Irate customer?

Question

One of my important customers asked me to fire one of my most productive sales representative. What do you think I should do?
Besides firing my employee, could I take my employee off my customer's account ,rigorously defend my emplyoee or arrange a meeting to have customer and employee appease? I confused

Answer 1

I would take the employee off of the account and let the customer know that, while you completely understand his point of view, you feel it would be more apropriate to transfer the employee to a differrent Sales department (i.e - removing him off of the account) and have required your employee to attend a sensativity training class.......... Then you can meet with the employee and have the "Sensativity Discussion" ergo - you "technically now required him to attend that (class)....."
Explain to the customer that he is a valued customer and you would hate to see him discontinue service and possibly offer him some type of discount, offer, extra special care or maybe even a gift basket full of meat and cheese (from Harry and David catalog..) Sorry I cannot give you a better answer since I have no clue what type of business you are involved in.
You can also explain to the customer (if needed) that, while this employee acted innapropriately and unprofessionally, he has had exemplory service up until this time and you feel that terminating him would cause a stir within corporate because your rules MANDATE that you attempt resolution, written warning and discussion prior to terminating an employee........ Most people don't "question HR or Corporate" - If you were advised by HR that this would be a risky move, then you can possibly save your customer and justify your actions with less explanation...........

Good Luck. I know it is hard to be in that situation.
I have been working customer service for VP's for over 10 years. I was the executive assistant for Indian Motorcycle's VP of Service and Warranty........... TrUST ME. I know ALL about taking flack from customers..... We had 7+ recalls at one time alone.... and you already know what happened to the company...

Let me know ifyou need anymore advice.
I hope I helped and I am always here to answer you questions.

Answer 2

It sucks to be the king doesn't it? Well what's more important to you and your family? Is it a personal thing your customer has against your employee? Have a sit down with both. Explain their individual importance each one of them has to you. I know there is an old adage saying that the customer is always right but not in every case. Money will come and go. One day you have money and the next day you don't. As hard as it may be, keep your employee and don't let him near your customer. Or what? You allow your customers how to run your business? Should you fire your employee, he could easily go and start his own company and take several of your other employees with him. Your customer must have you where he/she wants. Tough situation but I'd keep my employee.

Answer 3

Don't stick the two of them together. They will hate you for it.

Don't fire the employee if they produce.

Remove the account from the employee. Your customer should feel comfortable. You are lucky that they didn't remove their business from your company entirely.

Take personal responsibility and let the client know that you will handle their account (if you can), but legally cannot fire an employee. Be prepared to lose the client's business in any event.

Answer 4

Take the employee off of the account & them why. Tell the customer that you can't fire your employee but that there will be no more contact between them. UNLESS your employee was completely out of line, then fire the employee.

Answer 5

First get to the bottom of it. Find out all the particulars and iderntify how you feel about the situation. After your irate customer cools down, they should realize they they are over reaching, (asking you to fire someone). Only you can fire your worker and you need a good reason to do that. A personnel substitution is a good first step to appease the customer. As far a firing your "best" worker, did he/she underserve the customer or screw up that bad.

Answer 6

What was the reason behind the request? First thing you need to find out.
Second give customer time to cool off then talk to customer about the problem and why it happened.
Third move your sales representative to another account and assign a different sales representative to that account. To stop future problems from occuring.

Answer 7

Arrange a meeting you don't want to lose either one, if this doesn't help take your employee off this account handle this customer yourself-he/she sound like a pain

Answer 8

Well first you have to get the full story from your customer.
Then you have to get the full story from your salesman.

If the customer is really justified in his offense, maybe you should fire the salesman, because if he offends too many people you will be out of business.

But if it is just a personality clash, have some other salesman deal with this customer and keep your star saleman for other customers who will appreciate him.

Answer 9

Tell the customer that you will make sure he has no contact with that employee, but the rest is not his call. Tell him politely, that you value his business, but you cannot have him running your business, and more than you should be running his.

Also tell him there is no legal grounds on you abruptly firing him, and you are not about to set yourself up for a labor dispute, and cause your unemployment insurance rate to go up because of his dislike for him.

Answer 10

Who do you have the beter repor with? The coustmer or the employee.
Coustmers come and go whereas a good employee is really hard to find.

Use your own judgment.