Resolving Consumer Issues

While teaching a workshop this morning, I had a salesperson come up to me during a break and said, "Marcus, I don't do well with conflict. When a customer is upset, I freeze. Can you help?" This simple question led to a great conversation, but the core of the answer I gave comes down to three simple steps any team can learn with a little bit of practice. Step #1: LET THEM VENT: This is a bit hard for folks to understand because the tendency is to immediately try to "fix" the situation. The issue with fixing is that the customer doesn't get a chance to feel heard. Your job is to make sure they feel VERY heard. Which means you let them vent, and even when you think they may be done, you ask them if there is anything else they're unsettled about. This step is the most important by far, yet the most overlooked in the world of customer experience. Step #2: REPEAT WHAT THEY SAID: Not only must they feel heard, but they must feel *understood.* This occurs when you repeat the words they used and confirm, "What I've heard you say is..." (Again, do not use your words here. Use *their* words. Those are the ones that matter.) Step #3: LET THEM VERBALIZE THE POTENTIAL SOLUTION: Assuming the individual has has a legitimate complaint (which is true in most cases), once you've allowed them to vent and have repeated their thoughts, you sincerely ask, "What would you like to happen to make this right?" Now, granted, businesses can't always do what the customer asks for, but you at least want to put the ball in their court first. Interestingly enough, often times the only thing they were looking for were step 1 & 2. In other words, they just wanted to feel heard and understood. But by asking them what they would like to do to make the situation right, you've now allowed them to at least state what they feel would be the appropriate solution. Ultimately, there is no foolproof method of resolving customer frustration, but at a minimum you want to train (with role play) your team what to say and how to say it for these situations. Like the young man that approached me this morning, they shouldn't freeze when moments of conflict arise. Instead, they should be ready for the moment. And if they follow these three simple steps, they are very likely to not only diffuse the situation, but create a lasting relationship as well. As always, a little training goes a long ways. #QuestionFirst

No matter how dedicated we are to customer experience, there will always be that one review that feels like a punch on the face. A 1-star rating. A public complaint. A disappointed customer. But negative reviews aren’t necessarily the problem. How you respond, might be. Over the years, I’ve found that handling negative feedback the right way can transform an unhappy customer into a loyal advocate. Here’s my 5-step strategy that has never failed: ♦️ Listen First, Defend Later Every review, even the harshest one, holds valuable #insights. Before jumping to a response, take a step back. What’s the real concern behind their words? ♦️ Acknowledge and Empathize People want to feel heard. Even if you disagree, acknowledge their frustration and show #empathy. A simple “I understand how that must have been frustrating” can go a long way. ♦️ Act Swiftly Speed matters. Once you’ve identified the issue, take immediate action to resolve it. A #proactive approach not only impresses the customer but also shows others that you take feedback seriously. ♦️ Communicate Transparently No corporate jargon, no canned responses. Be real, be honest. Let them know what steps you’re taking to fix the problem and how you’ll prevent it in the future. ♦️ Follow Up and  Request an Update Once the issue is resolved, follow up to ensure #satisfaction. If they’re happy with the resolution, don’t be afraid to politely ask if they’d consider updating their review. Not every customer will change their mind but your reputation is built on how well you handle these tough moments. How do you approach negative reviews? Better yet, how do we build a culture of continuous improvement, towards the customers' experiences? I'd love to hear your strategies in the comments! #NegativeReviews #BrandReputation #WordofMouth #VoiceoftheCustomer Anne Nyachomba Mwangi - CCXP, ACIM Mindo Kaziulis Stephen Ouma Sébastien S.

