Following up on last week’s blog about dealing with issues, we are going to talk about putting out fires.
There are times that someone will be unsatisfied with any steps you have taken to resolve a problem. Dealing with these individuals is what we call “putting out fires”. Some people do not understand the complexity of transportation and will not care about any details you make have taken into consideration to prevent a problem from having. Unfortunately, these people exist and you will have to deal with them at some point but it doesn’t have to ruin your day.
Step 1 – Apologize: Even if you have done everything in your power to prevent an issue or even if there was nothing you could do to prevent the issue, apologize. Let them know that you feel their pain and will do everything to make it right. Agree with them everything step of the way and then apologize.
Step 2 – Remain Calm: They may scream, yell, and use profanity; it doesn’t matter, stay calm. If they are taking their problem out on you, don’t compound the issue by yelling back. I can’t tell you how many times I have had someone screaming on the phone about something and because I stayed calm they were laughing by the end of the conversation.
Step 3 – Listen: Most of the time the person just wants someone to vent to. They probably already know there isn’t anything more you can do but it will make them feel better to let their frustrations out. Taking the time to just let them vent will make negotiating the resolution easier.
You will never make all of the people happy all of the time but using these steps will help make dealing with unhappy people easier and will help build their confidence in your company.