How To Communicate Effectively With A Dissatisfied Customer

Writen by Jonathan Farrington

Handling any sort of conflict requires you to draw on all your resources. In particularly your communication skills. The reality is that we all have many communication skills but don't always use them effectively and certainly we do not take the opportunity to improve them as often as we should

We relate to people on two levels:

Consciously: when we carefully select our words, gestures and behaviours.

Subconsciously: when unknowingly we send out subliminal messages. These often have the most impact on people and can make them feel uncomfortable

Listening Skills:

There are two aspects to communicating: receiving and sending messages i.e. it is a two way phenomenon.

Would you say you are a good listener? Consider the following questions:

• Do you have a tendency to interrupt or finish other people's sentences?

• Do you find yourself losing patience or concentration?

If so, you need to work on your listening skills. Or:

• Do you stay focused when another person communicates with you?

• Do you make notes, give good feedback and demonstrate that they have your full attention?

Showing people you are listening by nodding and asking questions is a good way of demonstrating that you are taking them seriously and interested in what they have to say.

Listening Skills:

Listening, however, is a difficult task for most people. It requires us to:

• Block out all distractions

• Be observant – use eyes and ears more than mouth!

• Keep an open mind and not be judgemental

• Stay calm, not rising to any bait

• Keep all personal prejudices at bay

• Listen all the way through

• And also listen for what is not being said – read between the lines.

Language:

In difficult situations most people are careful to choose their words by avoiding:

• Inflammatory language, e.g. "That's impossible, no one else has complained about that"

• Criticism, e.g. "You should have contacted … dept"

• Swearing, e.g.!!**?*!!

• Insensitive language, e.g. "It's not designed for people over XXX kilos"

• Negativity, e.g. "It's not possible- we can't do that"

• Overbearing, e.g. "It absolutely must be returned by …"

Non-Verbal Language:

Inappropriate words can hurt or incite anger in another. However, it is not the most powerful form of communication. According to the experts the breakdown is a follows:

Language: Words used etc 7%

Voice: Tone, pitch etc 38%

Visual: Gestures, facial expression etc 55%

This is particularly true of communication relating to emotion. Positive language delivered in an abrasive or monotonous voice will have a negative impact. We're more aware of how people say things than what they say.

Body Language:

Body language is understood by most people in business today. Inappropriate facial expressions, posture, sharp movements can make a situation much worse.

As a brief reminder. If you want to keep your unhappy customer calm, avoid:

• Putting up barriers – folded arms, glaring, hiding behind folders or a desk

• Aggressive gestures – finger pointing, posturing, hands on hips, feet apart

• Showing you are bored or irritated – foot tapping, sighing, looking at the clock

Stay relaxed, use open gestures; make good but not excessive eye contact. Even when you are talking on the telephone, these gestures can communicate through your voice. Be careful

Staying Positive:

Why is a positive style of communication helpful?

• It helps to keep everyone calm, including you

• Taking control of your actions gives you time to think, observe and stay objective

• It helps to prevent the situation from becoming worse, which would only give the customer something else to complain about

• It helps to counteract aggression – it's difficult to shout at someone who is calm and controlled

• You are continuing to act in a professional manner, on behalf of the company, no matter how you might feel about the situation and the customer, it is important to remember that you are an ambassador.

Telephone Communication Skills:

One of the biggest disadvantages when trying to resolve a complaint with an angry customer over the telephone is the heavy reliance on language and voice. The phone is a sensitive instrument and people pick up on sighs and irritation. They also know whether or not you are eating, drinking or smoking. But they can't see your face and have no idea whether or not you are taking them seriously. You can:

• Smile into the phone – it makes you sound friendly and caring

• Give plenty of verbal feedback to let them know you are listening; it's no good nodding unless you have a video phone!

• Paraphrase and summarise to ensure you have fully understood

• Press the silent button if you need to confer with someone in the office, no one likes to hear themselves being talked about.

• Try to create an atmosphere of trust and sincerity – they need to know you're not just saying anything to get rid of them

Written Communication:

When you only have words to play with, you have to make them work for you.

Whether you are writing a letter, sending an email or even a text message by phone, attention to detail is essential.

You never know who is going to see your written communication. It can always be used as evidence so you need to be clear, concise and correct.

Presentation speaks volumes and will go a long way to portraying the sort of company you are. Spelling, syntax, positioning of words all count.

Most importantly, make it a rule to reply as quickly as possible. Customers want a speedy response; at least, to their problem even if it takes a bit of time to sort out a solution. Days, even weeks, of silence will just make them more frustrated!

In Summary:

Successful organisations welcome complaints, because it usually means that the customer wants to reach a resolve, they do not want to go elsewhere. Often, our efficiency in dealing promptly, sympathetically and fairly with a complaint will actually strengthen our relationship with the customer.

At the end of the day customers expect us to deliver the "Five Rights":

The right product

At the right price

Delivered to the right place

At the right time

In the right way.

Not too much to ask for is it? In return we can expect their loyalty and repeat business but we must always work to earn the right to that business.

Copyright © 2006 Jonathan Farrington. All rights reserved

Jonathan Farrington is the Managing Partner of The jfa Group. To find out more about the author or to subscribe to his newsletter for dedicated sales professionals, visit: http://www.jonathanfarrington.com