The Problem with Solving the Problem in CX Jumping to conclusions. We think we know what the problem is. We assume we’ve seen it before. And we act fast. But sometimes speed is the enemy of accuracy. Let me share an example. Once we noticed a consistent spike in one category of customer queries: “Where is my order?” The apparent assumption we had was that Logistics delays would occur. We went full swing on working with delivery partners, streamlining SOPs, and keeping tight follow-ups. But even after trying to solve this for a few days, the volume was not coming down. We had to dig deeper to find the root cause. The data showed that only 28% of these queries were actually due to logistical issues. So why were so many customers still reaching out? When we dug deeper, the real issue came to light: Order status updates weren’t refreshing on time. The delay wasn’t in the delivery; it was in the communication. The app said “Order Confirmed” for days. Naturally, customers panicked. What we had wasn’t a logistics problem. It was a visibility problem. And the only way we discovered that was by listening to our customers and conducting a thorough root cause analysis. This happens far more often than we admit in CX. - We launch a chatbot to reduce query volumes, but the real issue is broken flows. - We offer discounts to retain customers, when the real issue is poor product quality. - We train agents to improve CSAT, but the real issue lies in complex backend processes. You invest time, energy, and budget, yet still achieve the same outcomes. Here’s my takeaway: - Before solving, slow down. - Trace the issue, find the root cause - Read the comments. - Talk to your customers. - And solve the actual problem, not the most obvious one. Because in CX, symptoms may lie. But the customer’s voice doesn’t. Have you seen examples where teams solved the wrong problem? Would love to hear your take. #CustomerExperience #CXStrategy #RootCauseAnalysis #VoiceOfCustomer #CustomerSupport #DesignThinking #CustomerCentricity

30 seconds in, I was certain this customer was gone. 5 minutes later, he became one of our most loyal advocates. I was reviewing a call-centre quality check. A $20K TV. Installation missed twice. Two days of leave wasted. He called furious: "I want a refund. I'm never buying from you again." The call centre executive, Priya, didn't defend the company. She didn't blame logistics. She didn't rush to fix it. She slowed her voice. Acknowledged the frustration. Asked one question: "Can you walk me through what happened?" Then she listened. Fully. Four minutes. No interruptions. By minute 5, the customer said: "Finally, someone who actually listened." 𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗠 - the framework that turns angry calls into retention C - Control your response A - Acknowledge their feelings L - Listen to understand M - Move to solution Only after listening did Priya act:  • Senior technician booked for the next day  • Direct callback number shared  • Installation charges waived  • Extended warranty added at no cost 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁 • Installation completed the next day • 5-star review mentioning Priya by name • $5K audio purchase • Multiple referrals within weeks After reviewing 500+ CX quality checks, the pattern is consistent: 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 "𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁" 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱. Most teams jump to solutions. That's the mistake. Solutions without understanding don't resolve conflict. They escalate it. The full CALM playbook is in the image below. Exact phrases. Actions to take. What never to say. 📌 Save it. Use it with your teams. De-escalation isn't instinct. It's a trained skill. #CustomerExperience #CustomerService #Retail #Leadership

In the fast-paced world of business, every interaction with a customer is an opportunity to build trust, strengthen relationships, and drive loyalty. However, not every conversation is smooth sailing. Difficult conversations, whether they involve handling complaints, delivering bad news, or negotiating terms, are inevitable. What separates good companies from great ones is the ability to navigate these conversations with empathy and emotional awareness. In my experience, whether in B2B or B2C companies, recognizing and understanding the emotional state of a customer during a difficult conversation is critical. Here’s why: 😬 Emotions Drive Decisions: Customers, like all of us, are driven by emotions. Whether they are frustrated, disappointed, or anxious, these feelings can heavily influence their decisions and perceptions of your company. 🤝 Building Trust: Trust is the foundation of any strong relationship, and it’s especially critical during challenging times. When you demonstrate that you understand and care about your customer’s feelings, you foster a sense of trust. Customers who feel heard and valued are more likely to stay loyal, even when things don’t go as planned. 😐 De-escalating Tensions: Difficult conversations often come with heightened emotions. If left unchecked, these emotions can escalate, leading to a breakdown in communication. By tuning into your customer’s emotional state, you can take proactive steps to de-escalate the situation. 🔎 Finding Solutions Together: When emotions run high, problem-solving can take a backseat. However, by recognizing and addressing the emotional aspect of the conversation, you can shift the focus back to finding solutions. 😁 Enhancing Customer Experience: Ultimately, every interaction contributes to the overall customer experience. Even in difficult situations, a positive empathetic approach can turn a potentially negative experience into a memorable one. When approaching a difficult conversation, pull the “LEVER” to managing your customer emotional state. Listen Actively Elicit Open-Ended Questions Validate Their Feelings Exhibit a Calm and Composed Demeanor Respond with Empathy and Solutions Remember it’s not just about resolving the issue, it’s about making your customers feel valued and respected throughout their journey. And that’s where true long-term customer loyalty begins. What techniques have you used or recommend, comment 👇 👇 👇 #poweredbypeople #GSD #customerexperience #empathy #emotionalintelligence #customersuccess

