I was at work the other day and witnessed an example of an associate/customer interaction that did not end well. A customer walked in while a few of my fellow employees and I were standing at the register. I turned, smiled, and asked the lady if she needed any help. She responded and said she needed help from one of the other employees standing beside me. She turned to him and sternly explained that she was there to pick something up. He looked a little confused and told her that she had not talked to him prior, and it was about this time that she turned and pointed to the other employee who had just walked away. She yelled for him to stop, and he did so abruptly. As he walked back toward us, she claimed that she had spoken with him just ten minutes ago, and he was supposed to have her items ready for her. By this time, she was becoming very agitated. The associate looked a bit perplexed. He politely proceeded to explain to her that she had not talked to him, but he would retrieve the merchandise from the shelf for her right away. That was all it took to make her enraged. She started yelling at him for not having it ready for her. I could tell he was trying to stay calm, but her unwarranted rant started to get to him. He then explained to her that his department was extremely busy, and her order was not the only one his department had to fill that day. After that comment, she began to scream at him and demanded to speak with a manager.
This situation illustrates the simple fact that interacting with customers is often challenging. As an associate, it is crucial to maintain your composure at all times. Here are a few good tips:
1) Always maintain eye contact! Customers get angry if they feel you are not listening.
2) Speak in tones and volumes that match the customer's - unless they are yelling at you of course.
3) Observe the way they communicate with you in order to help you effectively communicate with them.
4) Make sure you pay close attention to what exactly you are saying to the customer. Your choice of words can make all the difference.
Hopefully by following these helpful hints you can steer clear of unpleasant customer/employee situations - for your benefit and theirs.
Check out this article for more info on effectively communicating with the people we serve everyday!
- Katie Hartley and Sam Freeze
Van Hook, Steven R. Verbal and Nonverbal Communication. The Saylor Foundation, Saylor Academy. Web. 26 Oct. 2014.
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