What is your most effective way of de-escalating a call? How do you take ownership when a caller wants to escalate to a supervisor before giving you any detail at all?
2006-10-17 10:14:19 · 6 answers · asked by Faith 5 in Business & Finance ➔ Careers & Employment
Don't if you can help it. Best Customer Service approach is to put yourself in the customer's shoes. After asking if there is any way to assist, just comply with their request if not. I personally cannot stand it when I have to explain again & again to several different people. This only escalates the situation and perpetuates it.
Esp. do not patronize, tell them you have to give brief details of the situation & some may comply, then take over the call from there. If they don't comply, just hand off to the supervisor.
2006-10-17 10:24:34 · answer #1 · answered by COblonde 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's a tough call...no pun intended.
It depends on how many times this customer has previously contacted your company regarding the same complaint.
Some customers (like myself) are nice and personable enough at first,but will quickly adopt a firmer attitude (that's me!) if they feel they're being jerked around.Some of them can get down-right hostile (I try no to).
If a customer asks immediately to speak to a supervisor without first providing the information you need (name,account number,description of complaint,etc.) then it's time to exercise your customer service skills.
Inform the customer that it's company policy (even if it isn't!) to first procure their information before passing the call on to a supervisor.Explain that this is done so that the supervisor can take a minute to familiarize his or herself with the customer file history before responding. Don't budge on this point! Let the customer rant and rave all they want.Give them apologetic lip-service here and there if you can get a word in edge-wise,but most off all let them vent! Be a good listener! And don't take any of it personally!
Now it's time for a little bit of BSing on your part.Tell the customer that the supervisor will take their call,but he or she is busy with another client at this moment.....and then you lay this line on them."While we're waiting for the supervisor let's see what I can do for you." Now you grab the ball and RUN with it! But don't get in over your head! Handle it if you can,but also make sure that you don't try to engage in something that is outside of your capabilities or authority! Be as helpful as you can.If you solve the problem GREAT! But make sure you know when it's time to pass the call on to a supervisor.Either way you might end up getting a good word from the customer to your supervisor,and that never hurts!
I applaud your desire to go above and beyond the call of duty! That's how I got as far as I did in my career.Good luck!
2006-10-17 17:46:31 · answer #2 · answered by Danny 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pass the call to the supervisor and tell them the situation before you actually transfer the call.
Try to use the callers name and tell them you really want to help them, but you can't if they're irate. Take over the call and be in complete control.
Speak in a calm, but controlling voice. Don't be sarcastic at all. That will just make it worse.
2006-10-17 17:17:37 · answer #3 · answered by Descartes 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Explain to them that speaking to a manager will only further delay the resoloution as the manager manages employees and process and is not the expert on said product or software. That is your job :)
2006-10-17 17:17:37 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You let them know you have to try to help them before you are allowed to let them speak to your supervisor. Sometimes you can't and they need your sup.
2006-10-17 17:17:48 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you suck, take some of your own advise, tell your boss to hire someon who can actually do their own job.
2006-10-18 11:08:28 · answer #6 · answered by jonny Atlantis 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