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How To Guide Presentation
How To Guide Presentation
DIFFICULT CUSTOMER
INTERACTIONS
Nolan Redhouse
This manual will be a guide for customer service employees
whether they are in Fast Food, Retail, or any other job that
involves customer relations. This will give a step-by-step
process on how to deal with customers when they are angry,
frustrated, etc., from minor to major, and how to act
professionally during these situations.
Preview
o This manual serves as an educational tool for employees on dealing or
handling difficult customers.
o Great customer service is key for success.
o In this manual we will be going over the basics on how to act and respond
to these situations from minor to major,
o We’ll be understanding and applying the 3 G’s and the HUNGRY principals.
o The limitations of this manual will not be applied on how to deal with
coworkers, or everyday people, just on dealing with difficult customers.
The manual will also not cover sexual harassment or anything in that
region. This manual will give you a better outlook on the basics, further
knowledge will be based on your experience. Not every difficult customer
will be the same, remain flexible and keep open-minded.
Your Goal
The 3 G’s
o Go: Be the first to approach your customers, do not hang back and wait for them,
remember to give great customer service. When approaching them, smile, have good
o Greet: Thank them first for attending your store. Be sure to welcome them, then say your
name. ‘Hello and thank you for choosing (Name if workplace). I’m (Your first name), how
can I help you?’ Here’s an example so just fill in the blanks. Keep in mind this may
apply for some stores, but if you have a preferred greeting feel free to do so.
o Guide: If the customer chooses then respond with an altercation they have, first
major problem.
H-U-N-G-R-Y o Grateful: Remain grateful throughout the
o Understanding: When a customer comes to us upset, o Youthful: You want to have that youthful
we need to put ourselves in their shoes and spirit that says, ‘I can do this all day’.
understand where they are coming from, we will
Stay positive throughout the entire situation.
cover this more as we go along.
This is how we should approach and
o Never Follow: We want to fix the problem here and
appreciate every customer, show them that they
now, the last thing we need is a customer leaving
matter. Ready for some scenarios?
with their problem unresolved, never to return.
Maybe it’s not your fault, maybe it is. Regardless, it is up to you to represent and
o First, stick to your 3 G’s and remain HUNGRY. When a customer approaches, you can
already tell based on their body language and facial expression they are upset. When
this happens be sure to greet them and ask if they need anything. They will respond
about their current situation. The customer sometimes disregards the employee’s
feelings but don’t worry, its not personal, remain HUNGRY. They’re upset and it is up
to us to make sure that we hear them and do our best to make them leave with a smile.
o Unavailable or Out of Stock Product: When
customers come to our store with something in
Understand mind just to find out that we don’t have or
no longer carry that item or product, they’ll
Once we get done greeting, let us go head in
be upset.
on the customers' situation and find out
o Repeating a Customer’s Problem: If a certain
what we can do from there. I would like to
customer keeps having to return to our store
thank HubSpot for producing the following-
about a problem that reoccurs consistently,
https://blog.hubspot.com/service/customer-co
it needs to be fixed immediately and
mplaints
shouldn’t happen again.
o Uninterested Service Representatives: Some
Here are some examples: employees might be having a long or bad day,
o Waiting for a Long Time: Customers want to nevertheless, we should remember our HUNGRY
have top-tier service and when they must principles by staying relentless. Most
wait until we can get to them, it is customers want to be given our full
understandable that they might be a little attention, and if we fail to that, they’ll
upset. leave.
Resolution
In these situations, it is our job to be polite and helpful, also the last
thing we need is to match or exceed the upset customers' energy. The following
resolutions will help turn the tides from a customer being dissatisfied to
relieved.
o Be Accessible: Be available and provide self-service options so to help the
customer resolve there situation faster and efficient.
o Active Listening: Stay focused to their needs and connect with them.
o Acknowledge Your Customers: Empathy is important when it comes to customer
service, letting them know that they’ve been heard makes them feel
appreciated.
o Reiterate for Clarity and Understanding: Making sure that we correct the
mistake is crucial, restate what the problem is and how we will resolve it.
Not every customer will be satisfied with their resolution, nevertheless it’s
up to you to provide exceptional service. Customers will continuously come up
to you with problems they’ve had with your industry, and with that you’ll gain
more experience.
Hot Interactions
Greeting
Your 3 G’s and HUNGRY principles would be a great way to start. Now the
should remain calm and use a soft voice. Antagonizing the customer will only
lead to a more negative situation than we already have. Remember don’t take
it personally, the customer isn’t angry with you, they are angry at the
midsentence and talk with a fearsome tone. Remember to stay calm, ask the customer what seems to
be the problem. Now if it comes to the point where you can’t handle it anymore, turn to your
manager/supervisor. If you can resolve the situation yourself, feel free to do so in a timely
manner.
Sometimes it’ll be like that and at times in my experience the customer may barge in and stay
yelling at the top of their lungs and may even throw something, cuss you out, flip you off. When
that happens, get to a safe place, and grab you manager. Remember your manager/supervisor has