1) The document provides tips for handling customer complaints, including listening without interrupting, avoiding taking complaints personally, being flexible with policies, and offering sincere apologies that accept responsibility. 2) It also discusses a real customer service interaction where a customer complains that their new phone screen is not working properly and the representative works to resolve the issue. 3) The representative directs the unhappy customer to visit the store manager, who may be able to fix the phone free of charge as a one-time courtesy, in order to satisfy the customer and retain their business.

2. Customer Complaints

3. Customer Complaints Handling Customer Complaints: 1 - Shut Up and Listen As simple as it sounds, the first – and most important – step to take when dealing with a complaining customer is to be quiet and listen. Often customers feel the needs to vent frustration with a product or service. "Acknowledge the customer's emotional state," Remember that a good empathy statement does not imply ownership of the problem. Another key communication tip involves asking open-ended questions that involve the customer. This technique will not only divert focus from emotional frustration but also generateinformation about the problem at hand and help you arrive at a solution.

4. Customer Complaints Handling Customer Complaints: 2 -Don't Take Anything Personally As frustrating as it is to be the customer with a complaint, it's no delight being the business representative who gets yelled at for a problem likely caused by something or someone else. Don't take it personally. Don't respond to accusations or offensive complaining in a way that perpetuates the argument. Comments like "You did it wrong! That's why you're having a problem!" will only escalate the issue rather than deflate anger. Don't get defensive. Point some of the blame on an object.

5. Customer Complaints Handling Customer Complaints: 3 -Ditch the Formalities The last thing unsatisfied customers want to hear is a recitation of your company's return policies. Today's customer expects to be treated as an individual, not as just another number who's complaining. Your company should know that occasionally bending the rules will cost less it than it would to lose the customer or, worse, if the customer leaves and relays a negative story about your company.

6. Customer Complaints Handling Customer Complaints: 4 -Avoid Overcompensating Be Fair. One of the key phrases, which not a lot of people use, is: “what would you think would be fair?” That word fair does seem to bring out in people a sense of, OK, this is reasonable."

7. Customer Complaints Handling Customer Complaints: 5 – Saying Sorry Research found that the least effective apologies are those in which people do not take responsibility for their errors and instead try shifting blame. Apologies, are most effective when the offending parties accept full responsibility for their actions, explain why the violation happened, demonstrate how they're planning to address the problem in the future, and offer, some form of reparation along with the apology.

8. Customer Complaints Hello, this is Sally from Super-Mama Mobile, how may I help you today?

9. Customer Complaints Arg! This is Josh from Jiahua Language school. I bought one of your phones last week and it is ALREADY BROKEN!!! I am sick and tired of always having these problems with these stupid phones!!

10. Customer Complaints Oh dear, I am sorry to hear that. well I can understand why you would be upset! what seems to be the problem?

11. Customer Complaints The touch screen does not go on at all! The phone rings but I cannot answer it!! I am missing some very important calls from my awful fat boss Eric!!

12. Customer Complaints Hmmm… That’s odd. Well when exactly did the problem start?

13. Customer Complaints It has been like this since this morning!!

14. Customer Complaints Oh dear…can you give me some details about how you think this problem may have started?

15. Customer Complaints Hmmm.. Let me think…I have no idea…. Last night I knocked my phone off of my desk onto the floor, but it was not that far of a drop so I don’t think that was the cause of the problem.

16. Customer Complaints May I ask you the make of you phone?

17. Customer Complaints Yeah…. Um… it is the Texas 500 music phone.

18. Customer Complaints Hmmm… well I am sorryto hear that you are having a problem with our product. I want to assure you that as long as your phone is under warranty we will take full responsibility for any problems you phone will have.

19. Customer Complaints Oh God…. I did not buy the warranty!

20. Customer Complaints Hmm…Ok, not a problem, I think I might be able to help you out.

21. Customer Complaints Really?

22. Customer Complaints Bring your phone down to our store in HuachengBei. The store manager’s name is Franky. Tell Franky what has happened and I am sure he will try to fix the situation for you. Unfortunately he cannnot replace the phone for you but he might be able to fix it for free.

23. Customer Complaints For free?

24. Customer Complaints Franky is a nice guy. This type of thing does not happen often but sometimes if the phone is dropped at a certain angle, these things can happen. I am sure he will find a solution for you that is fair.

25. Customer Complaints Oh Thank you thank you!! I will go see him right away!!

26. Customer Complaints Is there anything else that I can help you with today Josh?

27. Customer Complaints No that is all. Thank you very much.

28. Customer Complaints Ok, hope everything works out for you. Take care. Good bye.