COURSE OVERVIEW:

Most customers are pleasant, calm, and appreciative of customer service representatives’ efforts. Unfortunately, there are times when customers become upset, angry, and demanding. These difficult situations can be extremely stressful. You cannot control your customers’ behaviour. However, you can control your response to their behaviour, and you can develop the skills needed to handle even the most difficult situations.

When handling difficult customer, it is important to be empathetic to each customer’s needs. This means you must listen actively and try to understand why the customer is upset or angry. You must then acknowledge and address the customer’s emotional state before you begin trying to resolve the customer’s incident. You must also remember that you cannot take difficult situations personally. You must learn to maintain a positive attitude, manage your stress, and stay calm and in control.

Although "the customer is always right," they may not always be easy to deal with. Learning how to deal with difficult customers is an important step for any business, especially those who work in the customer service industry. Even businesses with the best products and services are bound to have occasional run-ins with angry customers.

This course provides several techniques and strategies to successfully handle difficult customers. The first part, focuses on the leading cause of stress in customer support—difficult situations such as calming irate customers, handling extremely annoying customers, and saying no to customers while maintaining their goodwill. This part includes specific techniques for handling difficult situations and minimising the frustration and stress support providers may feel afterward. The second part, explains how to communicate, deal and manage different types of difficult customers such as: angry customers, antsy and anxious customers, customers that do not accept changes, customers with billing problems and demanding customers. this part includes specific ways and strategies to manage these types of difficult customers.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:

·       The importance of handling difficult customer situations effectively

·       The power of a positive attitude

·       How to understand customer behaviour?

·       How to win over difficult customers?

·       How to get focused?

·       Why let the customer vent?

·       The importance of listening actively

·       How to acknowledge the customer’s emotional state?

·       How to restate the situation and gain agreement?

·       How to begin active problem solving?

·       How to calm irate customers?

·       How to repair a damaged customer relationship?

·       How to keep yourself in control?

·       Why respond, not react?

·       How to stay calm under pressure?

·       How to get ready for your next contact?

·       How and when to employ stress-coping mechanisms?

·       How to communicate with difficult customers?

·       What are the three things customers want?

·       How to calm outraged customers?

·       Why avoid using leading language in written communication to customers?

·       Why thank customers for their input when responding to complaints?

·       How to assure customers that you can help?

·       The importance of getting to the root of the problem

·       Why sympathise with the customer?

·       How to offer solutions?

·       Why be specific when apologising?

·       How to deal with antsy and anxious customers?

·       When to offer customers something to distract them?

·       How to make customers feel special?

·       Why use humour, when appropriate?

·       How to help customers adapt to changes?

·       Why place the good news (for customers) first?

·       How to help customers predict what to expect?

·       The importance of reassuring customers

·       How to resolve billing problems with customers?

·       How to be friendly—no matter how disagreeable customers are being?

·       How to use calming language?

·       Why you should always avoid blame?

·       How to use the bad news–good news approach?

·       How to respond with the three-part approach when customers are contesting a bill?

·       What to tell customers that have erred?

·       Why explain situations by using facts, not opinions?

·       How to use positive—and future-oriented—language?

·       How to manage demanding customers?

·       Why give customers immediate attention?

·       How to let customers know how to reach you?

·       How to find out when customers prefer to be contacted?

·       How to apply focus and feeling?

·       How to let customers know, when you can give them what they want?

·       How to cite a source or objective reason why customers can’t get what they want?

·       How to explain a difficult situation?

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

You must have access to a computer or any mobile device with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free PDF Viewer) installed, to complete this course.

COURSE DELIVERY:

Purchase and download course content.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.