Most of the time we write about people-centered leadership, but the challenges of dealing with difficult clients have come up so often for us. Conflict and cooperation research in the world at work, We thought we’d take a break from our regular programming to help out. Here are some powerful phrases to make communicating with difficult customers easier.
I even thought they couldn’t always be right
If you’ve worked with customers for more than a minute, you know that the saying “the customer is always right” is simply not true. And this is what makes communication with them so challenging. Your job is to try to get it right for that difficult customer, but you can’t please all the people all the time.
I (Karin) have led tens of thousands of customer facing employees over the years, including managing more retail customer contact centers and escalations than I’d like to admit.
And with all that experience, there’s one thing I can say with absolute confidence: It’s statistically unlikely that the difficult customer you’re dealing with woke up this morning, brushed his teeth and thought, “You know what could be fun to do today? Let’s call or visit the stores and be as difficult as possible . I’m going to stir up trouble.”
And yet, according to the ACA and CX customer service status, 32% of us admit to yelling at a customer service agent. In fact, most prefer not to even call. And, 38% of Americans said they’d rather clean a toilet than call customer service. These scary screamers are probably reasonable human beings most of the time. But the fact that they had to call in the first place means something went wrong. By the time they’ve gotten past the self-serving, half-baked AI bots, and some crazy, circular transfers, they’re unleashing their complex frustration on the first person who will listen.
We understand. Some customers are idiots. (We won’t call these difficult customers “Carnes” for obvious reasons.) Most are more like you – doing their best to get through a rough day. What do they all have in common? A real need to be seen and heard.
And so today, as part of our series on powerful phrases for dealing with conflicts in the workplace, we bring you some for dealing with a difficult client.
Powerful expressions when dealing with a difficult client
Start with a connection and end with a firm commitment. From the beginning, your customer needs to feel that you understand them and their concern, and that you have the expertise and desire to fix their problem.
“I’m so sorry this happened to you. Let’s fix it now.”
A good start is always “I’m sorry” and acknowledging their concern and emotion.
“I’m sure it’s incredibly frustrating. It’s definitely not the experience we want you to have working with us.”
Simple statements like these help the client feel seen, de-escalate emotions, and set the tone for productive dialogue. Even if the customer accidentally drove their car through the glass display of your storefront, you can still express sympathy. (True story. This ranks high in the “weirdest calls I’ve ever received” category: “Karin, we have a Honda wrapped around the iPad display. Fortunately, no one was hurt.”) You’re not sorry it’s their mistake, you sympathize with the circumstances their.
“I know exactly what we need to do next.” And “I’m on it. I’m not letting you go until we get this resolved.”
Building the customer’s confidence in the first forty seconds of the interaction is another great way to put an anxious customer at ease. This powerful phrase instills confidence in the conversation and reassures the customer that you care.
“Is that a puppy I hear in the background? Is she chewing the panties in your laundry basket?”
You want to be curious about their circumstances, experiences, frustrations and even the clues you pick up in the background. Note: This question will either immediately escalate the conversation or make it worse because they see it as an attempt to change the subject, so pay attention to cues.
“Let me be sure that I have this right: [Summarize]. What details did I miss that are important for me to understand?”
Especially if your client has explained their story to someone else, this step is essential. This check for understanding serves two purposes. First, the customer feels heard. And second, it helps ensure you don’t miss out on vital information.
“What would a successful outcome look like to you?”
This powerful phrase makes it clear what is really going through their minds. Even if you can’t meet that expectation, it’s better to know what your difficult customer wants.
“Here’s what I’m going to do next. And I’m going to follow up with you tomorrow and make sure we resolve the situation.”
Be sure to use this strong phrase for commitment. After all, the follow-up is the most important thing to your customer. What are you going to do next, by when and how will they know?
When dealing with difficult clients, start with a connection, then clarify the situation and your expertise as quickly as possible. Be curious about the circumstances and the best ways to resolve their concern. and close with a secure commitment.
Powerful phrases for dealing with difficult customers (summary)
- I’m so sorry this happened to you. Let’s fix it now.”
- “I’m sure it’s incredibly frustrating. It’s definitely not the experience we want you to have working with us.”
- “I know exactly what we need to do next.” And “I’m on it. I’m not letting you go until we get this resolved.”
- “Is that a puppy I hear in the background? Is she chewing the panties in your laundry basket?”
- “Let me be sure that I have this right: [Summarize]. What details did I miss that are important for me to understand?”
- “What would a successful outcome look like to you?”
- “Here’s what I’m going to do next. And I’m going to follow up with you tomorrow and make sure we resolve the situation.”
