Tell me if you agree with this statement; “A relationship that has had a problem - that has been handled well - is a stronger relationship then one that’s never had a problem?” True or true?
Have you ever been to a store, hotel, or airport where someone is handling a customer complaint poorly? I suspect you have. Whenever this happens, management is usually at fault. Why? Because this employee has not received training on how to handle problems well. They might have been left to their own fears and bad habits.
As a manager, it’s your responsibility to make sure that all staff members learn how to deal with problems in a way that shifts the client/customer from their negative emotions into working toward a mutually agreeable solution.
The first three magic words for the employee to say should always be, “I’m sorry.”(Although this looks like two words, the contraction makes it three - but, who’s counting?). Saying “I’m sorry” is not admitting fault. When the employee has to admit fault, they should do so after evaluating all the facts. It’s saying the employee regrets that a problem has inconvenienced the client or customer.
“Ms. Jones, I’m very sorry that this has created a problem. Let me learn a little more about the situation and then we’ll work on getting this fixed.”
Seek out books, articles, and reports that will help you and your staff handle problems effectively. Whenever you hire a new employee, renew the training for everyone. It’s always good to remind your staff - and yourself - about how to receive and handle problems properly.