I know of few jobs more difficult than those that are considered “Customer Service”. If you are like me and have a strong work ethic with a desire to please, you may find when the workload piles up and people are waiting on you that you feel a good deal of stress. You have to satisfy the customer while also keeping your boss happy. It’s a “rock and a hard place” sandwich sometimes.
In this day and age, most companies are running “mean and lean”, and if your job is customer support, this means trying to satisfy customers with a minimum, or below minimum staff and resources. And that puts all or most of the pressure on you. To make matters worse, people are accustomed to hearing phrases like “The Customer is King” or “The Customer is Always Right” and some will use this to their advantage, putting you “under the gun” to satisfy them. Don’t get me wrong, many customers are a joy to serve, but there’s always that one or a few that can make your day really tough. Some people might only be difficult because they are having a bad day. But some seem to have a bad day every single day.
There was a time I was faced with a very difficult person in a very difficult situation and I may not have handled the situation as well as I should have. I allowed my stress to get the better of me. My boss discussed it with me and I was required to attend a seminar on “How to Deal with Difficult People”. I attended the seminar and learned a few things. But I couldn’t help but ask my boss, in private of course, why I was being sent to a seminar on “How to Deal with Difficult People” rather than sending the difficult people to seminars on how not to be difficult!
Honestly, I think I had a valid point, but as you could probably guess, I didn’t win that argument. So when it comes to dealing with difficult people, especially when you are in a customer service role, it becomes necessary to be better than the person who is being difficult. It’s good to have a number of tools in your toolbox to help deal with difficult people. And it’s good to know about the do’s and don’ts.
What you want to do is to try to resolve the problem in a win-win-win way. In other words, find a way that satisfies the customer, relieves you of the face-to-face stress with an upset customer, and keeps your boss happy. What you don’t want to do is make matters worse for you or the customer. So what are the do’s and dont's of dealing with difficult people? Stay tuned for my next blog and I will dive more deeply into this perplexing dilemma!
We offer short-term Certificate programs for Professional Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Office Management, Office Skills, Call Center/Customer Service, Microsoft Power User and Project Management bootcamp. We also offer Securities training for those interested in passing the Series 6 or Series 7 licensing tests. Please call us today at 303-755-6885 to learn more about exciting opportunities to make your future reality a good one!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Mistakes
Nobody starts their day saying, “I’m going to make seven mistakes at work today”. We don’t like it when someone makes a mistake that affects us in a negative way. And I believe most people especially don’t like it when they themselves have made a mistake. We generally feel bad, guilty and embarrassed.
For starters, let’s face it. “To err is human” as the expression goes. We all make mistakes, although some more than others it seems. But there are two sides to this. One side is about how one deals with one’s own mistakes. The other part of the human equation is how one deals with the mistakes of others.
Mistakes come in different shapes and sizes. Little ones obviously don’t matter so much, but what should you do when you make a big mistake? If it’s something that can be fixed easily without any harm, then perhaps that is your best and only necessary course of action. But you should always ask yourself, “Who might be affected by this” and you should then consider informing them of any potential problems before matters get worse. If the mistake requires others be informed, waste no time! Report it as soon as possible. You’ll be looked upon with far less disdain if you immediately call attention to it rather than hoping it will just go away. If you fail to report a big mistake, you’ll then have made two mistakes, which makes things worse! Do not blame someone else. Take responsibility. Apologize! Offer to fix it or to pay for damages. Again – take responsibility! This will invite far more respect than cowardice and you may find that it will help you and others to feel better about it.
What should you do when someone else is the guilty party for having made a mistake?
