In the world of customer service, especially early out, your team must be prepared for every type of customer they may encounter - including the unhappy one. Here a seven tips to remember when dealing with this type of call.
- B-Be quiet, let the customer/patient vent. Patients often just want to know that they are being heard and that someone understands their frustrations.
- R-Remember they are not mad at you, they are mad at the situation. Don’t take it personally.
- E-Empathy, show empathy with the problem. Use words and phrases like “I understand how that can be frustrating.”
- A-Act-Always take action. Explain what you are going to do to resolve the situation.
- T-Take Responsibility. Customers/Patients really only want to hear that someone understands and will offer to fix their stressful situation.
- H-Honor your commitments. When you advise your patient/customer of intended action make sure you are honoring your commitments. It builds trust and confidence in your organization.
- E-Explain. The next steps. Be careful of using industry jargon. Explain exactly what you are going to do to address the unpleasant situation.
Remembering to B-R-E-A-T-H-E will lead to higher account resolution and may turn the unhappy patient into a satisfied customer.