Page 99 - DENG401_Advance Communication Skills

Advanced Communication Skills

Notes 3. Clarify understanding: Frustrated customers are often too distracted to listen actively and
focus instead on what they want to say. Ask follow-up questions that encourage customers
to explain why they are contacting you and to define their request or problem clearly.
Paraphrase their answers to verify your understanding. See Figure B-4.
4. Motivate the customer: People contacting customer service to resolve a problem might be
more interested in offering, not accepting, comments and ideas. When working with an
upset customer, avoid competing for the best idea or debating the facts. Instead, ask
questions to solicit solutions from customers. If they discover the answer to their problem,
they will own and accept the solution

Task Ram is a Manager on a Service providing company. How Ram tackles
problem of customers?

Notes Type of Questions

Open-ended Closed
What do you suggest? Do you have a copy of the itinerary?
How would you like to resolve the Have you contacted customer service
problem? before?
How do you generally use the Is this the frst problem you’ve had
product? with Quest Specialty Travel?
Follow-up Feedback
Can you give me an example of bad Would you be satisfed with a partial
service at the hotel? refund?
What happened after you missed the Can I send you a new copy of the
tour bus? tour schedule?

4.5 Denying Requests

When a customer makes a specific request, you sometimes have to deny it. Some companies
train their employees to avoid the word “no” when dealing with customers to prevent
disappointing them. However, your goal should be to make sure the customer understands and
acknowledges the negative message—people can accept a denial if they understand the reasons
for it. They also want to know that their request is being taken seriously. When denying a
request directly, conveying empathy helps to foster or maintain the customer’s goodwill toward
your organization. Taking an indirect approach, however, is more likely to enhance a professional
relationship. A client scheduled to depart on an adventure tour of Scotland in a week arrives at
the customer service desk, requesting that you transfer her reservation to a later tour in the
summer. However, the deadline for transfers has passed, and you must deny her request.

1. Rephrase the request: Instead of turning down a customer directly, first demonstrate that
you fully understand their request or question. Rephrase their request and ask them to
verify it. If customers think you don’t understand, they often escalate the matter until you
do. Figure B-6 shows examples of language to use when denying requests.
2. Explain the reasons: Without using negative words, explain why you have to refuse a
customer’s request. Although customers resent narrations about rules and policies, such

92 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY