Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

follow up: how do you deal with those customers that just can`t be pleased? You try to appease them but they just want too much or are asking you to bend in a way that will actually hurt your business?

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Follow the journey of Marvin Hawkins Visual Concepts and Nothing Like It Games at http://gamerdeveloper.blogspot.com/

Fire the customer!

Actually, this goes to a far deeper problem, and one we`re all dealing with in our historic moment: Terrorism and war.

What`s the best way to deal with terrorism and aggression, appeasement or something else? In a last-resort case, often resulting from incompetence, the opition seems to be violence. But it`s not always due to incompetence (excepting on the part of the aggressor).

We can only go so far with appeasement, be it in politics and war, or in business. Remember back in the 80s how so many business people were getting into books about war and strategy? There was a reason for it. Business is very much the same as social interaction, with money making more important than just friendly relationships.

A customer choosing to never be satisfied is actually an aggressor. That assumes all diplomatic channels have been exercised---standard customer service processes. When the business has gone through all the available ways to either satisfy a complaint, or refunded money and terminated the transaction, if the customer continues to "complain," they`re not a customer anymore. They`re an invader.

If you treat your customer good and with outstanding service, you`ll see better results.  In addition, keep in touch with your customers.  They will feel good knowing you want to ensure their success.

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That`s all well and good but apparently my bosses told me that I`m being too mean to the customers. I only tell them that they need to follow the rules. I countered to my boss that I could just not say anything. She retorted that I should tell them what the rules are and ensure that they follow them. But I have to do it in a way that won`t hurt their feelings, alienate, or otherwise make them feel bad.

So my hands are basically tied. I`m simply trying to work within the rules which is unpleasant to some customers which in turn complain. What`s a guy to do? I`m not interested in being an anti customer jerk, but these people seem to think of me as such just for explaining what the rules for protecting our business (banking) are. Does this ever happen to you guys? and if so how do you get around it as a business owner?


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Follow the journey of Marvin Hawkins Visual Concepts and Nothing Like It Games at http://gamerdeveloper.blogspot.com/

You can`t be liked by everyone. The trick is being liked by the people who you want to like you.

I own my own business, so my hands aren`t as tied as yours are. And the nature of my business—writing and graphic design—affords me the opportunity to vet most painful customers before they even become customers. Guess I`m lucky that way.

But maybe my past-life experience as a collections manager might help here. I found that when "demanding" money from people, the best way to ensure success was to make them want to comply (in this case by paying me, in your case by accepting your bank`s terms). I wanted them walking away happy that they had paid me money that previously they refused to part with,

I did this, in large part, by reframing the conversation. Instead of creating an adversarial dynamic of "You must comply with my rules," or a defensive one of "It`s not my fault but you still have to do it this way," I turned it into a case of, "How can I help you succeed?" So first I had to define success—getting me off their back. Then I had to be real nice about the whole thing. No matter how irate or nasty people got with me (and I heard some incredibly nasty remarks), I remained professional, calm and firm. I never got apologetic, because people took it to mean that I knew I was wrong. I wasn`t wrong! And neither are you. Stand firm, be nice, and identify the best way to solve their problem within the parameters you have to work with.

Some people will never be pleased, but I guarantee you that most will begrudgingly recognize your professionalism and this will inevitably lessen the blow of having to do things "the bank`s way."


Or you could just point them to your boss and say "It`s his fault—sic `em!"




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Roughstock Studios | Notes From the Rodeo | Newsletter
Strategic communications without the selling of souls.

ha ha ha. I`ve turned to the last option lately. I like your ideas which are awesome and what I use when it`s a policy issue. But most of time it`s now general etiquette which died in the Victorian area apparently.

They just do things that get under my skin like stand at my window when i`m trying to put money away from someone who literally just left my window. Or my personal favorite of shoving a deposit ticket in my face. I swear one of these days a customer will try to insert a debit card in my mouth.

There`s basically 2 customer types now: The unknowingly rude customer, and the habitual rule breaker. I`m apparently supposed to be a door mat to both according to my managers. Only problem is I don`t want to be. The only thing that matters to the customer is the customer, I get that. But it`s almost like these folks don`t care about anything except themselves at the expense of human civility and manners.

I`m basically fighting a lost cause. I understand that I`m supposed to be a good ambassador to the credit union`s member. I try my hardest not to take things personally. But is it so wrong to stand up to yourself and kinda ask your customer to be a good customer citizen as well?

Or are my expectations for mankind (sadly) too high.


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Follow the journey of Marvin Hawkins Visual Concepts and Nothing Like It Games at http://gamerdeveloper.blogspot.com/

The trick is to be the owner, and highest authority---the court of last appeal. Then when you fire the customer, it`s your option.

One of the better stories we had here, not long ago, from a fella who owned a graphics design store: Some customer was giving him a hard time about how much he was charging, problems with this and that. So he pulled out a coupon he had from a competing store down the road, handed it to the customer and told them to try that place.

If I remember right, the customer then said they`d tried that place and didn`t at all like the work. Our community fella just smiled and asked what the customer would prefer, good quality product or an argument. I may be taking license with the story, but the jist of it`s there. :-)

yeah and that sounds like the way I`d play things if I were in charge. I understand that you want to make the best of the customer`s experience and maybe take a bit of abuse if they`re in a bad mood; But I`m not one to put up with a lot of unnecessary nonsense. My theory is I can either help you, or you can go somewhere else if you`re that unhappy. 

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Follow the journey of Marvin Hawkins Visual Concepts and Nothing Like It Games at http://gamerdeveloper.blogspot.com/

Sounds to me like you need to get out as soon as you can (which, if I`m following you, you`re trying to do).

Unfortunately, in the meantime, you get to put up with a bunch of a-holes (sorry, I know this is a civilized forum). Seriously though, if you can learn to deal with those folks—the worst of the worst, I mean—you will be in a far better position when you finally do strike out on your own, because you will be better equipped to de-escalate and make them profitable customers. It all changes when the stakes are all in your hands.

Craig is right, in that you need to know when to fire a true problem client (one that will cost you money). But you can`t do that with everyone, and being able to recognize the difference between those worth firing and those who are just a pain will serve you very well.

Hang in there!

G`night,
J.


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Roughstock Studios | Notes From the Rodeo | Newsletter
Strategic communications without the selling of souls.

I read a great line the other day about a guy who started his own business.