Handling Difficult Customer

1. Rationale:

Customers are becoming increasingly demanding and discerning, often expecting exemplary service. If they have a complaint that it isn’t being heard and/or dealt with effectively, they’ll either go elsewhere, or they will become increasingly difficult/aggressive until they get what they want/need. No matter how customer

focused or efficient an organisation is though, things will inevitably go wrong occasionally. Anyone in a front-line role is therefore not only likely to have to handle

negative feedback and complaints from time to time, but they will also have to deal with customers who are increasingly demanding. How these situations are dealt with

can have a significant impact on the future relationship and loyalty of our customers. Anyone who can successfully defuse difficult situations can turn dissatisfied customers into loyal allies. They will also be able to minimise the levels of personal stress that these encounters can cause.

2. Learning Outcomes:

Identify what causes customers to be demanding or difficult and the consequences

Recognise and manage your own responses

Develop strategies for managing different types of difficult customers

Gain confidence in handling customers appropriately

Develop communication skills on empathetic listening, defusing conflict/anger,

speaking assertively

3. Programme Outline:

Module 1: The Problem Tree Activity: Defining Difficult Customers

3.3.1. Who are Difficult?

3.3.2. What makes your Customers Difficult?

3.3.3. Differentiating between Upset Customers and Difficult Customers

Module 2: Understanding Different Communication Channels and Their Effect

3.2.1. Face-to-face Interaction

3.2.2. On the Telephone

Module 3: Assertive Communication

3.3.1. Ways of relating to others: being passive, assertive and aggressive

3.3.2. Goal of Assertive Communication

3.3.3. Benefits of Assertive Communication

3.3.4. Assertive Self-Assessment

Handling Difficult Customer

3.3.5. Types of Assertion

3.3.6. Assertive Communication Skills

Module 4: Strategies for Handling Dissatisfaction

3.4.1. Understanding the nature of Customers’ Problems and Emotions

3.4.2. Managing Our Own Responses

Module 5: Communicating confidently

3.5.1. Listening and Responding with Empathy

3.5.2. Avoiding certain Triggering Words

3.5.3. Defusing Phrases & The Art of Saying No

Module 6: Recharging Yourself

3.6.1. Dealing with your own feelings (anger, frustrations and stress) after having one

difficult encounter before facing the next tricky situation with a clean slate

3.6.2. Exploring how our feelings influence our assumptions, where we make things

up and then act as though what we made up is true

4. Methodology

Highly participative, emphasising learning through experience, both from structured activities on the programme and from individual experience and discussion.

5. Duration

Two (2) Days (9.00 am – 5.00 pm)

6. Target Group

This highly participative course is designed for anyone who has regular customer contact (face to face or over the telephone) and wants to develop their skills in

delivering great customer service.

7. Consultant Mazdurah Mohd Zin