Dealing with Difficult Customers #4
Dealing with Difficult Customers #4
Of all the connections we can build with our customers (as well as co-workers, bosses, employees, etc) trust is both the hardest to create, and easiest to break. Truth be told, in this day and age, a little healthy skepticism is probably a good thing. But there are some people who fear so greatly the vulnerability that comes with trust, they overcompensate by trusting virtually nothing and no-one.
Unfortunately, there is no quick fix for building trust. Loss of trust is founded to a large extent by personal experiences, and it is only by creating honest, positive experiences that we can build it back. There are three steps to beginning this process:
1. Acknowledge and validate her discomfort:
eg. "I understand your discomfort. I suspect I'd feel the same way if I were you."
2. Reaffirm to her that you care:
eg. "I care about how satisfied you are - and I don't want you anything you're not sure of."
3. Restate your position, then set her free:
Give her permission to walk away (those of you who are in sales - this means you too!). eg. "I really do think this is best for you because. But you really should be 100% comfortable before you make a decision."
These three steps express empathy, caring, and confidence in your position - three things that Suspicious Sally is looking for. Give it a try. You'll notice changes right away in both her body language and her attitude.
Dealing with Difficult Customers 4 - To learn more about this author, visit Shaun Belding's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
Have you ever had one of those customers that just doesn't quite seem to trust you? They listen to you with raised eyebrow, and don't take what you say at face value. They look for hidden agendas, and always look for the "catch." If you are a basically honest person, it can be a very unpleasant sensation. (Even if you're not an honest person, it's still unpleasant - but at least you know who to blame!)
Of all the connections we can build with our customers (as well as co-workers, bosses, employees, etc) trust is both the hardest to create, and easiest to break. Truth be told, in this day and age, a little healthy skepticism is probably a good thing. But there are some people who fear so greatly the vulnerability that comes with trust, they overcompensate by trusting virtually nothing and no-one.
Unfortunately, there is no quick fix for building trust. Loss of trust is founded to a large extent by personal experiences, and it is only by creating honest, positive experiences that we can build it back. There are three steps to beginning this process:
1. Acknowledge and validate her discomfort:
eg. "I understand your discomfort. I suspect I'd feel the same way if I were you."
2. Reaffirm to her that you care:
eg. "I care about how satisfied you are - and I don't want you
3. Restate your position, then set her free:
Give her permission to walk away (those of you who are in sales - this means you too!). eg. "I really do think this is best for you because
These three steps express empathy, caring, and confidence in your position - three things that Suspicious Sally is looking for. Give it a try. You'll notice changes right away in both her body language and her attitude.
Dealing with Difficult Customers 4 - To learn more about this author, visit Shaun Belding's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
| |||
| No article feedback found. | |||
| Leave Your Feedback | |||
|
|||
|
| |||
| The tendency is to come at this is from two opposing sides. Two adversaries locked in a battle for survival. It is scary when Dealing with Difficult People! Yet there are steps forward you can take... |
|||
|
| |||
| Dealing with difficult people is critical if you are to manage the rest of your team and business to the max. Yet sometimes, just one person can demand your attention, in one way or another, in a way more disproport... |
|||
|
| |||
| A quick look at whether one salesperson is really that different from another. |
|||
|
| |||
| Competitor related objections often prove to be some of the more difficult objections that salespeople have to deal with. This is borne out by the fact that a lot of sales trainers continue to preach wishy-washy sal... |
|||
|
| |||
| ...by Knowing your Emotions, creating Space and using each encounter as an opportunity for growth |
|||
| |||
|
Joe Dager is President of Business901, a progressive coaching company providing no-nonsense direction in areas such as Lean marketing and organized referral marketing. What others say: In the past 20 years, Joe and I have collaborated on many difficult issues. Joe’s ability to combine his expertise with “out of the box” thinking is unsurpassed. He has always delivered quickly, cost effectively and with ingenuity. A brilliant mind that is always a pleasure to work with.” - James R. If you want to learn more about Business901, start a conversation with us. We can be found @ Web/Blog: http://www.business901.com Web/Blog: http://www.FundingYourNonprofit.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/business901 – Linked In http://www.twitter.com/business901 – Twitter - Visit Joe Dager's Website |
|||
Bernard ReberBack in late 1992, MS Access hit the streets. About that time the company I managed needed new software to handle their growing client base and I decided to try this new product. I had little difficulty writing and adapting a database to suit us and discovered a hidden talent for programming. A business was born. With business studies and 25 years of management experience in three different countries under my belt, I could offer a unique combination of skills and my customers agreed. From these humble beginnings my software 'invoiceit' emerged in 1999 and has since been taken to 49 states (hello Wyoming, won't you join us?), all across Canada and more than 70 other countries. From the very beginning the program included cashbook accounting, the simplest form of keeping financial business records. The Dictionary.com defines 'cashbook' as "A 'book' in which to record money received and paid out". For 'book' substitute 'simple software' and that's what I'm about. Now I have published Simple Accounting, an inexpensive spreadsheet solution which even you can master. For just $14.95 it costs less than a takeout meal! More at http://www.scrambled-card.com/simple_accounting_main.htm - Visit Bernard Reber's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
![]() | |
![]() Shaun Belding (Visit Shaun's Website) Shaun Belding is CEO of The Belding Group of Companies Inc, which includes divisions, RetailTrack Mystery Shopping & Consulting(www.retailtra ck.com) and Belding Skills Training & Development (www.beldin gskills.com). The companies are global leaders in training, developing and measuring customer service skills. Shaun is recognized as one of the world's leading experts on strategies for dealing with difficult customers and difficult situations. His four "Winning with the ... from Hell" books, including the international best-selling "Winning with the Customer from Hell - a survival guide", are published around the world in eight languages.
| |
![]() |
|
|
![]() |
|
|
|
![]() |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
![]() |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
![]() | ||
|
| ||
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
![]() |
|
|
![]() | ||
|
Top 50 Geek Business Blogs
Top 50 Geek Business Blogs | ||
|
Top 50 Social Media Blogs
Top 50 Social Media Blogs | ||
![]() | ||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||

















