My youngest daughter, Leslie, is a flight attendant. She called me last Sunday evening from an airport in Florida to ask a favor.
She was unexpectedly called out to work a flight to London and had a doctor's appointment for the next morning at 7:45 AM. Obviously, she wouldn't be able to make the appointment because she'd be on a plane.
Okay...wait a minute...you need to know this. My daughter is a grown-up and she doesn't usually ask her "Mommy" to call to schedule or cancel her appointments.
Leslie told me her story -- She called the doctor's office to cancel the appointment and got nowhere. The lady who answered the phone was with the doctor's answering service. She couldn't help her. No, Leslie tells me, the answering service lady couldn't cancel the appointment. No, she couldn't take a message. The only thing she could do was to try to contact the doctor but she would only do that if the situation was an emergency and she was rude on the phone.
Okay -- get out my "Easy Button" -- This is simple and I can handle this assignment. I got the number and the name of the doctor but I missed the clue. Leslie told me the lady had been rude to her.
I called Monday at 7:00 AM. A woman, who did not identify herself, answered. I told her who I was and why I was calling. She told me she couldn't help. She worked for the doctor's answering service and said I could call back in ten minutes. (Customer Service Hint: Don't tell a customer to call back.)
I called back fifteen minutes later. A different woman, who did identify herself, answered the phone. I assumed it was someone who worked in the doctor's office. I told her who I was and why I was calling and told her the first person I spoke with told me to call back in ten minutes. She said she worked for the doctor's answering service and couldn't help me. I asked her to take a message. No, she couldn't take a message. No, she didn't have paper and pencil to take a message. She only handled emergencies. She told me to call back at 8:30 AM when the doctor's office phones were turned on. (Customer Service Hint: Same one. Don't tell a customer to call back.)
Okay, now I'm starting to get irritated. I called again at 8:30 AM. The phones were on! I got a recording. If you're looking for doctor so-and-so's secretary, hit this number. If you need doctor so-and so's secretary, hit that number, etc. I hit the corresponding number to get to the doctor's secretary.
I got another recording. This time it's Linda, doctor so-and-so's secretary, who is telling me she is away from her desk. If I need an appointment, I need to hit this number. If I want a prescription, I hit that number. If I'm a doctor, I hit another. If I have an emergency or I need to speak with an operator I can hit zero.
I hit zero. A real person answered the phone. She identified herself as Laura and asked how she could help me.
I tried to stay calm. I really tried. I told Laura my name. I told her I was calling for my daughter whose first and last name I spelled for her. I told her she had an appointment that morning at 7:45 AM (which was 45 minutes ago) and that I needed to speak with someone who could cancel her appointment.
I told her this was my third phone call to their office. I told her the first two times I called, I got their answering service and they couldn't help. I told her I tried to get through to Doctor so-and-so's secretary and I got her voice mail. I told her all I wanted to do was to let someone in the doctor's office know that my daughter had to cancel her appointment and I couldn't seem to find someone who was able to do that for me. I waited.
Her response: "What is your daughter's name and which doctor was she supposed to see?" (Customer Service Hint: Have paper and a pencil (or a pen) handy so you can write things down.)
I didn't holler at Laura but I sure wanted to. I told her my daughter's name and I spelled her first and last name a second time. I told her the name of the doctor again.
Her reply? "I'll give Doctor so-and-so's secretary the message."
My reply? "Thank you. Ummmm...Laura, you might have trouble getting the message to the doctor's secretary. I understand she's not at her desk." I hung up.
You think Laura got it? Maybe. Maybe not.
Here are four easy rules to remember when you're dealing with an angry customer.
(1) Acknowledge and apologize
(2) Sympathize with the customer
(3) Accept responsibility
(4) Help the customer
I learned these rules from one of the best. I attended a seminar presented by Nancy Friedman, who is also known as "The Telephone Doctor" . I tried them. Most of the time -- they really work. She has a good customer service monthly e-newsletter you can sign up for at her website. Here's the link for more information: www.telephonedoctor.com
Here's how Laura could've handled me.
"Suzanne, I'm sorry you've had to call our office so many times. I'm sure you're frustrated by now; and from what you've told me, I would be too. I promise I'll speak to the doctor's secretary. I'll tell her what happened and I'll cancel your daughter's appointment for you. Please tell your daughter that she can call us at her convenience when she's ready to re-schedule."
If Laura responded to me like that, I wouldn't have been so irritated and I wouldn't have been such a smart-mouth. (Oops...I broke a customer service rule too. No need to be a smart-mouth.)
It doesn't matter where you work -- a private organization, a state agency, a retail store, a large law firm, or a small law firm. When you answer the phone and you have an angry customer, you can use the four rules technique and see if it works for you.
Customer service goes both ways...