People and Conflict Situations

The more I work with people the more I see how they are not straight with one another. People don’t want to deal with things head on. Take client complaints – how often have you resisted returning that call to an unhappy client? Or kept that email in your inbox for days? Does it get any easier? Is the customer any less unhappy when you do get around to it? NO! Every so called unhappy client is someone you can win over and turn into someone who recommends your business – all based on how you deal with them. My tips?

• Respond quickly.
• Talk rather than write – you can always follow up in writing.
• Hear them out – let them empty themselves of all there is to say – people want to be validated.
• Don’t react to what they say.
• Listen for the common thread behind what they are saying that is the trigger for them – often it’s an expectation, or a missed/broken communication or some commitment that didn’t happen.
• Thank them for taking the time to be in communication.
• Ask what they believe would resolve the situation for them.
• Look at see what was missed in your business that you could use this feedback to improve.
• Then you get to say if you’ll do that or not, or if you have some other proposal.
• If you make a promise, definitely do it! FAST!
• Check in and see if things are now resolved for them (once you have delivered what you promised).

Now if you want a view on resolving conflict with work colleagues, check this out. Until next time, Mandy