Customers can often be irritating, pesky and a downright pain in the backside! You can be high up in the buisiness realm or on the shop floor selling baby boys clothing, you will always have to face difficult customers. They are also those who run your business so the best course is to play along and please them even if you die in the process. Making the mistake of opening your mouth too early, too late or too much in front of a customer can cause serious trouble so beware! Here are a few ‘what not to say’ tips, which any business can utilize. Read on:
• “That is not a part of my job” This is the worst you can do to your customers and your business since one line just ruins it completely. Instead of blatantly refusing to help even if you genuinely cannot, just refer the customer to someone else who knows how to handle it.
• “It’s surprising that you don’t know about our product’ Well, it’s not really that surprising considering you are no Bill Gates! It is possible that people do not know about your business and therefore your job is to educate them and not show a condescending attitude. This can hamper your image as well as that of your business.
• “Please repeat your name and then the problem that you’re facing” This is the biggest business blasphemy you can commit! Not listening properly enough is not what a customer looks for when your product has caused problems for him! Instead of an ignorant attitude, listen carefully since customer feedback will help you improve your products, making your business a success.
• “That is against our policies” Whoa, big mistake. Making a permanent closure leaving the customer dissatisfied is not what good business is all about. You can review what needs to be done with your team and find out a way to solve the issue without completely discounting policies of your business.
Along with pleasing customers, honesty of intentions and quality products take you a long way. Be street smart and use your charm to tackle your way out of tricky situations!