Yes, We Can! Turning Negatives into Positives
Posted by Meredith Estep on Wed, May 05, 2010 @ 02:25 PM
What is the one word customers dislike hearing above all others?
No.
Customers do not like to be told their request will not be granted. In fact, they can get exceptionally angry to the point they may take their business elsewhere. Since losing customers does not effectively build any kind of business, we are going to talk about how to avoid saying the dreaded "no."
Bending Policies
The first step is in determining whether a "no" answer is really necessary. Your customer may be making a request that you would not normally grant. However, if this particular customer has a long relationship with your business, would it be possible to bend a policy in order to say "yes" instead of "no?" This is often more realistic than many customer service representatives realize. It is up to a manager to let customer service staff know which policies are written in stone and which can be customized to individual customers.
When you bend policy for a customer, you are really making it easier for them to do business with you. Customers do not have time to weave their way through confusing policies and procedures in regards to your business. Instead, they want to vocalize their request and see it granted with as little hassle as possible. Tell your customer you will accommodate their need and then find a way to do so as efficiently as possible.
When "No" Means "No"
Even if your business becomes quite liberal in bending rules and policies to meet a customer's needs, there are times when the answer to a request must be a definite negative. These situations might include:
- Requests that are really not in the customer's best interests, even though they may look good on the surface. This may be particularly true in the IT and software technology industries, but it might apply in other businesses as well.
- Requests that would affect the overall performance and quality of a product. Your customer may think a tweak in one area would be beneficial, only to find out that change would have a detrimental impact on other aspects of your product.
- The request made would require you to do something unsafe or illegal. Safety would also apply to security measures in a financial institution or software company. Never compromise the security of your business or your customers to grant a client's request.
In these specific situations, a no answer will have to stand. However, there are ways to soften the blow to your customer so they hear the positive impact of your message rather than the negative. Try these techniques the next time you need to say no:
- Begin by telling your customer what you can do, rather than what you cannot.
- If you really cannot accommodate your customer's request, apologize for any inconvenience it might cause.
- Explain precisely why you cannot accommodate the request, politely and professionally.
By saying "yes" whenever possible and handling "no's" with respect and courtesy, you will go far in ensuring a happy, satisfied customer base.
- Meredith Estep