Handling a Difficult Customer

Customer service is a necessary position in the job world today. It helps companies give customers what they want and what they need. Although many customers can be difficult, with the right training, skills, and knowledge, any difficult customer can be handled properly and effectively.  With a positive attitude, your employee can effectively deal with the most difficult customers and both parties can end the conversation satisfied.

With the Handing a Difficult Customer workshop, your participants will learn how engaging customers properly can benefit both the employee and customer. Effective customer service can change a company’s reputation for the better. Through this workshop, your participants will gain a new perspective on how to react to negative customers and leave the customer satisfied and as a returning customer.

Workshop Objectives:

• Cultivate a positive attitude
• Manage internal and external stress
• Develop abilities to listen actively and empathize
• Build a rapport with customers in person and over the phone
• Understand the diverse challenges posed by customers
• Develop strategies to adapt to challenging circumstances
• Handling a Difficult Customer Outline:

Module One: Getting Started

• Housekeeping Items
• Pre-Assignment Review
• Workshop Objectives
• The Parking Lot
• Action Plan

Module Two: The Right Attitude Starts with You

• Be Grateful
• Keep Your Body Healthy
• Focus on Positive Thoughts
• Invoke Inner Peace
• Case Study
• Module Two: Review Questions

Module Three: Internal Stress Management

• Irritability
• Unhappiness with Your Job
• Feeling Underappreciated
• Not Well-Rested
• Case Study
• Module Three: Review Questions

Module Four: External Stress Management

• Office Furniture Not Ergonomically Sound
• High Noise Volume in the Office
• Rift with Co-Workers
• Demanding Supervisor
• Case Study

Module Four: Review Questions

Module Five: Transactional Analysis

• What is Transactional Analysis?
• Parent
• Adult
• Child
• Case Study
• Module Five: Review Questions

Module Six: Why are Some Customers Difficult?

• They Have Truly Had a Bad Experience and Want to Vent
• They Have Truly Had a Bad Experience and Want Someone to be Held Accountable
• They Have Truly Had a Bad Experience and Want Resolution
• They Are Generally Unhappy
• Case Study
• Module Six: Review Questions

Module Seven: Dealing with the Customer Over the Phone

• Listen to the Customer’s Complaint
• Build Rapport
• Do Not Respond with Negative Words or Emotion
• Offer a Verbal Solution to Customer
• Case Study
• Module Seven: Review Questions

Module Eight: Dealing with the Customer In Person

• Listen to the Customer’s Complaint
• Build Rapport
• Responding with Positive Words and Body Language
• Besides Words, What to Look For?
• Case Study
• Module Eight: Review Questions

Module Nine: Sensitivity in Dealing with Customers

• Who are Angry?
• Who Are Rude?
• With Different Cultural Values
• Who Cannot Be Satisfied?
• Case Study
• Module Nine: Review Questions

Module Ten: Scenarios of Dealing with a Difficult Customer

• Angry Customer
• Rude Customer
• Culturally Diverse Customer
• Impossible to Please Customer
• Case Study
• Module Ten: Review Questions

Module Eleven: Following up With a Customer Once You Have Addressed Their Complaint

• Call the Customer
• Send the Customer an Email
• Mail the Customer a Small Token
• Handwritten or Typed Letter
• Case Study
• Module Eleven: Review Questions

Module Twelve: Wrapping Up

• Words From The Wise
• Review Of The Parking Lot
• Lessons Learned
• Recommended Reading
• Completion Of Action Plans And Evaluations