PROBLEM CUSTOMERS and REBELLIOUS TEENAGERS
Everybody has at least one, and some of you more. I know that we have ONE, because about once a month I hear from them. They are threatening to leave your business, and take it elsewhere. They are threatening to blog about you, call all their friends and tell them about you, stick pins in a voodoo doll, hate you and curse you until the end of time. Yesterday I got another email from “that one” problem child that we inherited (sold) several months ago. This is one of those clients that when they don’t get attention on the help desk within an hour, they start screaming abuse. It matters not that they sent an email to their sales rep (who happened to be flying across country at the time) instead of picking up the phone and calling, they just fire off an ugly email. There was a time in my life where I would fire back a scathing email firing the customer. But, these days I see it as a challenge.
RAISING KIDS
Having raised 4 teenagers….I view this customer as a challenge, not a defeat. And while we can certainly choose who we do business with, because we have hundreds of happy customers and this “one” special customer, I am determined to raise them with determination and success, just like our other kids. Before we solve their problem however, let’s examine the rebellious teenager…
Why do they need “instant attention?”
Teens are at a fragile stage in their lives, moving from being a child and maturing into an adult. During this time they are going through vast hormonal transformations and are getting a lot of pressure from their peers and other circumstances. They need a friend, in their case a parent that is willing to be their friend. And yes, friends can hold friends accountable, and should. This means allowing them to have feelings and tirades, but understanding that you will not tolerate abuse, deception, or threats because these are not healthy for a good relationship. Like most teenagers, customers don’t have a problem being held accountable, and some actually invite it. But holding someone accountable doesn’t mean bullying or intimidating them, conversely it means trying to be understanding, seeing their side of things, then expressing to them that you genuinely care, while emphasizing to them that they too must be responsible and understanding.
CUSTOMER SUPPORT MATTERS
This is where good support can make a difference. When my teens were growing up I realized that they did not want to hang out with me on a regular basis, or for long amounts of time. But, if I would give them 10 minutes of uninterrupted time each day, they felt loved, cared for and nurtured. So I take the same approach with my current “problem child”. After their tirade and meltdown, I make sure to follow up after the fact and make sure they are happy. I send them an email each day for a couple of days after the fact, and that generally soothes them for a month or two. This is called nurturing, and it works for teens, as well as customers….except we call it customer support.
