This document provides guidance on customer service techniques for handling complaints and difficult customers. Some key points: 1) It's important to listen to customers' complaints without being defensive and understand their perspective. Phrases like "that's interesting..." can encourage customers to explain further without accusation. 2) Apologize for any problems or inconvenience, assure customers you want to resolve the issue, and thank them for bringing it to your attention. 3) Remain calm and sympathetic; get the full details of the problem without blaming others; offer solutions and end on a positive note thanking them. Treating customers with respect and focusing on solutions is key to resolving complaints.

1. Perfect Phrases
For
Customer Service

2. Be thankful
for customers who complain.
You still have
the opportunity
to make them happy.

3. Mints on the pillow
don’t mean a lot
if the bed is not made.
Focus on the basics first.

4. If I go to a restaurant
and the food is okay,
but the service is great,
then I’ll go back.
If the food is great but the people aren’t,
I won’t go back –
and I’m in the cooking profession.
Wolfgang Puck, Chef

5. Agenda
• Get in the right state of mind.
• Dealing with Angry Customers.
• Customer Service to LAST
• Resources

6. Why Learn Good Customer
Service?
• Manage your Expectations – And Theirs.
• Improve your Work Life, and the Lives of
your Customers.
Respect Assure
Perspective Listen
Apologize Solve Thank
Sympathize

7. Rule #1

8. Treat every customer
as though they were your favorite
celebrity, hero, friend,
neighbor
or your grandma.

9. Imagine that each customer
is wearing a sign that says
“Make me
feel important.”

10. Perspective

11. If you break your neck, if
you have nothing to eat,
if your house is on fire,
then you got a problem.
Everything else is
inconvenience.

12. Pretend your next customer
is a mystery shopper ready
to reward you with $1000
for providing superior
service.

13. Angry Customers

14. Four Magic Phrases

15. That’s Interesting…

16. That’s Interesting…
#1
Tell Me More

17. That’s Interesting…
#2
Why would you Do That?

18. That’s Interesting…
#3
Why would you Say That?

19. That’s Interesting…
#4
Why would you Ask Me That?

20. Go into Computer Mode.

21. • Go into computer mode.
− Don’t take the Bait

22. • Go into computer mode.
− Don’t take the Bait
− Speak generally, without Emotion

23. • Go into computer mode.
− Don’t take the Bait
− Speak generally, without Emotion
− Be an Automated Response System

24. • Go into computer mode.
− “People get irritated when they don’t
immediately get the help they need.”

25. • Go into computer mode.
− “People get irritated when they don’t
immediately get the help they need.”
− “It’s very annoying to experience a delay in
service response.”

26. • Go into computer mode.
− “People get irritated when they don’t
immediately get the help they need.”
− “It’s very annoying to experience a delay in
service response.”
− “Nothing is more distressing than feeling
like you’re being passed around when all
you want is help.”

27. • Go into computer mode.
− “Have I don’t something to personally upset
you?”
− "There is no need to yell or be loud to get
my attention; I promise to give you that.“
− "I really want to help you, but your foul
language is getting in the way."

28. Focus on Feelings First

29. • Focus on Feelings First
− “Clearly, we’ve upset you, and I want you
to know that getting to the bottom of this is
just as important to me as it is to you.”

30. • Focus on Feelings First
− “Clearly, we’ve upset you, and I want you
to know that getting to the bottom of this is
just as important to me as it is to you.”
− “I didn’t mean to get you upset; I’m sure we
can resolve this.”

31. • Focus on Feelings First
− “Clearly, we’ve upset you, and I want you
to know that getting to the bottom of this is
just as important to me as it is to you.”
− “I didn’t mean to get you upset; I’m sure we
can resolve this.”
− “Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. Here’s
what I meant.”

32. • Focus on Feelings First
− “Clearly, we’ve upset you, and I want you
to know that getting to the bottom of this is
just as important to me as it is to you.”
− “I didn’t mean to get you upset; I’m sure we
can resolve this.”
− “Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. Here’s
what I meant.”
− Why don’t you relax a little, and we’ll
figure this out.

33. Get Some Space

34. • Get Some Space
− “Why don’t you come in my office where
it’s quiet and I can focus on what you’re
saying.”

35. • Get Some Space
− “Why don’t you come in my office where
it’s quiet and I can focus on what you’re
saying.”
− “Let’s step over here where it’s quieter and
I can hear you better.”

36. • Get Some Space
− “Why don’t you come in my office where
it’s quiet and I can focus on what you’re
saying.”
− “Let’s step over here where it’s quieter and
I can hear you better.”
− “Why don’t we step outside so you can have
some privacy?”

