Managing Demanding & Challenging Customers

Course Summary

Do you have to deal with demanding or challenging customers face-to-face or on the telephone or both? Are you looking for creative as well as practical solutions that work? This course is designed to reduce your stress, frustration, anger, disappointment or even, at times, feeling of inadequacy when you ask yourself, "What can I do or say next to address this problem?"

Working with your challenging and demanding customers professionally and positively can make the difference between building a customer's loyalty or losing the customer forever. Outstanding customer service can create the competitive edge that makes or breaks an organisation. We all recognise that customer needs and high expectations are increasing.

Join us and learn how to manage demanding customers in a professional, decisive and constructive manner so that all parties are content. Sharpen your present skills as well as learn new ones.

What you will learn

• To develop your communication skills to deal more confidently with demanding customers
• Words and phrases you can rely on
• When and how to say "no". Become more assertive v. passive or aggressive
• To use the right tone, pitch and pace to maintain your professional style
• How to stay in control and not take negative behaviour personally
• To turn yourself into an effective listener, negotiator and problem solver
• To solve problems and smooth ruffled feelings with skill, tact and patience

Workshop Timetable

9.00am Welcome and coffee

9.15am

• Introductions and hopes for the day
• What are your personal goals and objectives?
• Let's talk 'shop'. What is your definition of challenging, demanding, difficult?
• Why is it crucial to encourage positive communication?
• What are the benefits for all parties?
• The Communication Balance
• Comparing face-to-face and telephone communication
• The Personal Survey - knowing your style and your customer's behaviour
• Why do people get upset? Do you ever get upset?

11.15am Break

11.15am

• Handling Customer Complaints - Justified or Not
• Building relationships and protecting your position
• Taking responsibility for your own reactions first
• To argue or not to argue that isn't the question
• Creating the best solution - What are your choices?
• What if the customer is in error? What if you are?
• Words of advice - Disgruntled customers

1.00pm Lunch

2.00pm

• How Assertive Are You With Challenging Customers?
• Raising your confidence level
• Have you prepared? Doing the homework
• Observe and listen to your own words and tone
• Body language and facial expressions - do they compliment you?
• Handling Personal Criticism
• Don't take it personally!

3.00pm Break

3.15pm

• Managing Dissatisfaction
• Empathise!
• Did we hear what was actually said or meant?
• What's your listening style?
• Listening for understanding and asking appropriate questions
• Defining when a behaviour is ‘extreme' ... words and behaviours
• Policy and procedures
• What are the possible consequences?
• Let's plan - Positive changes

4.30pm Close