Re: "How do you deal with difficult people?"
@David Nicol ....& whomever else is interested, This is nothing new. I ran into it way back in 2003. I was applying for a retail position when I was asked how I would handle a person who came into the shop raving mad because of a negative experience with it. I answered that I'd try to calm them down by diverting their attention to something in the shop that was more positive and, therefore, give them a positive experience there to replace the negative one they had felt. I didn't get the J.O.B., I think I was "over qualified". But, several months later they went out of business, anyway. So my feelings weren't all that hurt after I saw that. LOL! Julie Freedom means you are free to be responsible ~ Russell Means 'Free to be Responsible' Speech: http://www.russellmeans.com/ ("Speeches" button > scroll down - wink) If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them, and what you do not know you will fear. What one fears one destroys. ~ Chief Dan George: http://www.indigenouspeople.net/dangeorg.htm Everything the Power of the World does is done in a circle. ~ Black Elk, Oglala Lakota Holy Man: http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Black_Elk
On Mon, Jun 8, 2009 at 1:47 PM, Julie <betelgeuse67stang@yahoo.com> wrote:
This is nothing new. I ran into it way back in 2003. I was applying for a retail position when I was asked how I would handle a person who came into the shop raving mad because of a negative experience with it. I answered that I'd try to calm them down by diverting their attention to something in the shop that was more positive and, therefore, give them a positive experience there to replace the negative one they had felt.
I think the correct response is something along the lines of you will empathize with the customer, commiserate with their upset, and then provide solutions to their problem. Diverting their attention to something else in the store just tells the customer, "I don't care about your issue, but look, here's a bunny!" -- Chris
Bunny?! Where do I get my bunny? It had better be free to make up for the rotten experience that I had with product X!! I mean I pay my bill on time for services rendered each month, I think I deserve a freebie this month. And that bunny better be fire proof! -- Rants of a retail lackie I agree with Chris. However, it can be really challenging when the customer shoots down your solutions for nitpicky issues. Sent from my BlackBerry -----Original Message----- From: "Christofer C. Bell" <christofer.c.bell@gmail.com> Date: Mon, 8 Jun 2009 16:12:10 To: Kclug<kclug@kclug.org> Subject: Re: "How do you deal with difficult people?" _______________________________________________ Kclug mailing list Kclug@kclug.org http://kclug.org/mailman/listinfo/kclug
If there's anything I've learned, the customer is NOT always right. Quite often they are lying, cheating, stealin' low-lifes that need to be taken care of before they cause a scene. A clerk or associate can't please everyone because some people aren't there to get thigns set right, they are there to take advange of the situation. Jon. On Mon, Jun 8, 2009 at 9:52 PM, <bewkard@gmail.com> wrote:
Bunny?! Where do I get my bunny? It had better be free to make up for the rotten experience that I had with product X!! I mean I pay my bill on time for services rendered each month, I think I deserve a freebie this month. And that bunny better be fire proof!
-- Rants of a retail lackie
I agree with Chris. However, it can be really challenging when the customer shoots down your solutions for nitpicky issues. Sent from my BlackBerry
-----Original Message----- From: "Christofer C. Bell" <christofer.c.bell@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 8 Jun 2009 16:12:10 To: Kclug<kclug@kclug.org> Subject: Re: "How do you deal with difficult people?"
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On Mon, Jun 8, 2009 at 9:59 PM, Jon Pruente <jdpruente@gmail.com> wrote:
If there's anything I've learned, the customer is NOT always right. Quite often they are lying, cheating, stealin' low-lifes that need to be taken care of before they cause a scene. A clerk or associate can't please everyone because some people aren't there to get thigns set right, they are there to take advange of the situation.
Yes, that's very true. However, the issue is that, in general, every P.O.'d customer tells 10 of his or her friends about their negative experience, and that word of mouth keeps people away from your business. How many people, on average, does a satisfied customer tell about their experiences with you? 1. So even if the customer is absolutely in the wrong, it's sometimes less expensive to just give them the pacifier they're looking for. -- Chris
That's why I posted "needs to be taken care of" not "kicked out in a huff" ;) Being taken care of doesn't always mean giving them what they say they want though. Jon. On Mon, Jun 8, 2009 at 11:10 PM, Christofer C. Bell < christofer.c.bell@gmail.com> wrote:
Yes, that's very true. However, the issue is that, in general, every P.O.'d customer tells 10 of his or her friends about their negative experience, and that word of mouth keeps people away from your business.
How many people, on average, does a satisfied customer tell about their experiences with you?
1.
So even if the customer is absolutely in the wrong, it's sometimes less expensive to just give them the pacifier they're looking for.
-- Chris
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Give them the pacifier...and then that evening, go post to http://notalwaysright.com ;-) Kendric Beachey On Mon, Jun 8, 2009 at 11:14 PM, Jon Pruente <jdpruente@gmail.com> wrote:
That's why I posted "needs to be taken care of" not "kicked out in a huff" ;) Being taken care of doesn't always mean giving them what they say they want though.
Jon.
On Mon, Jun 8, 2009 at 11:10 PM, Christofer C. Bell < christofer.c.bell@gmail.com> wrote:
Yes, that's very true. However, the issue is that, in general, every P.O.'d customer tells 10 of his or her friends about their negative experience, and that word of mouth keeps people away from your business.
How many people, on average, does a satisfied customer tell about their experiences with you?
1.
So even if the customer is absolutely in the wrong, it's sometimes less expensive to just give them the pacifier they're looking for.
-- Chris
_______________________________________________ Kclug mailing list Kclug@kclug.org http://kclug.org/mailman/listinfo/kclug
_______________________________________________ Kclug mailing list Kclug@kclug.org http://kclug.org/mailman/listinfo/kclug
participants (5)
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bewkard＠gmail.com -
Christofer C. Bell -
Jon Pruente -
Julie -
Kendric Beachey