3 Customer service tips to make cranky holiday shoppers happy

Thursday, December 7, 2017

As the end of the year nears, customer service agents begin to receive plenty of calls from all over the world. They could be follow-ups on restaurant reservations, hotel accommodations, or purchases from online shops. Whatever they're about, all of them can make the holiday rush difficult to handle.

To make things worse, receiving calls from cranky customers during the holidays is unavoidable. Customers may complain about an item that ran out of stock, shipping delays, or system glitches. Blunders like this often happen during the holidays when everyone's trying to cope with surging consumer demands.

It's important for customer support agents to be able to handle angry customers at a time when sales are skyrocketing. So, how do you effectively handle them? Here are three essential tips you should bear in mind.

1.   Patience is your strongest weapon.

Working in the customer service industry requires dealing with irate callers, especially those who shout and throw shade at the agent when something isn't going their way. While such customers may be unreasonable, being at the frontline leaves you the task of keeping customers happy and addressing their complaints. It may sound unfair, but failing to appease customers will result not only in further frustration but also in unfinished transactions.

One useful technique when dealing with angry customers is to focus on the problem. Allow yourself to have a better view of the situation to have a deeper understanding of where the customer's coming from. That way, you'll never have to deal with angry customers. Instead, you'll focus more on the problem that needs resolving.


2.   Look for effective solutions quickly.

Once you understand the customer’s real concern, look for a concrete answer to the problem. Offer a solution that you think will best guarantee customer satisfaction. Also, always fix the issue as soon as possible to avoid further complications. To do this, you may consult your product knowledge bank. It's also worth identifying the most common problems customers encounter during the holidays so you can prepare accurate responses accordingly.

If expediting the process isn't possible, assure the customer that you're trying your best to come up with a fitting solution. Otherwise, ask the customer how they want the problem solved. The point is, you must remember not to leave customers unhappy with your service. Because by then, they might call it quits.


3.   Win your customer through empathy.

One thing that creates a bad impression among customers is a scripted conversation. While some call centers may prescribe a script for agents to follow, this doesn't mean you should only read what’s written in the paper.

Be genuine when conversing with customers. You may follow a script, but only use it as a guide for the proper flow of the call. Let them know that you care about their situation, and that you sincerely understand how it affects them. Also remember to ask them if there’s anything else you can do after their concern has been resolved.

 

Truth be told, things are easier said than done, but you must be prepared to handle cranky customers during the holiday season. Treat this as an opportunity to represent your brand in the best way possible, as well as the outsourcing company you're working for. At the end of the day, nothing beats a well-accomplished job and a satisfied customer who'd surely come back for your service.