Dealing with COMPLAINTS & MANAGING CONFLICTS

Dealing with COMPLAINTS&MANAGING CONFLICTS MLDE 116 INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

At the end of this class, you will be able to... • UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF FEELINGS IN DEALING WITH CHALLENGING PEOPLE / CUSTOMERS. • DEMONSTRATE THE DEFUSE STEPS TO MANAGE THE IRATE PEOPLE / CUSTOMER. • DETERMINE WHEN AND HOW TO RESPOND WITH EMPATHY.

In addition, you will be able to... • DETERMINE WHEN AND HOW TO USE OPEN-ENDED AND CLOSED-ENDED QUESTIONS. • EXHIBIT THE AIR SKILLS IN MANAGING VARIOUS CHALLENGING PEOPLE / CUSTOMER TYPES. A.I.R: Acknowledge, Inquire, Respond)

D-E-F-U-S-E The Irate Person / Customer THE FOLLOWING SIX STEPS WILL HELP YOU TO SUCCESSFULLY MANAGE THE IRATE PERSON / CUSTOMER.

D-E-F-U-S-E The Irate Customer “D” IS FOR “DON’T LOSE YOUR COOL”. • DON’T TAKE THINGS PERSONALLY. • LISTEN. • TAKE NOTES. • STAY COMMITTED TO THE CUSTOMER.

D-E-F-U-S-E The Irate Customer “E” IS FOR “ENCOURAGE VENTING”. • LISTEN. • DON’T INTERRUPT. • GIVE “VERBAL NODS”.

D-E-F-U-S-E The Irate Customer “F” IS FOR “FOCUS ON FEELINGS”. • USE EMPATHY. • APOLOGIZE BLAMELESSLY ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY. • OFFER TO HELP.

What is Empathy? EMPATHYIS “IDENTIFICATION WITH AND UNDERSTANDING OF ANOTHER’S SITUATION, FEELINGS, AND MOTIVES”. (American Heritage Dictionary, 1992)

Tips For Using Empathy • USE EMPATHY WHEN A CUSTOMER IS EXHIBITING A STRONG EMOTION. • MAKE SURE YOUR TONE IS CALM AND UNDERSTANDING. • BE GENUINE.

D-E-F-U-S-E The Irate Customer “U” IS FOR “UNCOVER THE FACTS”. • ASK QUESTIONS. • FILL IN THE INFORMATION GAPS.

D-E-F-U-S-E The Irate Customer “S” IS FOR “SUGGEST A SOLUTION”. • DON’T MAKE EXCUSES FOR THE PROBLEM. • KEEP THE CUSTOMER INVOLVED. • LET THE CUSTOMER KNOW WHAT YOU INTEND TO DO TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

D-E-F-U-S-EThe Irate Customer “E” IS FOR “END POSITIVELY BY CHECKING”. • MAKE SURE THAT THE CUSTOMER UNDERSTANDS THE ACTION PLAN. • THANK THE CUSTOMER. • USE YOUR COMPANIES CLOSING SCRIPT.

The 6 Steps Made Even Easier... A-I-R IT OUT BY... • ACKNOWLEDGING THE CUSTOMER WITH HUMAN FEELINGS. • INQUIRING ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND FEELINGS. • RESPONDING TO THE ISSUES AND FEELINGS.

Other ChallengingCustomer Types

The Chatty Customer • REMEMBER THAT SATISFYING THE CUSTOMER’S NEED IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EXPEDITING (quick answer) THE CALL. • HEAR THE CUSTOMER OUT INITIALLY. • KEEP THE CUSTOMER FOCUSED BY ASKING CLOSED-ENDED QUESTIONS.

. Do’s For Managing The Hard-to-Understand Customer • INQUIRE IF THERE IS ANYONE ELSE YOU CAN TALK TO. • SPEAK SLOWLY AND CLEARLY. • PARAPHRASE BACK TO ENSURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CUSTOMER IS SAYING.

Don’ts for Managing The Hard-to-Understand Customer • DON’T MIMIC THE CUSTOMER’S ACCENT. • DON’T USE BROKEN LANGUAGE OR SLANG. • DON’T TALK LOUDER. • DON’T INQUIRE IF THEY SPEAK BROKEN LANGUAGE OR SLANG.

