Your customer is in distress. What’s the best way to communicate with them?

1 Show empathy

Empathy is an important ability to understand and share the feelings of another person, especially when providing customer service. Showing empathy lets customers know that you care about their situation and that you are not indifferent or defensive. You can demonstrate empathy by using phrases like "I'm sorry to hear that" or "I can imagine how you feel" and non-verbal cues like nodding, smiling, or making eye contact. It's important to avoid interrupting, judging, or blaming the customer, as this can make them feel worse. Additionally, phrases such as "I appreciate your patience" or "Thank you for sharing this with me" can help to show that you are empathetic.

2 Listen actively

Active listening is an important skill to have when engaging with customers. It involves paying attention to what the customer is saying and reflecting it back to them in order to better understand their problem, emotions, and expectations. This helps to build rapport and trust with the customer. To listen actively, open-ended questions can be used to clarify or explore the issue, while summarizing or paraphrasing what the customer said can confirm your understanding. Additionally, verbal or non-verbal feedback can demonstrate that you are listening and interested. Lastly, it’s important to avoid distractions, multitasking, or jumping to solutions while engaging with customers.

3 Apologize sincerely

Apologizing sincerely is a way of expressing regret for the customer's problem and taking responsibility for it. It is an important act of acknowledging their pain and demonstrating that you value their relationship. Furthermore, it can help reduce the customer's anger and resentment. To apologize sincerely, you can use statements such as "I'm sorry for the inconvenience," "I apologize for the mistake," "It's our fault," or "We take full responsibility." Additionally, you can explain what caused the issue and what you are doing to ensure it does not happen again. However, it is important to avoid making excuses, shifting blame, or downplaying the impact of the problem.

4 Offer solutions

Offering solutions is an important process for finding and presenting the best possible options to resolve the customer's problem. Asking the customer what they want or expect from you is a great way to start, as well as providing them with realistic and relevant alternatives. It's also beneficial to explain the benefits and drawbacks of each option, ask for their feedback or preference, and confirm the agreed solution and the next steps. Additionally, if appropriate and authorized, you can offer compensation such as a refund, a discount, a freebie, or a gesture of goodwill.

5 Follow up

Following up is an important step in ensuring customer satisfaction. It is a way of showing that you care about their experience and that you are available for further assistance. You can follow up with the customer through various methods, such as sending an email, text, or card to thank them and ask for feedback. You can also call the customer to see how they are doing and if they have any questions or concerns. Additionally, you can offer additional support, resources, or tips to help them use your product or service. Inviting them to join your loyalty program, newsletter, or social media is another great way to follow up. This is also a great opportunity to apologize again, express your appreciation, or reinforce your brand values. Communicating effectively with a distressed customer may be challenging, but it is possible. By following these tips, you can turn a negative situation into a positive one and create a loyal and happy customer.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?