Workforce Management Featured Article
Steps to Improve Interactions with an Angry Customer
The angry customer – it’s the call that most call center agents don’t want to receive, yet most will at some point in their career. It’s up to call center management to properly train agents on how to handle the angry caller and turn an uncomfortable interaction into one that ends with satisfaction – and not the kind of satisfaction that comes from telling off a customer. It’s workforce management at its finest when agent can manage the angry conversation into one that ends well.
The training necessary to equip agents to take the angry call goes beyond script, tone of voice and even quality assurance. It’s really about providing them with the roadmap to get to a happy ending and that includes what not to say. A recent Business2Community article by Reuben Yonatan (News - Alert) offers a list of 10 things to never say to an angry customer. Let’s look at some of his advice and how it could help in your environment.
The Customer is Always Right – it may be common to have a different opinion on this one on the calling floor when not on the phone, but if you want the right outcome, you have to put this rule into practice. That means you don’t tell them they are wrong or that they made a mistake. Take the information given and turn it into the best possible outcome for the customer.
It is Your Problem – it might be easy to assume that what has gone wrong is not the agent’s problem, but guess what – it absolutely is your problem to fix. It’s not the agent’s job to tell the customer to calm down or to lower his or her voice. For the moment, you are the enemy and you will only improve the situation if you accept that fact and solve the problem quickly and respectfully.
Assume All Steps Were Taken – there may be plenty of information available to the client, so just assume they have read it and still need your help. It’s not your job to make sure they follow all of the “rules” but instead to solve the problem. Anything that suggests you think they’re stupid or can’t follow simple instructions will not end well.
Never Interrupt – it can easily feel like the irate customer is attacking you on the other end of the line. You are simply the one who answered the phone, so let the customer voice his or her concerns to the fullest. The customer needs to feel like someone is listening and you’re the lucky agent who answered the phone. Remember to always be respectful, even if the customer isn’t following the same rules.
Always End with a Smile – while it’s easy to let the conversation get the best of you, you don’t have to respond in kind. Keep the same positive attitude that you answered the phone with and the outcome will be better than predicted. Even if you don’t completely satisfy the customer, you’ll feel better about the next call.
Remember, workforce management as a solution is only as good as the training and processes that you put in place. Make the customer the true priority, no matter how mad they are when they make the call.
Edited by Stefania Viscusi