Say What? Scripting Your Response

Let’s face it — the customer is not always right. But customers are always important, and we can make them feel much better by agreeing with them on the importance of the service qualities they identify and value. So says Ron Kaufman, author of Uplifting Service: The Proven Path to Delighting Your Customers, Colleagues, and Everyone Else You Meet. “The last thing a customer with a complaint wants to hear you say is, ‘You’re wrong,’” says Kaufman. “What they want to hear is that you understand them, appreciate them, and agree with them on the importance of the value they have cited in their complaint.”

Here are a few quick scripts to use when responding to customer complaints:

Customer Complaint: Rude Service

Your customer says: “Your staff was rude and totally unprofessional.”

You say: “You are right to expect a courteous, respectful, and professional staff.”

Customer Complaint: Overpriced

Your customer says: “This isn’t anything like what I was promised. And your price is way too high!”

You say: “I am on your side in this situation. You have a right to be satisfied with whatever service you receive from us. You deserve good value for your money. Let’s see if there’s a better option for you.”

Customer Complaint: Too Slow

Your customer says: “I’ve been waiting forever. Why did it take you so long to get me in?”

You say: “We understand that in today’s world speed counts. You deserve fast, friendly service.”

“Notice how your responses make the customer feel right,” says Kaufman. “We don’t argue over the facts, but we do actively agree on the importance of what they value most.”