Conflict management and dissatisfied customers

Does managing conflict with a dissatisfied customer make you lose your mind? Dealing with customer dissatisfaction is not easy, but ignoring it is far worse. Not knowing how to manage the conflict will result in the loss of that customer as well as a serious stain on your reputation and professionalism. Because we all know that customer dissatisfaction spreads very quickly! So, how do you avoid these explosive situations and make sure you respond to a dissatisfied customer?

Conflict management: The company/customer relationship

Working in sales is above all working with human beings. The relational side of our profession represents a large part of our daily work. As sales professionals, we must, among other things, maintain the relationship with our client, protect it, and make our client feel important and valuable, as if he or she were our spouse! But sometimes, as in all couples, discontent or frustration sets in and we find ourselves in a conflict that needs to be defused. This is when we need to call upon the deminer in us and the tools necessary to avoid cutting the wrong wire! Preventing the explosion so as not to lose our heads is essential!

Conflict management: Initiate contact

As soon as you sense a dissatisfaction or witness a discontent, don’t wait! Initiate contact with your customer who is dissatisfied with your products or services in order to find out what the dissatisfaction is about. The simple fact that you get in touch with them first demonstrates your openness to what they are feeling and decreases the degree of negative emotions they may be experiencing.

Conflict management: Use the “I” word

Is your client really angry? Like a dragon he could fire on you at any moment? Your best ally: the “I”! Human beings, that strange and sometimes complex biped, do not like to feel that they are being blamed or reproached for their behavior or actions. Speaking in “I” defuses this feeling. Your client understands that you speak for yourself. Knowing they are not being blamed, they will be more receptive to what you say.

Conflict management: Clearly identify the problem

Managing conflict with a dissatisfied customer is an art. The art of putting words to the hurt. Along with the “I” word, identifying the problem by naming and concretely explaining the source of dissatisfaction allows your customer to express his frustration and anger. To achieve this, you will need to be a good listener and empathetic.

Propose a solution

Your customer’s dissatisfaction seems to be under control… But stay alert! If you are in a position to propose a solution to resolve the dispute, go ahead! Explain clearly and simply what you can do to improve the situation. Be transparent, because transparency is your best ally at this point.

Proposing an acceptable solution to a conflict with a dissatisfied customer is the best way to demonstrate the quality of your customer service. If this is not possible, explain that their opinion is important to you and that it will allow you to rethink your service to improve. Demonstrate that their feedback is important.

We are all, at one time or another, the customer of a company, and we can never repeat it enough: your customer is above all a human being! They function on the same relational and emotional principles as you. What affects you affects him, what makes you angry also makes him angry. So how would you like to be treated when you feel dissatisfied with a service?

Your answer will be a valuable asset in managing conflict with your dissatisfied customers.

You can also take advice from this article: Wake up your inner deminer – Crisis management!

Good thinking.

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