Commitment to Customer Service: Keeping Your Cool

December 10, 2010 by Frank Peditto

ReloTrans® is considered by most to be a transportation company; an organization that transports vehicles, boats and specialty items within the United States and internationally. But, being non-asset based, we are really a customer service company and, as such, we are inherently aware that we are only as good as our last move. Internally we are a small group of professionals with a culture dedicated to delivering the highest level of service for our clients and their customers.

Reflecting on the time of year and the service being provided to each of us as we mitigate our way through holiday preparations, shopping and travel, it’s important to keep in mind the critical elements of delivering excellent customer service. Reading through many books and articles, the obvious rise to the top of the list immediately:

• Build and reinforce trust with your customers
• Remain attentive and focused on their needs; listen to them
• Maintain a pro-active approach and ensure quick follow-up with consistent communication
• Demonstrate a courtesy and an appreciation for their business as well as their personal situation; the challenges they are facing and their specific concerns

These are great reminders for everyday, but what are the special considerations that help customer service professionals keep their cool when faced with a particularly irate customer. According to a survey conducted in 2007 by Customer Care Measurement & Consulting, 70 percent of customers who have problems with a product or service are in rage by the time they reach a live customer service representative. Of those 70 percent, 24 percent will yell at the service professional, 8 percent will threaten legal action, and 5 percent will resort to profane language. And, it’s estimated that these numbers have increased since the survey was originally conducted.

So, when faced with irate or enraged customers, what are the keys to remediating the situation and avoiding further escalation? Here are some of the critical elements we reinforce in our organization, both for internal and external customers, when we are inevitably faced with these challenges:

• Begin with an apology. Acknowledgement of the issue is critical to diffusing the anger and working through the challenge to a mutually agreeable resolution. Regardless of whether or not you are the one actually responsible, a general, but sincere apology like, “I am so sorry that you are experiencing this issue,” will go a long way.
• Sympathize with the individual. Remain in active listening mode and identify with their feelings. Take the approach of letting them, “get it off of their chest” and then reinforce the listening with an additional acknowledgement.
• Accept responsibility and demonstrate accountability by recapping the issue and their desired remediation, if communicated, and then take action.
• Stay connected. If you are not the individual who can make the decision, say that you will perform additional research and get back to them within a specific time period, and then make 100 percent sure you meet that time frame.

Finally, I will leave you with one of the first things I learned in performing customer service over the phone – always smile. Even though the customer will never see you, it sets the tone and it does make a difference.