Your role is to be the problem solver for your customers. You do that by playing above the line, which means taking responsibility for what you can do right now, with the resources you have. This is the message from the video you saw in the last lesson. It's a great attitude to carry through into your private life to when you start with this attitude, then most things can be turned around in your favor and be kind. everyone you meet is fighting a tough battle. Mostly, they're upset, nice people.

Take personal responsibility for resolving the problem. There are days when you'll feel frustrated and wonder why you should make the effort to resolve problems and pacify angry customers, especially when they're being rude to you. But it's your job to Stand back from your immediate feelings of anger or distress to solve the problem. Understanding brain function will allow you to deal more effectively with the emotions your customer brings, like anger, distress, apprehension. The initial response to any emotion comes from the limbic region of the brain. This automatic rapid, strong response can be overwhelming.

Cognitive neuroscientists describe this as a limbic hijack. The secondary slower response comes from the frontal cortex region of the brain, which deals with executive functions, like observation, thoughtfulness problem solving, these two regions cannot both run on full power at the same time. But you can switch focus between them between emotional response and being thoughtful and watchful. It's like riding a seesaw. When one side is up, the other is down. When the limbic side of the seesaw is raised, we are controlled by our emotional responses.

When the seesaw swings to frontal cortex dominance, we're thinking, observing and able to deal with issues and solutions. to swing your focus from the emotional limbic area, start thinking about and observing your customers body language. Observe the hidden or subtle elements of the other person's communication. This approach brings energy to the thinking frontal cortex side. Practicing This will make it easier to avoid the emotional hijack. We've talked about playing above the line, but what does playing below the line look like?

Well, maybe telling story Is that shift the focus from the issue at hand, trying to justify the situation as it stands, perhaps denying the problem as a problem at all, or laying blame or fault finding, even with yourself. Just consider what you can do right now with the resources you have that will correct the problem. Or at least to carry the problem towards the best outcome you can get. Your job is to turn the negative into a positive experience. So if you have a problem, think of at least two solutions. don't dump the problem on someone else.

It's up to you to find a way to fix it. And when you look for a number of solutions, rather than the first thing that pops into your mind, you often come up with better ideas. You can then also provide the customer with choice and that increases the chance of a happier outcome. Do you complain when you get a bad meal in a restaurant or do you suffer inside And just never go back there. Do tell your friends and family about your bad experience. Typically business only hears from about 4% of its dissatisfied customers 96% simply go elsewhere or feel bitter, bringing their anger to every other dealing they have with your organization.

Silence does not equal satisfaction. But the good news is 70% will buy again if you resolve in their favor. 95% will buy again if you resolve in their favor on the spot, you can create positive ongoing energy. A rapidly solve problem can create more customer loyalty than if the problem never occurred. Those customers become advocates for your business. Customers remember the extra touch.

If you're going to address a customer's problem, do it well and leave them with a very strong memory of excellent customer care. The quality of your response is critical if you do an average Job no one remembers. If you do a great job, everyone remembers positively. Remember, it's not that you respond. It's how you respond that counts. Another important statistic to keep in mind is that it's five times as difficult to attract a new customer as it is to retain an existing customer.

What are the steps to creating this positive response? Thank you complaining customer. How do you know if you're meeting your customers expectations? Ask them or listen to them when they tell you. Surveys cost money. So when customers are willing to give you feedback on your performance for free, thank them.

This is the most surprising thing to do when customers are voicing a problem. It disarms them immediately. So I want to thank you for taking the time to tell me about this. I appreciate you bringing to my attention. Customers give their own time when they contact you and give you feedback. called a difficult thing to do.

So thank them for giving their time and bothering so few people do. Remember the customers guest? How would you treat your friends if there was a problem during a party at your place? What if the beer ran out, you wouldn't get angry with the person who told you so don't shoot the messenger. customer feedback pleasant or not is a way of finding out how we're going and how we can get better or improve our product service or performance. Your customers are giving you a second chance.

Complaints also give you a second chance to provide satisfaction and excellent care to dissatisfied customers. So thank your customers for drawing your attention to the problems and giving you the opportunity to solve them. Be grateful for the opportunity to improve and remain a competitive force in your industry. Delivering unwelcome news. The way your customers react to an answer they don't want to hear largely depends on how you tell them the way You deliver the news determines their response. You've probably seen when a child falls, the adults behavior and reaction often determines whether there'll be tears or whether the child bounces back.