37. Calm them down.

38. • Calm customers in the first line without
using Leading Language.

39. • Calm customers in the first line without
using Leading Language.
Leading: “I’m sorry you had to go through
this; that would have really upset me, too.”

40. • Calm customers in the first line without
using Leading Language.
Leading: “I’m sorry you had to go through
this; that would have really upset me, too.”
Sympathetic: “I’m sorry you had to go
through this; I’m sure it wasn’t pleasant.”

41. • Calm customers in the first line without
using Leading Language.
Leading: “Thank you for letting me know
about this terrible experience.”

42. • Calm customers in the first line without
using Leading Language.
Leading: “Thank you for letting me know
about this terrible experience.”
Sympathetic: “That must have been very
frustrating for you.”

43. Thank them.

44. • Thank them for their input.
- “Thank you for letting me know about this
situation.”

45. • Thank them for their input.
- “Thank you for letting me know about this
situation.”
- “I appreciate your telling me your
concerns.”

46. • Thank them for their input.
- “Thank you for letting me know about this
situation.”
- “I appreciate your telling me your
concerns.”
- “We appreciate customers telling us when
things aren’t right.”

47. • Thank them for their input.
- “Thank you for letting me know about this
situation.”
- “I appreciate your telling me your
concerns.”
- “We appreciate customers telling us when
things aren’t right.”
- “Thank you for giving me the chance to help
you address this matter.”

48. • Thank them for their input.
- "I am very sorry you feel that way. I hope you
will give us another opportunity to serve you
again in the future."

49. Assure them you can help.

50. Assure customers you can help.
- “I am sure we can resolve this situation
immediately.”

51. Assure customers you can help.
- “I am sure we can resolve this situation
immediately.”
- “I appreciate the opportunity to clarify any
misunderstandings.”

52. Assure customers you can help.
- “I am sure we can resolve this situation
immediately.”
- “I appreciate the opportunity to clarify any
misunderstandings.”
- “I’m sure I can explain what happened and
find a good solution.”

53. Assure customers you can help.
- “I am sure we can resolve this situation
immediately.”
- “I appreciate the opportunity to clarify any
misunderstandings.”
- “I’m sure I can explain what happened and
find a good solution.”
- “I need to hear your point of view and then
talk to accounting department about why it
happened.”

54. - "I have full authority to resolve your
concerns. Please give me the opportunity to
fix this situation.”

55. Get to the root of the
problem.

56. Get to the root of the problem.
- “Start from the beginning and tell me what
happened.”

57. Get to the root of the problem.
- “Start from the beginning and tell me what
happened.”
- “When exactly did this happen?”

58. Get to the root of the problem.
- “Start from the beginning and tell me what
happened.”
- “When exactly did this happen?”
- “Can I see the notice? The specific wording
will help me understand the situation.”

59. Get to the root of the problem.
- “Start from the beginning and tell me what
happened.”
- “When exactly did this happen?”
- “Can I see the notice? The specific wording
will help me understand the situation.”
- “What did you say afterward?”

60. Get to the root of the problem.
- “Start from the beginning and tell me what
happened.”
- “When exactly did this happen?”
- “Can I see the notice? The specific wording
will help me understand the situation.”
- “What did you say afterward?”
- “Do you have any papers or e-mails that
record this information?”

61. Sympathize.

62. Sympathize.
But don’t blame your company
or anyone in it.

63. Sympathize.
- “I know that must have been difficult for
you.”

64. Sympathize.
- “I know that must have been difficult for
you.”
- “The situation must have seemed
perplexing.”

65. Sympathize.
- “I know that must have been difficult for
you.”
- “The situation must have seemed
perplexing.”
- “Yes, there are a lot of words in the
Bylaws.”

66. Sympathize.
- “I know that must have been difficult for
you.”
- “The situation must have seemed
perplexing.”
- “Yes, there are a lot of words in the
Bylaws.”
- “Websites can be difficult to navigate.”

67. Sympathize.
- “I know that must have been difficult for
you.”
- “The situation must have seemed
perplexing.”
- “Yes, there are a lot of words in the
Bylaws.”
- “Websites can be difficult to navigate.”
- “I can see how you were confused.”

68. Sympathize.
- “I know that must have been difficult for
you.”
- “The situation must have seemed
perplexing.”
- “Yes, there are a lot of words in the
Bylaws.”
- “Websites can be difficult to navigate.”
- “I can see how you were confused.”
- “The industry language can be confusing.”

