The three keys to managing the emotional involvement with the client
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When customers call for the first time to report an incident with their service or product they are usually angry at the brand. The person who answers the call has no responsibility for the client’s anger.
However, we tend to get emotionally involved, reacting with the same level of anger with which the client is treating us.
We discover three keys to positively manage this emotional involvement with the client:
Perspective
Responding to a client from the point of view of «I am right» has nothing to do with responding from the point of view of «my goal is to resolve the conflict.» Therefore, we recommend that you change your perspective of the situation. Avoid getting into the discussion about who is right. It is more effective and positive to focus on resolving the conflict.
Role
Since your role is no longer to defend against the attacks of a furious client, it is not necessary to enter into discussions or defensive attitudes.
The new role you can adopt is that of facilitator of solutions. This role includes:
- Understand well what is the real problem of the client
- Ask intelligent questions
- Know perfectly the protocols and processes of the company.
- Use a tone of voice, volume and intonation suitable for the client to calm down and be more receptive to collaborate in the resolution of the conflict.
- Use phrases of the type: «Mr … I’m here to help you», «Surely we can solve it between the two», «I understand your anger and I would like to reach an agreement with you to solve it».
- Mastering emotional intelligence skills.
Trust
Finally, you must trust that if you treat the angry customer correctly, they will react favorably.
By transmitting that security of doing things well (not entering into a personal war, but solving a labor issue), the client will react: reduce their level of stress, their anger and tone, the vocabulary and attitude will change, being able to redirect a Easier way the situation.
You must also ensure that you are sure of:
- What is negotiable and what is not.
- Be able to identify the emotion of the client (see typologies of clients) and control your impetus to increase the volume of voice, increase the aggressiveness of your intonation and master your vocabulary.
- Have the necessary negotiation skills.
Reflection question: What do you think when you feel attacked by your clients? What role is more appropriate to adopt?
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