Do your customers shout at you? Do you sometimes feel like shouting back? Anyone who works in a front-line customer service position has, at some time, had to deal with exceptionally challenging customers. This helpful workshop gives you practical tips and techniques to deal with these situations in a calm, assertive way.
Through discussions, case studies and role plays, you will learn why people react in anger; how to manage your own reactions; and how to handle those of your customers.
Who should attend?
Customer service professionals, executives and managers who want to build confidence in dealing with extremely challenging customers.
Benefits
- Better understand your customers’ anger and your own reactions
- Know how to diffuse angry confrontations
- Feel more confident in dealing with extremely challenging customers
Learning Objectives
- Analyse difficult situations and handle them more appropriately
- Learn ways to calm down and think straight
- Use a range of strategies to be more assertive with extremely challenging customers
Course Outline
Understanding YOURSELF AND OTHERS
• Exploring the different stages of anger
• Being on the anger escalator
• Building empathy using case studies
MANAGING YOURSELF AND OTHERS
• Dealing with stress
• Discovering the root causes of anger
• Calming angry and agitated customers
ASSERTIVENESS
• Refusing requests and offering alternatives
• Explaining policy using assertive techniques
• Varying your tone
Handling Challenging Customer Complaints
• What not to say
• Structuring a reply
Dealing with Hostile and Abusive Customers
• Identifying hostile and abusive customers
• Using questions to re-focus
• Handling personal criticism
Course Information
Length: 2 days
Maximum group size: 16