How do I deal with an unhappy customer on the phone?

Prepare yourself before you get your unhappy customer on the phone

Before calling the customer, take the time to prepare yourself. This is the step that will enable you to :

• deal with as many situations as possible,
• to avoid being caught short,
• know what you're prepared to offer as a last resort.

Gather all the information you need, such as details of the customer's visit to a point of sale, or following a call to Customer Service. This will help you to better understand the situation and address the customer's concerns more effectively.

Empathize with your unhappy customer

When you have an unhappy customer on the phone, start by listening. Active listening means not interrupting the caller, but asking questions, rephrasing and summarizing what you've understood.

Next, you'll need to express your empathy for his situation. For example, tell him you understand his frustration and that you're there to find a solution.

Ask questions to better understand the grey areas. This shows that you take his concerns seriously and are willing to work with him to solve the problem. In short, it shows that you're listening to his needs first and foremost. At this stage, you haven't yet proposed a solution to your disgruntled customer.

Through listening, questioning and empathy, even an angry customer will calm down, understanding that you're on his side. You'll work together to find a solution.

Dissatisfied customers: offer solutions

After this first listening stage, you have a good understanding of the situation. You can now propose solutions to the problem:

• Be transparent about the measures you can take
• Make sure the customer is satisfied with the proposed solution
• If this is not the case, ask questions about the reasons for his dissatisfaction or ask him directly what he was expecting.

If you can't offer an immediate solution, explain the process for resolving the problem and provide a deadline for follow-up.

In short, rephrasing, validating and checking that you've reached an agreement that satisfies both parties are essential. All the more so when you're dealing with a dissatisfied customer over the phone. You're cut off from many non-verbal elements that require you to formalize the validation steps.

Reassure your unhappy customer with a follow-up e-mail

After the call, send an e-mail to the dissatisfied customer summarizing the solutions you have proposed and the deadlines for follow-up. It's important to formalize your agreement.

Make sure the customer can contact you easily in the future if your solution fails:

• one or two means of contact: telephone, chat, email
• a file reference for follow-up
• a summary of your exchange in your CRM to avoid losing information

In conclusion, calling an unhappy customer can be an opportunity to strengthen customer relations and improve the brand experience. Empathy, active listening, suggested solutions and a follow-up e-mail after the phone call demonstrate that you take customer concerns seriously and are willing to work with them to find a solution.

Your customer feedback management solution must enable you to manage these calls and measure their impact on customer satisfaction.