Challenging Customer1 Skills builds on the Customer Service Basics: Greeting and processing customers with courtesy, recognition and a helpful attitude.
It is not unusual to respond negatively when Interacting with an agitated customer. Strong emotional responses to being challenged can erase even long-term basic customer service practices in a nano-second.
“Most of the time, successful communication starts with learning how to be in control of your own
thoughts and emotions.” Mark Goulston, M.D. Just Listen: Discover the secret to getting through to absolutely anyone. NY. American Management Association. 2010. 28-29
Take-Aways2 – Participating in the workshop enables you to:
| A. | Identify your current emotional state and adjust it to respond calmly in challenging situations. |
| B. | Describe one (1) nonverbal technique you can use to work more effectively with an agitated customer, despite the communication channel 3 you share with them (i.e.,online, phone, text or in-person). |
| C. | Perform a technique for getting yourself under control first before attempting to reduce a customer’s agitation. |
1A “customer” is defined here as anyone (whether internal or external to your enterprise) upon whom you depend to be successful.
2Long-term retention of the take-aways listed above is the result of management modeling the behaviors themselves, performance coaching and constructive feedback.
Customer Service Training workshops are available upon request.