In our busy and often stress-filled days, it can be easy to vent. Be careful! I mean, if you are dealing with someone who is mistake prone and doesn’t seem to care as much as they perhaps should, then it’s probably time to have a discussion with them. But don’t “fly off the handle”. If you do, you’ll be making a mistake. When you speak to them, don’t do it in front of their peers, otherwise YOU will be making a mistake. Talk to them in private. Point out that they are making too many mistakes and ask them why. And then coach them and mentor them. Make it clear that they will be expected to reduce their mistakes, but be sure to also offer to help them to improve. And if they do in fact improve, be sure to thank them and maybe even offer some kind of reward – otherwise you may be making a mistake. If they continue making too many mistakes, then you may have to take a more drastic action, but try to salvage the situation first!
We offer short-term Certificate programs for Professional Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Office Management, Office Skills, Call Center/Customer Service, Microsoft Power User and Project Management bootcamp. We also offer Securities training for those interested in passing the Series 6 or Series 7 licensing tests. Please call us today at 303-755-6885 to learn more about exciting opportunities to make your future reality a good one!
For starters, let’s face it. “To err is human” as the expression goes. We all make mistakes, although some more than others it seems. But there are two sides to this. One side is about how one deals with one’s own mistakes. The other part of the human equation is how one deals with the mistakes of others.
Mistakes come in different shapes and sizes. Little ones obviously don’t matter so much, but what should you do when you make a big mistake? If it’s something that can be fixed easily without any harm, then perhaps that is your best and only necessary course of action. But you should always ask yourself, “Who might be affected by this” and you should then consider informing them of any potential problems before matters get worse. If the mistake requires others be informed, waste no time! Report it as soon as possible. You’ll be looked upon with far less disdain if you immediately call attention to it rather than hoping it will just go away. If you fail to report a big mistake, you’ll then have made two mistakes, which makes things worse! Do not blame someone else. Take responsibility. Apologize! Offer to fix it or to pay for damages. Again – take responsibility! This will invite far more respect than cowardice and you may find that it will help you and others to feel better about it.
What should you do when someone else is the guilty party for having made a mistake?
In our busy and often stress-filled days, it can be easy to vent. Be careful! I mean, if you are dealing with someone who is mistake prone and doesn’t seem to care as much as they perhaps should, then it’s probably time to have a discussion with them. But don’t “fly off the handle”. If you do, you’ll be making a mistake. When you speak to them, don’t do it in front of their peers, otherwise YOU will be making a mistake. Talk to them in private. Point out that they are making too many mistakes and ask them why. And then coach them and mentor them. Make it clear that they will be expected to reduce their mistakes, but be sure to also offer to help them to improve. And if they do in fact improve, be sure to thank them and maybe even offer some kind of reward – otherwise you may be making a mistake. If they continue making too many mistakes, then you may have to take a more drastic action, but try to salvage the situation first!
We offer short-term Certificate programs for Professional Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Office Management, Office Skills, Call Center/Customer Service, Microsoft Power User and Project Management bootcamp. We also offer Securities training for those interested in passing the Series 6 or Series 7 licensing tests. Please call us today at 303-755-6885 to learn more about exciting opportunities to make your future reality a good one!
Mistakes
Nobody starts their day saying, “I’m going to make seven mistakes at work today”. We don’t like it when someone makes a mistake that affects us in a negative way. And I believe most people especially don’t like it when they themselves have made a mistake. We generally feel bad, guilty and embarrassed.
For starters, let’s face it. “To err is human” as the expression goes. We all make mistakes, although some more than others it seems. But there are two sides to this. One side is about how one deals with one’s own mistakes. The other part of the human equation is how one deals with the mistakes of others.
Mistakes come in different shapes and sizes. Little ones obviously don’t matter so much, but what should you do when you make a big mistake? If it’s something that can be fixed easily without any harm, then perhaps that is your best and only necessary course of action. But you should always ask yourself, “Who might be affected by this” and you should then consider informing them of any potential problems before matters get worse. If the mistake requires others be informed, waste no time! Report it as soon as possible. You’ll be looked upon with far less disdain if you immediately call attention to it rather than hoping it will just go away. If you fail to report a big mistake, you’ll then have made two mistakes, which makes things worse! Do not blame someone else. Take responsibility. Apologize! Offer to fix it or to pay for damages. Again – take responsibility! This will invite far more respect than cowardice and you may find that it will help you and others to feel better about it.