You can't always tell people what they want to hear, but you can tell them in a way that they want to listen. Make it your goal to turn them around. Ask them to explain their problem in their words. This games their involvement and may give you a clue as to what resolution they'd be prepared to accept. deliver your message in a positive tone. Nothing upsets a customer more than a flat no or bad news.

First off, emphasize what you can do to help the customer rather than stating what you can't do. It would be better to say I'm sorry, why it isn't available this season. What outfits Will you wear the shoes with in addition to your new white and black dress? through the process of helping the customer problem solve what options might be appropriate than the solution they came in with, you can help the customer reach a solution that suits them. This way the customer sees you as an ally and not an obstacle in her path. Another example, someone might be parking a semi trailer in a residential area.

If you find out where it can be parked legally before going to see the resident, then you're armed with the solution. Think back to the concept of reframing the customer's expectations. You can problem solve with the customer to help them overcome initial bad news. Personalized personalize, give them your name. It's harder to be rude to someone you know. It also takes away the impersonal faceless view of the organization use their name.

There is enormous power in using people's names with respect and American airline decided to change only one aspect of their customer service. They made sure they address All passengers by name, both when they checked in and when they got their boarding pass, everything else stayed the same. When they survey their customers, the number of customers who said they were pleased with the service went up from 20% to 70%, just because their name was used. Listen, using your listening skills allows people to blow off steam. angry people say many things they don't mean. But when they're being critical, they're also giving you information.

So concentrate on listening for information not to criticism, and give your customer every opportunity to explain. Don't interrupt them, unless they're obviously starting to repeat themselves and you're getting no new information, at which point you provide a checking question to get them back on track. Give your customers space and the opportunity to save face. Set up a caring and tolerant atmosphere. Have you ever said anything in a moment of anger and then felt too awkward to apologize or back down, we've all been in the wrong and it's difficult to back down. Give them the space to back down.

By creating a friendly environment and an open atmosphere. The customer may not always be right. But the customer is always the customer. Thank the customer for bringing this problem to you. empathize. You don't have to agree with the customer but you can empathize and acknowledge the customer's problem and feelings.

For example, you might say, That must have been very frustrating for you. I can understand how you might be upset in that situation. Or I'm sorry, there's a problem but I am glad you're bringing it to me so that I can help you. Once a customer realizes you appreciate their problem and their feelings. They're much more willing to participate calmly and working on a solution reframing with choice of words When speaking to the customer choose words that defuse the situation and lower the tension level. For example, when the customer says, I was so furious, you might say, I'm sorry, you were upset, you might still use the same emphasis so they know you understand, but the choice of words starts to bring the level of anger down.

This can also be used to lift the conversation into a more positive mood. For example, a customer might say, at least I got the product on time, and you might increase the positive tone by saying, I'm so glad you're pleased with our delivery arrangements. Remember the pacing and leading concept here? We're redirecting the mood of the customer interaction. Confirm the facts. Use your own words to ensure you understand and the customer knows that take responsibility, except that there has been an error and tell the customer you want to fix it.

You want them to have a great customer experience with your company, find out what solution the customer wants. Usually the customer will surprise you by wanting less than expected when they're actually asked. Sometimes just airing the problem is enough and leaving the organization No. Explain fully what you can and can't do. Be clear about what solutions you can offer and what's not possible because of cost availability or company policy. Remember to give the customer information so they feel empowered and have some choice.

Fully discuss alternatives and involve the customer as much as possible in reaching the solution. Then agree with the customer on a course of action. Be as specific as possible. Be sure the customer knows who will do what, when and how. This gives the customer confidence that something will be done and will ensure you know the customers expectations and give the customer as much decision making power as you can take action. act promptly on the solution.

Keep your promise If delays or deviations occur, you must notify the customer immediately and negotiate a new plan of action. Follow up if it's appropriate. If it's an important or major issue, follow up to ensure the customer has been satisfied. Also, when you follow up, take the opportunity to thank the customer again for their business and express your appreciation for them taking the time to give you feedback and the opportunity to rectify the problem. This lesson has been full of detailed action steps to help you remember them take a few minutes to read the notes in the workbook straight away. reread them in a day or two to reinforce your understanding.

You might also like to go back to lesson five leader customer towards a solution and watch the sales executive taking the brief from the angry customer with the computer. See how many of the key points he hits.