How to cool the fury of a dissatisfied customer to become an ally
One issue that is of great concern to those dealing with customers is how to deal with an irate customer, who has experienced a serious service problem. There is a technique that is taught to apply in these cases. However, and although it is not contradictory, I am going to tell you the result that I obtained with a domestic experience, from which we can extract valuable lessons in this regard.
A story that begins with fury, and ends…
A few days ago, my oldest daughter participated in a mischief with her friends, which put her safety at risk and materially harmed a neighbor.
When I found out what had happened, the first thing I did was talk to my daughter to check the version that had reached my ears. Indeed, although at first she was resistant, she could not refrain from participating in an event that, as children, they did not know how to measure the consequences (thank God, the mischief ended without anyone getting hurt).
However, the affected neighbor expressed her discharge in writing. I spoke to a mom of another child in the group, who was furious with her son, and promised serious punishment. Other comments reported the fury of our neighbor, whom up to now I did not know.
Speaking to my daughter, I told her that if she was sorry (indeed it was), she should face the situation and repair the damage, and that I was going to help her. So I got my neighbor's phone and called her. I told him that I regretted what had happened, offered him our apologies, and wanted to repair the damage.
She explained that her biggest concern was that something had happened to the children. She thanked me for the call and we agreed to meet at home with my daughter.
That afternoon, she came home and with much empathy spoke and reassured my daughter, who was terrified of being reprimanded by someone outside the family. At the same time, she thanked me for the attitude and the intention, since no one else had contacted her after the fact. They agreed to work together on Saturday by planting some seedlings in their garden. My daughter was happy with her new friend, and looked forward to Saturday to help her.
What can we learn from this domestic history that can be applied in a business?
Human nature manifests itself both in everyday life and in business relationships and yes, it is possible to draw a parallel.
We start from a person who is furious, because he has been harmed. Fury is fueled when we do not see a face that is responsible for the damage suffered. Who were those children? How do your parents do nothing about it?
The first step is, then, to face up. Be present as responsible for the fact, along with the genuine intention to repair the damage.
This step is magic. It totally changes the defensive attitude of the dissatisfied customer, because he has someone to express his discontent and, at the same time, the hope of a solution.
The second step is to listen to what has bothered you the most about the problem. In this case, his main concern was that the children could get hurt inside his property. It didn't make as much sense to repair the material as to make sure the children understood the danger and did not repeat the same behavior.
This active listening gives us the key to act. It is not what we were supposed to do, but what the customer needs us to do. Talking to my daughter and seeing that she learned from the mistake was enough.
Finally, make damage repair tangible. Deeds are worth more than words. The activity of the Sabbath, simple but symbolic, realized that the intention was true and translated into action. Carrying it out responsibly closed the cycle and generated, at the same time, a new relationship of trust and affection.
Teaching for employees who may have made a mistake
Would the child who received a severe punishment have understood the same thing, but never saw the injured neighbor's face?
Often the management's reaction to errors or negligence that affect customers are simple penalties. Do the sanctions manage to provide a teaching? Will sanctioned employees be better trained to act differently next time?
Finally, an aspect of great importance that surrounds and strengthens the customer recovery experience is checking that there is consistent behavior between management and employees. That management supports this process, and provides the necessary tools to carry it out successfully. Employees do not need to hide these facts or their responsibility in them, but rather assume it proactively, to repair a damage that they do not want to repeat.
The result? Count the client as a new ally, a promoter of the company, because it has verified a real commitment, and not only proclaimed, with the satisfaction of its clients.
