by Jordana Hammersly

Created on: April 06, 2007   Last Updated: June 13, 2009

Over the course of my young life I have worked as an innkeeper, a sales associate and assistant manager for jewelry and clothing stores, a lead customer service representative for a talent showcase company, a supervisor of a salon and spa located in a casino, and a promoter and marketing manager of an arena football team. As diverse as my job duties were for each company, I learned that success in my job meant not losing my temper. Keeping a level head went far in ensuring customer satisfaction.

When a customer is angry, the worst thing you can do is become angry yourself. Find out what contributed to your customer's dissatisfaction; was it the product itself? Was it bad customer service? If the cause is unclear, ask specific questions. Listen as your customer explains, without interruption, and find out what remedy he/she is seeking. Most customers will be very specific about what they expect from you.

Once you've uncovered the reason for dissatisfaction, work with your customer to find a solution that is agreeable to both him/her and the company that you work for. If your customer is upset, for instance, because his massage therapist used too much pressure during the massage, despite repeated protestations from your customer, do not charge for the service. In many cases, this will solve the problem. If it doesn't, ask your customer what he or she would like you to do to remedy the situation. If demands are too outlandish, or not in keeping with company policy, you have every right to turn them down. You will not be able to please every customer all of the time; expect this and enlist the help of your supervisor and manager if necessary.

Many people just want someone to listen to their complaint and validate their feelings of frustration. I've had more than one customer thank me for listening and trying to help; even when I couldn't facilitate a solution, most were happy that I attempted to. Listening, offering solutions, and validating complaints will go a long way in guaranteeing customer satisfaction. All it takes is a little thoughtfulness and a lot of patience. Your customers will thank you

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