Learning to de-escalate callers is an essential skill in the customer service industry. There are many reasons why a client may be upset, there could be something wrong with the product or service, or they could just be having a bad day. Every customer service agent will experience angry callers and when the situation occurs, they need to use the skills they have developed to defuse the situation and solve the client’s issue. We will discuss why de-escalation techniques are important in customer service and what methods can be used.
What is de-escalation in customer service?
De-escalation techniques are non-confrontational methods used to defuse tension and resolve conflict. Using these approaches in customer service is important and they are mostly used when a customer is becoming angry and frustrated. Even though these interactions can be difficult, using good customer service de-escalation techniques can be the difference between a happy returning customer and a dissatisfied customer leaving for a competitor.
Why might a customer call need de-escalating?
There are different scenarios where a customer might want to make a complaint, however, it’s normally due to them not being happy with the product or service they’ve been provided. When making a complaint, customers can often become angry or frustrated and start using harsh words or mistreating the agent dealing with the issue. This is where the customer service representative will use de-escalation techniques to calm down or reduce the stress of the customer, communicate with them and ask questions to find out what the problem is. By successfully doing this, the customer service agent will be able to manage the situation and prevent an escalation of the complaint and ultimately a negative review.
Why is it important to use de-escalation in customer service?
Being able to de-escalate angry callers is important in customer service. Many customers want their issues solved straight away and can become frustrated if this doesn’t happen. Angry customers are more likely to leave negative reviews on your website and review sites, than happy satisfied customers. They can often feel frustrated and powerless so by ensuring the complaint is efficiently managed and including them in the decision making process about their next steps can make them feel important and that their issue has been solved quickly. By doing this, it can turn a negative experience into a positive one, meaning they are more likely to recommend your business for good customer service.
What are the benefits of de-escalation in customer service?
There are many benefits that can occur from correctly using de-escalation techniques in customer service on frustrated and angry customers. Here are just a few of them:
Customer retention
When a customer has an issue and the customer service agent is able to understand the issue and come up with a solution, the customer will feel respected and heard. They are more likely to continue to use your products/services as they know if a problem occurs again, you will be able to solve it.
Protect your reputation
Negative reviews can spread quickly online, so preventing this is a vital part of the customer service experience. Utilizing de-escalation techniques can help to defuse the situation quickly and avoid a negative brand image appearing online.
Customer satisfaction
By using de-escalation techniques successfully, and solving your customer’s complaint quickly and efficiently, you can establish a great relationship with them and improve their customer satisfaction.
How to handle escalated calls correctly
Utilizing de-escalation techniques is important in customer service, however, to do this successfully, businesses will need to train their customer service representatives to handle different scenarios where a caller may become frustrated. Here are a few our our top tips:
1. Stay calm
When dealing with frustrated customers it’s essential to remain calm and separate yourself from the issue. The caller is not upset with you personally, they are unhappy with the situation and experience dissatisfaction from a particular product or service that your business offers.
2. Listen actively
When a customer is upset, it’s crucial to give them your full attention. By listening and not interrupting, the customer will truly feel like you’re hearing them and start to calm down.
3. Express empathy
Being able to connect emotionally to the customer and recognize what they are feeling is important. Making statements like “I understand why that would be frustrating” will help to show that you care and want to come up with a solution.
4. Offer a solution
During de-escalation training, customer service agents learn the importance of offering a solution. By proposing actionable steps to solve the issue, customers are filled with trust and are confident that you want to help them.
5. Check for additional concerns
One of the best ways to de-escalate a situation is, after addressing the customer’s main concern, ask if there are any other issues they would like to address. This will help to end the call positively and enforce that you’ve proactively listened to them.
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As America’s best phone answering service, hundreds of businesses trust VoiceNation’s live answering solution to enhance their customer experience and ensure every inquiry is captured in the most cost-effective way. Even though it’s awesome to answer customer calls yourself, some callers can be difficult to deal with. Our receptionists are trained to deal with challenging scenarios, de-escalate customers and give them the best possible experience.
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