The most harrowing and annoying words a supervisor/manager will ever have to hear. Many don’t fear it but many hate dealing with it. The only time a customer bellows these words are when:
- Your staff mishandled the customer by giving wrong info or saying the wrong things
- The customer is simply not satisfied with the service provided
Many of the customers believe in the old saying, “a customer is always right” and although we know for a FACT that they never are but it’s difficult to change their minds especially if they didn’t start it. As a team supervisor or branch manager, how would handle this type of situation?
Defending The Customer and Staff
One of the trickiest tasks when facing complaints is being the mediator of the two. You need to calm the customer down by acknowledging and sympathizing with them. But you word it in a way that does not belittle or demonize your staff. Example:
“You’re absolutely right, miss. But perhaps what my staff may have missed out is to recommend an alternative for you since your specific item cannot be found on sale right now.”
This way, the customer doesn’t feel like they are in the wrong in complaining and your staff doesn’t look like the incompetent retailer the customer thinks they are.
“The Customer Is Always Right”
In truth, they are rarely right unless we tell them so. Do you tell a doctor that their diagnosis of your flu is wrong just because you don’t feel like having a runny nose?
But the above case is IF your staff tripped. But what if the customer is being loud and obnoxious and STILL blames it on the staff? As a supervisor, how would you handle such a situation?
For starters, don’t agree with the customer blindly because it would just inflate their ego but simply acknowledge the difficulty they are going through. Proper wordplay plays a crucial role when dealing with customers like these and a single wrong word can send set your whole outlet on fire.
You also need to constantly keep your cool because any agitation you show, the customer will just use it against you and spread it to the internet. When a current solution doesn’t work, offer the customer an alternative that fits their liking. HOWEVER, you must never over-promise the customer as that is like shooting yourself in the arm.
Your Staff is Always NO.1
In bad times, your retailers are the ones that have their necks stuck out. It’s bad enough they are getting an earful from the customers so don’t add on anymore to their daily struggle. You would always be on the floor with them, so you should know best who is the one that gives good service, who can handle carrying weight, who is the best to count numbers, etc.
All strengths and weaknesses of your team must be memorized so when bad customers come about, you know how to handle the situation better if that staff lacks a certain strength.
Sales Ninja Retail Leadership
Sales Ninja understands better than most the struggles of retail management and leadership especially on how to deal with bad customers. Sometimes, your staff cannot handle a customer properly and will need coaching, and sometimes, the customer is just a rotten egg that only you can properly dispose of.
And that’s what Sales Ninja can do for you, to train you:
- HOW to lead and manage your team efficiently
- HOW to deal with customers when your staff is no longer able to
- HOW to keep calm and teach those under you HOW to keep to calm
- HOW to use the right words when dealing with angry customers
- HOW to coach and guide your staff if they are lacking in any areas
- HOW to stay motivated and motivate your people
- MUCH MUCH MORE!
In Sales Ninja, we know leading a retail team in tough times makes you want to give up and maybe consider another job but without you, your team and your outlet would be ruined! Your strength is more valuable than you think!
Click HERE to see what more we can do for you and HERE to contact us so that we can customize the perfect program for you.