69. Sympathize.
- “I realize the wait you encountered was an
inconvenience.”

70. Sympathize.
- “I realize the wait you encountered was an
inconvenience.”
- “It must have been very frustrating for you
to wait all day for the technician, and for
that I am sorry.”

71. Don’t throw your co-workers
under the Bus.

72. Don’t throw your coworkers under the bus.
Leading: “Which part of the bill did they get
wrong?”

73. Don’t throw your coworkers under the bus.
Leading: “Which part of the bill did they get
wrong?”
Neutral: “Which part of the bill concerns
you?”

74. Don’t throw your coworkers under the bus.
Leading: “Which part of the bill did they get
wrong?”
Neutral: “Which part of the bill concerns
you?”
Leading: “How did he insult you?”

75. Don’t throw your coworkers under the bus.
Leading: “Which part of the bill did they get
wrong?”
Neutral: “Which part of the bill concerns
you?”
Leading: “How did he insult you?”
Neutral: “What did he say to you?”

76. Then Don’t Waste a Breath.

77. Don’t waste a Breath.
- “I can explain that to you.”

78. Don’t waste a Breath.
- “I can explain that to you.”
- “I believe I can help.”

79. Don’t waste a Breath.
- “I can explain that to you.”
- “I believe I can help.”
- “Let’s walk through the Rules &
Regulations together.”

80. Don’t waste a Breath.
- “I can explain that to you.”
- “I believe I can help.”
- “Let’s walk through the Rules &
Regulations together.”
- “Why don’t you ask me questions, and
I’ll help you understand.”

81. Be There to Help.

82. Be there to Help.
- “The employee’s manager will talk to
him and ensure this situation doesn’t
recur.”

83. Be there to Help.
- “The employee’s manager will talk to
him and ensure this situation doesn’t
recur.”
- “We’ll make a note on your record and
ensure that this doesn’t happen again.”

84. Be there to Help.
- “The employee’s manager will talk to
him and ensure this situation doesn’t
recur.”
- “We’ll make a note on your record and
ensure that this doesn’t happen again.”
- “Our truck will be at your home first
thing in the morning.”

85. Offer Solutions.

86. Offer Solutions.
When you can’t repair the
problem as soon as your
customers want, play up the
positive side of what you’re
doing.

87. End on a Happy Note.

88. End on a happy note.
- “Thanks again for letting me resolve this
issue.”

89. End on a happy note.
- “Thanks again for letting me resolve this
issue.”
- “I apologize again, and thanks for being
so considerate.”

90. Dear Customer:
Thank you for notifying us of your complaint. We strive to provide you with
the best possible service, and when you feel that it fails to meet your
expectations, it’s important for us to know.
We’re sorry that you received service that prompted you to contact us with a
complaint, and we regret any inconvenience or frustration that your
experience has caused you. To ensure that our staff conducts itself in a
manner that reflects the high regard that we have for our customers, we’ve
notified the proper department of your complaint.
Your patronage is important to us, and we hope that you’ll continue to give us
opportunities to serve you.
Thank you again for bringing these matters to our attention.
Sincerely,

91. Service Recovery to LAST

92. Service Recovery to LAST
•Listen

93. Service Recovery to LAST
•Listen
•Apologize

94. Service Recovery to LAST
•Listen
•Apologize
•Solve

95. Service Recovery to LAST
•Listen
•Apologize
•Solve
•Thank

96. Listen
- “I know you’re upset; I’m here to help
you.”

97. Listen
- “I know you’re upset; I’m here to help
you.”
-“I understand what you mean.”

98. Listen
- “I know you’re upset; I’m here to help
you.”
-“I understand what you mean.”
-“I see what you’re saying.”

99. Listen
- “I know you’re upset; I’m here to help
you.”
-“I understand what you mean.”
-“I see what you’re saying.”
-“That’s an interesting point.”

100. Listen
Phrases to Avoid

101. Listen
Phrases to Avoid
- “I don’t want to argue with you.”

102. Listen
Phrases to Avoid
- “I don’t want to argue with you.”
- “Let’s discuss this peacefully.”

103. Listen
Phrases to Avoid
- “I don’t want to argue with you.”
- “Let’s discuss this peacefully.”
- “I’m sure we can come to an agreement
quickly if…”

104. Apologize

105. Apologize
- “I’m sorry you felt you were not treated courteously.”

106. Apologize
- “I’m sorry you felt you were not treated courteously.”
- “Your satisfaction is very important to me; please give
me the chance to correct this situation to your
satisfaction.”

