Turn Our Toughest Clients Into Our Biggest Fans

7 ways to help transform difficulty into win-win victories…

Estate Services, LLC (www.estates-LLC.com)

To create world-class customer service, we strive towards practicing emotion management through the development and application of fair and creative problem-solving skills. We have found that subsequently, it is possible to convert even the most negative clients into our greatest fan… magic can happen!

Here are seven ways we can turn tough clients into devoted fans who spread good news about our company.

1. Thank our customers' for complaining, and meaning it.
The most calming phrase we can say to a complaining client is, "Thank you for telling us." A genuine thank-you can be disarming. We are thankful that our clients are willing to tell us what most won't. It's a gift that may offer insight into problems that other cclients aren't willing to share. Eighty-nine percent of unhappy clients will simply take their business elsewhere without telling us why. Instead, they tell everyone else: their families, friends, and everyone in their social-media networks. When they do tell us, we follow up with gratitude, "We are so sorry. Please tell us more."

2. Soothe yourself when customers rant.
When we are on the receiving end and our client is angry and venting, most will naturally bristle inside? Feel annoyed and defensive? What can we do? Soothe immediate emotions by knowing, "Venting is good. We choose to be calm and capable of creating a safe space for client’s to feel heard." Jumping in with a solution before a client has fully expressed themselves only makes things worse. Not until the negative feelings come out can good feelings flow in. (Much like turning on the shower--the icy-cold water comes out first before that warm water flows.)

3. Take the high road.
The client isn't always right--but their perception of that matters. Managing perceptions is a necessary part of long-term success. We resist the urge to point fingers, pass blame, or make excuses. Instead, we take ownership of the situation and restore trust. We have come to realize that we don't have to prove someone wrong to set things right. Before saying anything, we ask ourselves, "Is what I'm about to say truthful, useful, kind, and unifying?" If not, we don't say it.

4. Get comfortable with conflict.
No one wakes up in the morning thinking, "I'm so glad I get to have a tough conversation with my client today." Conflict is uncomfortable. Even so, disruption is sometimes necessary for better results, deeper understanding, and stronger relationships to emerge. Avoiding a conflict doesn't make problems go away. We may get a temporary retreat from a client's displeasure by avoiding an angry phone message or email, but the longer you put it off, the harder it is to recover. It's a proven fact that when conflict is resolved well, a client can become an even more devoted fan than they would have if there was never a problem in the first place. Managing conflict well builds trust and loyalty.

5. Pivot toward thoughts that inspire excellence.
How we think about our customers influences how we respond to them. It's so easy to slip into unhelpful thinking like, "My clients makes me want to pull out my hair and run screaming from the room!" When you notice it, reach for a more resourceful thought like, "My client's persnickety personality gives us an opportunity to use our skills to win them over." This belief activates all our inner resources and puts us in a calmer, more inspired state of mind. Put pressure on coal and you get diamonds. That's good pressure. When a client puts pressure on you, we see it as a good way to grow our abilities.

6. Look for the positive qualities in your client's negative behavior.
Depending on our view, we can describe a client as being "loud and demanding" or "excited and tenacious." When we look for the positive qualities in our challenging clients, we increase the ability to connect. Begin noticing the positive qualities and clients will start responding to you differently. Consider "rude" as "willing to say what's on her mind." View "wishy-washy" as "someone who likes to weigh options."

7. Be prepared for service recovery.
When it comes to doing business, it's not a matter of if something will go wrong… it's a matter of when. We are prepared when this happens, despite good planning and our best intentions. We ask, "How can I set things right and make our clients happy?" Often clients ask for a lot less, because what they really want to know is that we do care and that we are paying attention. Estate Services, LLC strives to go above and beyond to take care of our clients when things go wrong (and even when everything is right) to gain our client’s loyalty and overall satisfaction... our greatest ally!