From the course: Communicate Clearly on Service Shifts

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Say no without making the customer upset

Say no without making the customer upset

From the course: Communicate Clearly on Service Shifts

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Say no without making the customer upset

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It's not just what you say, but it's how you say it that keeps things calm and professional. Whether it's a custom order or a return outside of policy, saying no nicely is a part of the job. I love figuring out a way to say no without saying “no.” It helps de-escalate a situation with a customer. One of my go-tos is to thank them for their recommendation and go right into what I can offer them. Clarity is more important than completeness. It's really important that you're clear about what you can and what you can't offer. It's not as important to give them the full detail on why you can or cannot. The easiest way to start de-escalating that situation is ask them to tell you more. “Tell me more.” “How did that happen?” “Can you give me more information?” There are those demanding customers that will continue to ask why, even if you're employing all of these tactics that I've just given you. If they keep pushing harder and harder, my favorite thing to do is just get out of the…

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