One of the hardest parts of Customer Success is de-escalating an upset customer long enough to understand what is actually wrong. Because the first thing they say is not always the issue you need to solve. Sometimes the complaint is: “Your product is not working.” But the issue is actually: they missed a key setup step they expected a different outcome they are under pressure internally they do not trust the process anymore they feel ignored If you try to solve the surface complaint too fast, you usually miss the part that matters. A few things help. First, slow the temperature before you try to solve anything. That does not mean being robotic and saying “I understand your frustration” over and over. It means helping the person feel like they are being heard clearly enough that they can stop fighting for airtime. A simple response like: “Let me make sure I understand what happened” or “Walk me through what led up to this” usually works better than jumping into defense mode. Second, separate the emotion from the facts without dismissing either one. The customer may be angry because a workflow failed. Or because they had to explain the same thing three times. Or because they now look bad internally. Those are very different problems. Third, ask questions that narrow the issue. Not: “What seems to be the problem?” More like: “What were you expecting to happen?” “What happened instead?” “When did you first notice this?” “What is the most important thing we need to fix first?” That is usually how you get from heat to clarity. And once you have clarity, you can actually help. A lot of de-escalation is not about calming someone down for the sake of it. It is about creating enough space to understand the real issue and move the conversation somewhere useful. That is when frustrated customers start sounding less like a fire and more like a solvable problem.

The most effective way to resolve product issues AND build trust? Teach your customers to participate in 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲. When a customer encounters a frustrating product issue, the energy is high, and often emotional. It’s tempting to simply absorb their frustration and promise, “I’ll escalate this right away.” But here’s the truth: Your support and product teams don’t just need frustration, they need facts. And your customer? They’re holding the key data needed to solve the issue. So instead of just listening and apologizing, redirect that energy: “𝘐𝘯 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘬𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘴... 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺” Here’s what you need:  • When did it start? (date and time)  • Who is it happening to?  • What actions are triggering the issue?  • Any relevant environment info (browser, version, etc.) If they can give you those 4 things in the next 20 minutes, you can kick off the fix 2x faster. And the next time something goes wrong? They’ll know what to do, they’ll send you exactly what you need before the call even starts. That’s not just issue resolution. That’s building resilience and trust. Customer Success isn’t just about reacting, it’s about empowering. #customersuccess

Value your clients for the #goodwill they generate for your future, not by the size of their current bill value. Ignoring client grievances just because they are small can set off a domino effect, and may cause a chain reaction that the #business may not be able to afford. Focus on the intensity and nature of your clients' concerns and tackle them with a #customerfirst mindset. Here are key points to turn clients into brand ambassadors even when the situation is challenging and demanding. Listen Actively:  - Let them share their concerns without interruption.  - Show attentiveness with nods or phrases like "I understand." Stay Calm and Professional:  - Keep your composure, even if the client is upset.  - This helps de-escalate and fosters mutual respect. Acknowledge the Issue:  - Empathise and validate their feelings. Apologise Sincerely:  - Offer a genuine apology, even if it is not your fault. Ask for Clarification:  - Ask follow-up questions to understand the issue in depth. Propose a Solution:  - Suggest actionable steps that align with their expectations. Offer Alternatives:  - Present options if the initial solution is not feasible. Act Promptly:  - Resolve the issue quickly to show you value their time. Follow-Up:  - Check in to ensure your #clients are satisfied with the resolution. Gracefully handling #clientgrievance can transform dissatisfied clients into loyal advocates, demonstrating that you genuinely care about their concerns.

Here's a framework I use when trying to POSITIVELY resolve customer conflict. It can be applied to pricing, feature requests, or any other time that it feels like you're sitting on opposite sides of the table instead of working together. Try to resolve things before getting to the dreaded 13. 1. What do they need? (Their starting position) 2. What do we need? (Our starting position) 3. How are the needs different? (Know the conflict) 4. How are the needs the same? (Common ground) 5. What do they really need? What's the why behind the what? (Find their motivation) 6. What do we really need? What's the why behind the what? (Know our motivation) 7. Is there a different perspective or solution that solves the whys with a different what? (Outside the box) 8. Can we reframe the whole thing so the conflict is a collaboration? (Reset the conflict) 9. What's the maximum we can give without breaking our why? (Know our boundary) 10. What's the maximum they can give without breaking their why? (Find their boundary) 11. Are there overlaps in the maximums? (uncomfortable alignment) 12. Is there a new element that one party can bring that moves the parties’ maximums to overlap? (give to get) 13. Who needs it the most? (deal breaker)