management.
3. Avoid reactive responses
Customer service professionals are humans, too, and sometimes a
customer’s accusatory tone tempts them to react in kind, which only
exacerbates the interpersonal conflict. You must resist this temptation
because it turns off customers and will ultimately hurt your reputation as a
company if it happens too often.
Don’t respond with anger, and be tactful with your responses, or you may
have difficulty retaining customers. And don’t personalize the interaction,
which risks making things more emotional. Remain composed when the
customer is not.
4. Maintain focus
The key to good customer service is to stay above the fray and not get rattled
by the chaos of emotional customers or the sheer volume of complaints.
Maintain your focus and use it to redirect angry conversations into a calmer
space. Stay invested in creating a solution and avoids tangents or insults. If
the customer insists on making negative comments, disengage from it and
let the customer finish before attempting to move on.
5. Use soft language
Words matter, particularly in customer service. Even if you use the right
tone or are doing a good job listening, certain trigger words will set off a
customer. For example, if you use “hard” vocabulary like “always” or “never,”
the customer will feel judged or bossed around and explode on you.
6. Seek common ground
Sometimes, the conflict will seem insurmountable. The customer will
demand the world from the company over a small issue, and their demands
will seem unreasonable and unsolvable. In these cases, seek common
ground.
Find areas where you both agree, and start working on expanding those
spaces. Work toward a common accord and seek win-win solutions where
you both get something out of the deal, even if it’s not everything you want.
Demonstrate a good faith effort to solve the problem.
7. Maintain boundaries
Not all conflicts can be resolved, and that’s OK. Some customers are just
unreasonable and not worth bending over backward for. If all your good
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faith efforts have failed, politely thank them for contacting you, apologize for
not solving their problem, and end the call.
8. Accept conflict
Accepting that you will deal with conflict is enough for some people to
handle just about anything. When you go into the day expecting to deal with
100% happy customers, you set yourself up for disappointment.
9. Keep a future focus
Most conflicts are focused on the past “your company did X to me and I’m
upset about it.” Your focus should be on the future i.e., what will it take to
get this customer to a happy place? Consider saying that directly to the
customer: “I’m sorry to hear that Mr. Smith, my goal is to make sure you’re
satisfied. What if we send the widget to you via next-day delivery free of
charge? Would that handle your concern or is there more I can do?”
10. Don’t interrupt
Yes, customers can be long-winded in their complaints. But resist the urge
to interrupt. Interruptions are rude, and they communicate to the customer
you think their concerns are overblown. Let them finish their thought,
paraphrase the thrust of their complaint, and then discuss possible
solutions.
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