Handling Difficult Customers & Dealing with Complaints

 - One Day

WHO IS THE COURSE SUITABLE FOR :

Anyone who regularly encounters "difficult" customers in the course of their day to day work, either in person or on the telephone and those who handle complaints about the business as part of their daily routine. The session is useful to those who are relatively new to challenging customer situations, or those who are more experienced and require a refresher.

The session offers useful hints and tips to deal more confidently and effectively with customers who are more challenging, and in complaint situations. It will enable participants to recognise that effective complaint handling builds better customer relations in the long term.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

By the end of the course participants will  :

	Understand common reasons for frustrations and anger from customers and how this could be avoided
	recognise the importance of perceptions and the need to manage customers fairly and consistently.
	Recognise and practice the skills needed to deal with difficult situations effectively, including effective questioning, mirroring, listening skills and assertiveness.
	be able to distinguish different skills and techniques required for face to face and telephone conversations.
	Know when to escalate a complaint .

CONTENT

Common customer frustrations and how to avoid them	The legal framework when dealing with customers and complaints
Establishing the facts - Effective questioning and active listening techniques Recognise key stages and skills when communicating with customers Telephone versus face to face behaviours and skills	Complaints procedures and keeping records Diffusing situations - voice patterns, mirroring and body language etc. When to walk away / escalate etc.

METHOD OF DELIVERY

Highly participative course involving participants discussions, case studies, simulations and exercises.