What should you do when someone else is the guilty party for having made a mistake?
In our busy and often stress-filled days, it can be easy to vent. Be careful! I mean, if you are dealing with someone who is mistake prone and doesn’t seem to care as much as they perhaps should, then it’s probably time to have a discussion with them. But don’t “fly off the handle”. If you do, you’ll be making a mistake. When you speak to them, don’t do it in front of their peers, otherwise YOU will be making a mistake. Talk to them in private. Point out that they are making too many mistakes and ask them why. And then coach them and mentor them. Make it clear that they will be expected to reduce their mistakes, but be sure to also offer to help them to improve. And if they do in fact improve, be sure to thank them and maybe even offer some kind of reward – otherwise you may be making a mistake. If they continue making too many mistakes, then you may have to take a more drastic action, but try to salvage the situation first!
We offer short-term Certificate programs for Professional Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Office Management, Office Skills, Call Center/Customer Service, Microsoft Power User and Project Management bootcamp. We also offer Securities training for those interested in passing the Series 6 or Series 7 licensing tests. Please call us today at 303-755-6885 to learn more about exciting opportunities to make your future reality a good one!
For starters, let’s face it. “To err is human” as the expression goes. We all make mistakes, although some more than others it seems. But there are two sides to this. One side is about how one deals with one’s own mistakes. The other part of the human equation is how one deals with the mistakes of others.
Mistakes come in different shapes and sizes. Little ones obviously don’t matter so much, but what should you do when you make a big mistake? If it’s something that can be fixed easily without any harm, then perhaps that is your best and only necessary course of action. But you should always ask yourself, “Who might be affected by this” and you should then consider informing them of any potential problems before matters get worse. If the mistake requires others be informed, waste no time! Report it as soon as possible. You’ll be looked upon with far less disdain if you immediately call attention to it rather than hoping it will just go away. If you fail to report a big mistake, you’ll then have made two mistakes, which makes things worse! Do not blame someone else. Take responsibility. Apologize! Offer to fix it or to pay for damages. Again – take responsibility! This will invite far more respect than cowardice and you may find that it will help you and others to feel better about it.
What should you do when someone else is the guilty party for having made a mistake?
In our busy and often stress-filled days, it can be easy to vent. Be careful! I mean, if you are dealing with someone who is mistake prone and doesn’t seem to care as much as they perhaps should, then it’s probably time to have a discussion with them. But don’t “fly off the handle”. If you do, you’ll be making a mistake. When you speak to them, don’t do it in front of their peers, otherwise YOU will be making a mistake. Talk to them in private. Point out that they are making too many mistakes and ask them why. And then coach them and mentor them. Make it clear that they will be expected to reduce their mistakes, but be sure to also offer to help them to improve. And if they do in fact improve, be sure to thank them and maybe even offer some kind of reward – otherwise you may be making a mistake. If they continue making too many mistakes, then you may have to take a more drastic action, but try to salvage the situation first!
We offer short-term Certificate programs for Professional Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Office Management, Office Skills, Call Center/Customer Service, Microsoft Power User and Project Management bootcamp. We also offer Securities training for those interested in passing the Series 6 or Series 7 licensing tests. Please call us today at 303-755-6885 to learn more about exciting opportunities to make your future reality a good one!
Mistakes
Nobody starts their day saying, “I’m going to make seven mistakes at work today”. We don’t like it when someone makes a mistake that affects us in a negative way. And I believe most people especially don’t like it when they themselves have made a mistake. We generally feel bad, guilty and embarrassed.
For starters, let’s face it. “To err is human” as the expression goes. We all make mistakes, although some more than others it seems. But there are two sides to this. One side is about how one deals with one’s own mistakes. The other part of the human equation is how one deals with the mistakes of others.