107. Apologize
- “I’m sorry you felt you were not treated courteously.”
- “Your satisfaction is very important to me; please give
me the chance to correct this situation to your
satisfaction.”
- “I am very sorry we disappointed you . What can I do to
regain your trust in SMG?”

108. Apologize
- “I’m sorry you felt you were not treated courteously.”
- “Your satisfaction is very important to me; please give
me the chance to correct this situation to your
satisfaction.”
- “I am very sorry we disappointed you . What can I do to
regain your trust in SMG?”
- “I’m sorry you were not satisfied with our service.”

109. Apologize
- “I’m sorry you felt you were not treated courteously.”
- “Your satisfaction is very important to me; please give
me the chance to correct this situation to your
satisfaction.”
- “I am very sorry we disappointed you . What can I do to
regain your trust in SMG?”
- “I’m sorry you were not satisfied with our service.”
- “Please accept my apology for the time involved.”

110. Apologize
Be careful not to over-apologize.
You risk making the situation
worse than it is, alienating
customers even more
and possibly setting yourself
up for a lawsuit.

111. Solve

112. Solve
- “I agree with many of your points. Let’s
discuss ways we can address them.”

113. Solve
- “I agree with many of your points. Let’s
discuss ways we can address them.”
- “You’re right in saying…What do you think we
should do?”

114. Solve
- “I agree with many of your points. Let’s
discuss ways we can address them.”
- “You’re right in saying…What do you think we
should do?”
- “Much of what you’re saying has validity; so
let’s clarify some of the points.”

115. Solve
- “I think you’re right about some of those
points. Let me update you about what we’re
doing.”

116. Solve
- “I think you’re right about some of those
points. Let me update you about what we’re
doing.”
- “Actually, I’m meeting with the Board on
Friday to discuss this issue.”

117. Solve
- “I think you’re right about some of those
points. Let me update you about what we’re
doing.”
- “Actually, I’m meeting with the Board on
Friday to discuss this issue.”
- “Let’s look at your concerns and see how we
can address them.”

118. Solve
Show why the problem occurred, whether or
not the complaint was valid.

119. Solve
Show why the problem occurred, whether or
not the complaint was valid.
- “You have the same name as one of our other customers,
and our system confused the two.”

120. Solve
Show why the problem occurred, whether or
not the complaint was valid.
- “You have the same name as one of our other customers,
and our system confused the two.”
- “We never received your address change form, and your
coupons/notice went to the wrong address.”

121. Solve
Show why the problem occurred, whether or
not the complaint was valid.
- “You have the same name as one of our other customers,
and our system confused the two.”
- “We never received your address change form, and your
coupons/notice went to the wrong address.”
- “This never happened before so we couldn’t anticipate
it.”

122. Solve
Discuss Objective Evidence
- “According to your Bylaws, you can only...”

123. Solve
Discuss Objective Evidence
- “According to your Bylaws, you can only...”
- “The Rules & Regulations require that we take
those steps to avoid....”

124. Solve
Discuss Objective Evidence
- “According to your Bylaws, you can only...”
- “The Rules & Regulations require that we take
those steps to avoid....”
- “Our customers indicated that they would
prefer if we…”

125. Solve
Discuss Objective Evidence
- “According to your Bylaws, you can only...”
- “The Rules & Regulations require that we take
those steps to avoid....”
- “Our customers indicated that they would
prefer if we…”
- “I understand your point; however, the Bylaws
require that I…”

126. Solve
Forward-Looking Phrases
- “Every situation has downsides, I agree. Now
tell me what you think we can do about
them.”

127. Solve
Forward-Looking Phrases
- “Every situation has downsides, I agree. Now
tell me what you think we can do about
them.”
- “We’ll address each of those issues when they
come up.”

128. Solve
Forward-Looking Phrases
- “Every situation has downsides, I agree. Now
tell me what you think we can do about
them.”
- “We’ll address each of those issues when they
come up.”
- “We’ve addressed each of those drawbacks in
previous projects, so we have plenty of
solutions we can apply.”

129. Thank

130. Thank
- “Thanks again for letting me resolve this
issue.”

131. Thank
- “Thanks again for letting me resolve this
issue.”
- “I apologize again – and thanks for being
so considerate.”

132. Thank
- “Thanks again for letting me resolve this
issue.”
- “I apologize again – and thanks for being
so considerate.”
- “I appreciate your patience, and can
assure you the situation is completely
corrected.”

133. More Information