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How to Manage a Talkative Customer

I was shopping at one of my favorite retail big box stores recently.  As I stood in line to pay for the items I intended to purchase, I could not help but observe the long-winded conversation the customer in front of me was having with the cashier.

I was not the only person in line; 3 customers were behind me.  Common courtesy would have suggested to the cashier to graciously end the long-winded customer’s monologue so that the rest of us could make our purchases and be on our way.  Apparently, the loquacious customer decided her topic was important and the cashier did not know how to professionally tell her that she must move along in order to help others who were in line.

HERE’S A THOUGHT:  EMPOWER YOUR EMPLOYEES

Over time, organizations have wondered why long-time customers would take their business to the competition.  I am certain questions have been asked such as: “What does the competition have that we don’t have?”  “Our prices are competitive, why did our customer leave?”  “Our business is in a nice part of town and has a user friendly website. To whom is our customer giving their business?”

I am going out on a limb here, but I would venture to say that if employees were empowered to make decisions on significant customer requests without conferring with management, it could reduce the rate of customer complaints and attrition.  Of course, proper training is essential before employees can receive this level of authority.  Employees must be coached into leadership on a daily basis. If so, they will know that management trusts them, values their input and include them as an integral part of the company.

How to Recover From a Bad Customer Service Experience

Hitting the proverbial “brick wall” after a negative customer complaint is one of the worst feelings a business can experience.  A negative experience can potentially ruin a long-lasting relationship if it is not quickly and properly resolved.  Naturally, every organization would like to brag about never having a customer a complaint, especially if it has risen to uncomfortable levels of negativity; but let’s face it, complaints happen.  Tiffany Monhollon of Reach Local provided a blog which offers 7 tips to recover and to learn from the experience.  Here they are:

1) Address the Complaint Quickly

SINCERE APOLOGIES GET YOU FAR IN LIFE AND IN BUSINESS

Recently, a few friends and I dined at a popular restaurant in town.  Everyone placed their entree orders and I specifically requested that nuts not be included in my entree. I was told that my request could easily be accommodated.

When our food arrived, not only did my entree include nuts, it seemed as though an extra portion was sprinkled onto it.

I asked the server to come to our table and explained that I requested an entree sans nuts.  The server offered an insincere, “Oh. Sorry.”  Since she did not offer a menu, I said asked to see a menu because I desired to order an entree that did not include nuts as part of the meal.  The server returned and tossed the menu onto the table instead of handing it to me.  My table guests watched in absolute amazement and could not believe the attitude of the server.