When There’s No Solution in the Moment, Try This.

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problem in the moment when what they
want is impossible to do or you just
don't have a solution in that moment
what do you do well that's coming up in
this video
one of the most challenging interactions
you can have as a customer service
professional is when you cannot give the
customer what they want in that moment
when you have to say no deliver bad news
or deny a request these are all very
challenging situations but you can do it
you can handle these interactions with
confidence and guide your customers to
the next steps and wrap up that
conversation over the phone in chat face
to face you can do that with five steps
and that's exactly what we're doing in
this video starting now
the first thing I want you to do is
control the conversation I want you to
focus on controlling the interaction by
talking assertively my definition of
assertive is say what you mean mean what
you say and don't be mean when you say
it customers who see you as in control
and confident are more likely to accept
your word as final
Express empathy when you can't give a
customer what they want one of the best
things you can do one of the most
important things you can do is to show
empathy I want you to validate your
customer by identifying their biggest
pain Point what is the pain point in the
moment have they lost money or time are
they confused are they frustrated
whatever that pain point is I want you
to validate that with empathy when you
validate with empathy your customer will
feel heard and understood which means
they will vent less because you
understand them here's a perfect way to
convey empathy I realize it's upsetting
to hear that you'll have to retake your
exam and apply for a new license
particularly because you needed that
license right now I wrote this empathy
statement for one of my clients when
they had a situation where they cannot
automatically renew an expired license
the agent would have to retake an exam
pay fees wait for the results and that
was an inconvenience because they could
not do business without the license this
empathy statement acknowledges the pain
point of not being able to legally
practice business but yet makes that
word final I want you to take time to
come up with an empathy statement that
will do the same thing for your
situations
be transparent when an immediate
solution isn't available your customers
have many questions they want to know
the what the why the how the when if
you're able to be transparent with them
up front you're going to get a lot less
pushback and a lot less back and forth I
want you to explain to your customer
three things explain to your customer
here's what we know
here's what we've done and here's what's
next when you answer these three
questions you are transparent you are
confident you satisfy your customers
need to know and you're going to get a
lot less venting I had a situation
several years ago when my family's
rental car was wrecked during the care
of valet of a hotel and my husband was
understandably very upset and that's
putting it mildly that he was very upset
the young valet didn't have a solution
in the moment they could not fix the
rental car they didn't have all the
answers that we needed but the young man
guided us to the next steps by answering
the three questions or explaining here's
what we know here's what we've done and
here's what's next here's how he did
that he explained to us the accident
happened in our parking garage last
night at 7 42 pm the driver was trying
to self-park in valet when we told him
he was not able to do that but we'd be
happy to valet park him he got upset
sped off hit three cars in the process
your car was one of them and he
explained to us the make and model of
the car and the license plate number now
at this point I didn't realize the young
man was explaining the three steps I'm
giving you I knew the method but I
didn't know that's what he was doing but
I was impressed with the first step
because he gave us a lot of information
the kind of details my left brain mind
needed to know and my husband who was
probably a level eight in in being
pissed off just say it how it is my
husband did not interrupt him that is
de-escalation if you can get an angry
customer to not push back and not
interrupt you and because we didn't
interrupt him he was able to go right
into the next step which was to explain
here's what we've done he told us we've
filed a claim with our loss prevention
team we have two eyewitnesses and we've
filed a police report with the Austin
Police Department still with no pushback
from my husband or me the gentleman went
on to explain what's next you also need
to file a police report you need to
notify both your insurance company and
your rental car company your insurance
company will go after the driver I
really hope you try this method it's
it's as simple as explaining here's what
we know what we've done here is what's
next the model works because you are
answering the many questions customers
have in that moment when there is no
immediate solution
demonstrate
urgency when you can't give your
customer what they want in the moment
show urgency show a sense of urgency and
watch the temperature come down here are
some examples of how to demonstrate
urgency
although I cannot provide an immediate
solution I assure you we're working on
it
we want to get to the bottom of this as
much as you do and then explain your
next steps
if you have a first step solution or an
option present it this way my immediate
solution would be blank
my final tip for you is to intentionally
manage expectations one of the hardest
things to do is to tell a customer no or
deny a request or give them bad news but
you can do it when you deliver the bad
news with empathy and you manage
expectations here are some examples of
managing expectations with empathy
I wish there was another way I know your
business depends on you having your
license XYZ company will not renew any
license until all penalties are met and
cleared now this statement conveys
empathy it clearly explains the denial
and it manages expectations
I realize this is not what you want to
hear As you move into your new apartment
there is an outstanding debt on this
meter XYZ City water will not establish
services on any meter with liability
attached regardless of who is
responsible for the debt
like the response above this statement
conveys empathy and it clearly explains
the denial while managing expectations
using these five tips you are now ready
to handle one of the most challenging
situations you could ever experience in
customer service and that is not having
a solution in the moment using these
five tips you are going to feel more
confident you'll sound more confident
and your customers are going to follow
your confident approach and they'll be
far more likely to accept your word as
the final word now just for sticking
around with me until the end I have a
bonus for you it is my most popular take
away guide a guide that we call at
myragolden.com 57 phrases to de-escalate
any angry customer I have put a link in
the description box for you to go over
look at the phrases you can download the
phrases as a PDF and I've broken down
the phrases into several categories what
to say when you want to end a circular
conversation what do you say to the
customer who wants to speak to your
manager but you know you can handle it I
have phrases on what to say if the
customer is cussing or over talking or
yelling at you and several more
categories so get that link and meet me
over at Myra Myra golden.com and
download your packet
if you like the phrases I share it with
you today and you're excited about my 57
phrases takeaway guide take the time I
would love it if you would take the time
to like this video subscribe to my
channel and then visit me at
myragolden.com I have several articles
and resources and training courses my
most popular course is de-escalation
Academy it's an online course that will
make you feel more confident give you
the Frameworks for how to de-escalate
any angry customer get customers to
accept your word as final stay right
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thank you
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