Calm Customers: Challenges of the Pandemic Reality

No matter how challenging this pandemic reality is, there is one good reason to try your hardest and keep your customers calm and satisfied. And it is your time. You will work ten times harder and spend way more time finding new customers rather than working empathically and trying to retain customers you already have.

Since the Pandemic hit in 2020, we as small business owners and entrepreneurs, and we, as customers ourselves have been experiencing all sorts of strange and challenges. Sometimes, depending on your view of the pandemic, even simple grocery shopping is full of weird experiences. And it seems that there is no good way out of this situation. We all learned that it’s impossible to please everyone. So let’s see if we have a few good suggestions on how to keep your customers calm and retain them even if they are cranky today or disagree with you on some issues and policies.

1. Empathy First.

Try to acknowledge your customer’s problem and empathize with him. Remain calm, and listen, and you will see how simple listening skill works wonders on even the meanest and harsh customer. And do not take it personally, it is rarely an issue with you personally.

2. Stay calm and offer a solution.

Now that your customer is calmer, try to stay empathetic by offering a suggestion to fix the situation. Make sure to note that you appreciate your customer’s business and loyalty to your business. If you are in a position to offer something in return for his concerns, consider doing it. But remember, it is not paramount, most customers appreciate you for even trying to fix the actual issue rather than giving them a discount for a thing they don’t really need.

3. Remain Professional.

No matter how customers approach the service encounter, you must keep your composure. Your goal: Keep your speech and expressions polite and tactful. If a customer gets under your skin or if you are afraid that you’ll involve your personal feelings, step away from your desk or ask the customer to hold while you take a few deep breaths.

4. Acknowledge Your Chronic Complainers and Chronic Complaints.

No matter how hard you try, there will always be customers whom you can’t please. Maybe the best way is just to continue doing your job, providing your service, but without any further changes.

What you, as a business owner, especially a small business owner, need to pay attention to is your chronic complaints. If there are more than two complaints in one area, you have to address it, and most likely fix it too. This brings us to the next step.

5. Only Make Mistakes Once.

Your customers shouldn’t have to call more than once about the same issue. Identifying customer problems can improve your business, but not if you make the same mistakes over and over again.

6. Don’t Let Emotions Rule.

It is inevitable that you would face irrational behavior and emotional customers at one point or another in your work. Best advice – do not respond to emotions with emotions. Keep your calm, grow a thick skin, and focus on the actual problem and its solution. It is hard and sometimes unfair, but there will be no good resolution if emotions are involved on both sides. But if you keep it professional and cool, resolve the issue, you may save and turn the situation to your benefit.