How to Handle Stressful Phone Situations
Everyone who has worked in a phone-based environment has dealt with stress. One of the most stressful situations is when a customer or client gets upset. However, those calls don't have to ruin your day, or even your hour. With a few simple steps, you can defuse the situation, or at least keep it from getting to you.
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Instructions
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Listen. When someone is complaining or even yelling at you, listening is hard to do, but making the effort pays off. When you listen, the caller senses you care. Allow the customer or client to finish speaking before you say anything. Impact Learning Systems recommends listening for key facts and key feelings. For example, pay attention to the fact that the customer's product is three weeks late and that he's angry or frustrated about the delay.
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Take notes. As you listen to the caller, take notes about what she's saying. For example, if a customer complains that the product she bought doesn't work, jot down exactly what she says is wrong. If a client didn't receive an order on schedule, write down when he expected to receive it and what problems the delay caused. This is important because when you're stressed, your memory doesn't always work as well as it normally does.
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Repeat it back. Once the caller has finished describing the problem, look at your notes and repeat back to him what she has said. For example, you could say "OK, what I hear you saying is you ordered 50 widgets on January 3, they were supposed to arrive January 5, and didn't show up until February 20. Because of that, you lost a major client. Do I have that right?" This shows the caller you've really been listening, and that's often enough to calm her.
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Stay cool with visualization. Nobody likes being yelled at, but resist the temptation to respond to anger in kind; callers always deserve to be treated professionally. Visualization can help you stay calm. Author Richard Carlson recommends visualizing a pencil moving back and forth, drawing and reinforcing a line between you and the caller. This helps remind you that he can't hurt you through the phone.
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Get away from it. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you can't solve the caller's problem right away. If that happens, it may be time to step away and ask for help. Take down the caller's contact information, tell him you need to speak to someone higher up, and tell him when you'll get back to him. If the caller becomes abusive, swearing or calling you names, most companies have policies that allow you to hang up.
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Tips & Warnings
If you must put the caller on hold, ask permission, tell her what you will be doing, and tell her when you expect to be back on the line.
Never insult a customer; it's not only counterproductive, it can cost you your job.
References
Resources
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