The Confused Customer • OFFER MORE GUIDANCE. • KEEP YOUR EXPLANATIONS SIMPLE AND BRIEF. • ELIMINATE ALL TECHNICAL LANGUAGE OR CABLE JARGON. • BE PATIENT!

The Chronic Complainer • ACTIVELY LISTEN AND PARAPHRASE WHAT YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED AS THE MAIN POINTS. • RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO APOLOGIZE. • ASK HOW THE CUSTOMER THINKS THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE SOLVED. • FOCUS THE CUSTOMER ON THE ACTION PLAN.

The Aggressive Customer(“The Bully”) • ALLOW HIM/HER TO VENT. • DON’T ARGUE. • USE KNOWLEDGE AND FACTS. • GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT.

The Know-It-All Customer • GET STRAIGHT DOWN TO BUSINESS. • RELY ON YOUR PRODUCT AND COMPANY KNOWLEDGE. • LET HIM/HER KNOW THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF HIS/HER EXPERTISE AND ARE WILLING TO LEARN FROM IT.

The Silent Customer(The “Brick Wall”) • DON’T FEEL COMPELLED TO “FILL IN” THE SILENCE. • ENCOURAGE TALKING BY ASKING OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS. • BE PATIENT!

NOW, DO YOU FEEL MORE EQUIPPED TO MANAGE CHALLENGING PEOPLE / CUSTOMER SITUATIONS?

CONFLICT RESOLUTION The 7 Steps to Conflict Resolution

The 7 Steps to Conflict Resolution • CALM YOURSELF • RESTORE ORDER 3. HEAR THEIR STORIES 4. LISTEN CAREFULLY 5. GENERATE SOLUTIONS 6. AGREE ON A SOLUTION

Different Perception • “WE DO NOT SEE THINGS AS THEY ARE, WE SEE THINGS AS WE ARE” • Anais Nin. • CONFLICT IS A FORM OF COMPETITION BETWEEN PERCEIVED OR ACTUAL INCOMPATIBLE NEEDS, GOALS, DESIRES, OR RESOURSES.

TO RESOLVE A CONFLICT • 1. CALM YOURSELF • WHAT TO SAY OR DO? • TAKE A DEEP BREATH, SAY "RELAX“ • WHY? • CLEARS THINKING, MODELS CONTROL

2. RESTORE ORDER • WHAT TO SAY OR DO? • TAKE A "TIME OUT" • WHY? • STOPS THE FIGHT, CONTAINS THE DAMAGE • 3. HEAR THEIR STORIES • WHAT TO SAY OR DO? • "HELP ME UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN." • WHY? • GATHERS INFORMATION, DEFUSES TENSION

4. LISTEN CAREFULLY • WHAT TO SAY OR DO? • EYE CONTACT, DON'T INTERRUPT • WHY? • HONORS THE NEED TO BE HEARD • 5. GENERATE SOLUTIONS • WHAT TO SAY OR DO? • "HOW COULD WE RESOLVE THIS?“ • WHY? • MOVES FROM ACCUSATIONS TO SOLUTIONS

6. AGREE ON A SOLUTION • WHAT TO SAY OR DO? • "WOULD THIS WORK FOR YOU?" • WHY? • MOVES TO RESOLUTION, BRINGS CLOSURE • 7. TEST FOR SATISFACTION • WHAT TO SAY OR DO? • "ARE YOU SURE THIS WILL WORK FOR YOU?" • WHY? • ASSURES CLEAR COMMUNICATION

Key points to remember • BE A MODEL OF CALM AND CONTROL • DON'T GIVE IN TO EMOTIONAL OUTBURSTS • DON'T ASSUME PEOPLE ARE BEING DIFFICULT INTENTIONALLY • FIND A QUIET PLACE IN TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS....PRIVATELY

Key points to remember SET SOME GROUND RULES FOR THE DISCUSSION: • NO RAISING OF VOICES • THIS IS NOT A DEBATE • SPEAK ONLY FOR YOURSELF..."I" PHRASES • CONFRONT THE ISSUES, NOT THE PEOPLE • MAINTAIN OR ENHANCE SELF-ESTEEM

Dealing with COMPLAINTS & MANAGING CONFLICTS