In a perfect world there would be no angry customers. The product would work flawlessly and it would arrive on time. But absent that perfect world, you will receive e-mail from angry customers. These tips will help your staff solve the customer’s problem and soothe his anger.
- Restate the Problem
Show that you understand the customer’s problem by restating the problem. But if you don’t understand the problem completely, see Tip 2.
- Ask for Clarification
Angry customers may not write clearly. So you may have to ask the customer to clarify the problem: “Were the parts you received broken, or did you receive the wrong parts?” You may also have to clarify how the customer would like the problem resolved. “Do you want us to express the parts to you, or do you want a refund?”
- Personalize Your Response
Nothing infuriates an angry customer more than feeling no one is listening. So, personalize e-mail to reassure him that he’s being heard loud and clear.
Use the customer’s name and title. Or use the customer’s signature as your salutation: Jim Jeffries, Dr. Jeffries, Jim. And sign your e-mail to show that a real human is trying to solve his problem.
Review the customer’s account information and incorporate appropriate information into your response. “We’re proud that you’ve selected us as your ISP for the last six years, and we would like the opportunity to keep you as a satisfied customer.”
- Tell the Customer How You Will Respond to the Problem
Angry people want action, so you must specifically explain how you will resolve the problem. If the resolution is complicated, outline the steps:
- We will overnight the parts to you so you receive them by 10:00 a.m. tomorrow.
- We will immediately trace the shipment to see exactly what went wrong.
- We will issue a credit for the shipping costs; this credit will appear on your next statement.
- If You Have Good News, Put It First
If you can make the customer happy, put the good news first and the empathy second. Good news: “We are happy to refund your money, as you requested.” Empathy: “We understand the frustration of receiving the Christmas gift after Christmas.”
But if you can’t make the customer happy, put the empathy first and the “bad news” second. Empathy: “We understand the frustration of receiving the Christmas gift after Christmas.” Bad news: “We can't refund your money because you ordered the camera after our guaranteed shipping date.”
- Use a Polite, Positive Tone
You may be tempted to match the customer’s angry or accusatory tone: “You dropped the camera on your cement driveway. Our warranty does not cover your incompetence.” But don’t! You’ll only get more e-mail! Try: “The problem you’re having seems to be the result of the camera falling on your driveway. We’re sorry that our warranty covers camera malfunctions caused by manufacturing defects only.”
- Avoid Scolding the Customer
Emphasize the pronouns I and we rather than you. Don’t write: “Your order was not filled because you didn’t include your mailing address on the order form.” Do write: “We didn’t fill your order because we didn’t have your mailing address.”
- Acknowledge the Customer’s Pain and Suffering
Maybe the problem is not your company’s fault, or maybe you can’t fix the problem. But you can acknowledge the customer’s frustration. “We know that having our server down—regardless of the reason—has made it difficult for you to do your job.”
- When You Are at Fault, Apologize
When your company is at fault, apologize. Make your apology genuine and specific. Don’t write: “We’re sorry for the confusion regarding your scholarship application.” Do write: “We apologize for posting the wrong date on your scholarship application. We’ve corrected this error.”
- Satisfy the Customer by Offering Something of Value
If your policy allows, give your angry customer a product, a discount, or a rebate. Or give something else of value: a software upgrade or a whitepaper download.
Answering angry e-mails is hard work. And unlike resolving a problem on the phone, the e-mail writer doesn’t get to hear the relief in the customer’s voice or experience the gratification of turning the customer’s anger into appreciation. The satisfaction may come from keeping problems from escalating out of control.