Mistakes come in different shapes and sizes. Little ones obviously don’t matter so much, but what should you do when you make a big mistake? If it’s something that can be fixed easily without any harm, then perhaps that is your best and only necessary course of action. But you should always ask yourself, “Who might be affected by this” and you should then consider informing them of any potential problems before matters get worse. If the mistake requires others be informed, waste no time! Report it as soon as possible. You’ll be looked upon with far less disdain if you immediately call attention to it rather than hoping it will just go away. If you fail to report a big mistake, you’ll then have made two mistakes, which makes things worse! Do not blame someone else. Take responsibility. Apologize! Offer to fix it or to pay for damages. Again – take responsibility! This will invite far more respect than cowardice and you may find that it will help you and others to feel better about it.
What should you do when someone else is the guilty party for having made a mistake?
In our busy and often stress-filled days, it can be easy to vent. Be careful! I mean, if you are dealing with someone who is mistake prone and doesn’t seem to care as much as they perhaps should, then it’s probably time to have a discussion with them. But don’t “fly off the handle”. If you do, you’ll be making a mistake. When you speak to them, don’t do it in front of their peers, otherwise YOU will be making a mistake. Talk to them in private. Point out that they are making too many mistakes and ask them why. And then coach them and mentor them. Make it clear that they will be expected to reduce their mistakes, but be sure to also offer to help them to improve. And if they do in fact improve, be sure to thank them and maybe even offer some kind of reward – otherwise you may be making a mistake. If they continue making too many mistakes, then you may have to take a more drastic action, but try to salvage the situation first!
We offer short-term Certificate programs for Professional Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Office Management, Office Skills, Call Center/Customer Service, Microsoft Power User and Project Management bootcamp. We also offer Securities training for those interested in passing the Series 6 or Series 7 licensing tests. Please call us today at 303-755-6885 to learn more about exciting opportunities to make your future reality a good one!
For starters, let’s face it. “To err is human” as the expression goes. We all make mistakes, although some more than others it seems. But there are two sides to this. One side is about how one deals with one’s own mistakes. The other part of the human equation is how one deals with the mistakes of others.
Mistakes come in different shapes and sizes. Little ones obviously don’t matter so much, but what should you do when you make a big mistake? If it’s something that can be fixed easily without any harm, then perhaps that is your best and only necessary course of action. But you should always ask yourself, “Who might be affected by this” and you should then consider informing them of any potential problems before matters get worse. If the mistake requires others be informed, waste no time! Report it as soon as possible. You’ll be looked upon with far less disdain if you immediately call attention to it rather than hoping it will just go away. If you fail to report a big mistake, you’ll then have made two mistakes, which makes things worse! Do not blame someone else. Take responsibility. Apologize! Offer to fix it or to pay for damages. Again – take responsibility! This will invite far more respect than cowardice and you may find that it will help you and others to feel better about it.
What should you do when someone else is the guilty party for having made a mistake?
In our busy and often stress-filled days, it can be easy to vent. Be careful! I mean, if you are dealing with someone who is mistake prone and doesn’t seem to care as much as they perhaps should, then it’s probably time to have a discussion with them. But don’t “fly off the handle”. If you do, you’ll be making a mistake. When you speak to them, don’t do it in front of their peers, otherwise YOU will be making a mistake. Talk to them in private. Point out that they are making too many mistakes and ask them why. And then coach them and mentor them. Make it clear that they will be expected to reduce their mistakes, but be sure to also offer to help them to improve. And if they do in fact improve, be sure to thank them and maybe even offer some kind of reward – otherwise you may be making a mistake. If they continue making too many mistakes, then you may have to take a more drastic action, but try to salvage the situation first!
We offer short-term Certificate programs for Professional Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Office Management, Office Skills, Call Center/Customer Service, Microsoft Power User and Project Management bootcamp. We also offer Securities training for those interested in passing the Series 6 or Series 7 licensing tests. Please call us today at 303-755-6885 to learn more about exciting opportunities to make your future reality a good one!
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