As a coaching company, you might think that we would have some expertise in how to handle customer complaints – and we do. In our research, we looked at other companies in order to emulate their best practices, but we found them to be a bit too simple. For example, Apple follows the Three A’s (or at least they did at the time of writing of this document):
- ACKNOWLEDGE: Admit that the customer’s concerns are reasonable.
- ALIGN: The worker must sympathize with the customer, as if he/ she were in his/her shoes.
- ASSURE: The worker must guarantee the customer that he/ she will solve his/ her difficulties.
The Three A’s from Apple are a great starting point from which we have developed our own 5A’s.
ScaleYOU’s 5 A’s of Customer Service
- Apologize: This is about empathizing with the customer’s feelings, not admitting fault. Acknowledge their emotions without connecting it directly to guilt or the issue itself. This step is crucial to show that you understand and care about how they feel. Say something like, “I’m really sorry that this situation has caused frustration. I think I can understand how you feel.”
- Assure: Once the customer feels their emotions are understood, assure them that you are here to help. This builds trust and helps them feel that the issue is being taken seriously and that they’re in good hands. It could be phrased as, “I want to assure you that I’ll do everything in my power to resolve this.”
- Ascertain: When you sense that their emotions have cooled, begin gathering more details about the problem. You might say, “Can you share more details about what went wrong so I can fully understand and help?” However, if they are still not ready and return to blaming or venting, loop back to Apologize and Assure. Continue this loop as necessary until they calm down and are ready to collaborate on problem-solving. – The loop is the most important step in the process.
- Assess: When they are finally ready to engage, assess the situation and offer solutions. This is when they feel like you’re on their side. At this stage, you can say, “Now that I understand the issue better, let’s explore the best solution.” However, if they revert to negative feelings or accusations, you’ve likely moved too quickly (this takes patience and sensitivity on your side, so be ready for it!) and need to loop back to Apologize and Assure.
- Abandon: If after several loops, it becomes clear that the customer is not willing to engage constructively or the conversation is going in circles with no progress, you need to close the discussion respectfully and offer for them to speak with a supervisor. This should be done without hostility, but with firm closure. Say something like, “I understand that this situation is frustrating, and I truly want to help. However, it seems like we’re not able to find a path forward right now, so I think the best way forward will be for you to speak with my supervisor.” This gracefully concludes the conversation when further progress isn’t possible.
The 5A’s approach requires a bit more training, but I believe it offers a more comprehensive and effective solution to one of the most critical challenges that every company faces on a daily basis.
Ask about our 5A’s training course
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