When you interrupt a customer, then you have probably lost your patience. When your body language and facial expression become rigid, then you have probably lost your patience. When you get angry with a customer, then you have definitely lost your patience.
Real World Story: The following story was told to me from a friend and colleague.
“I’m not a bathroom tile expert. But I wanted to complete a small DIY shower-tiling job on my own. So off I went to purchase materials after carefully researching similar projects on the Internet. I found a local warehouse that many friends and relatives recommended. The salesperson was nice, friendly and very helpful. However, the situation 
ended up being nasty. And quickly. My salesperson lost all her patience when trying to explain to me the various options available to me for finishing off tile edges. I kept explaining in different ways what I was looking for specifically, but she didn’t completely understand what I wanted. She made assumptions about what I needed and got stuck on those assumptions. In the end, she simply said I didn’t need any additional materials, what I had would suffice. She had totally lost all of her patience with me: mean facial expression, defensive body language, forced tone of voice. I have since spent additional money elsewhere, where I was able to get someone to listen to me patiently and give me options on what I needed. It’s a shame, but I would have loved to have spent all of my project money at the first place, which came highly recommended, but which didn’t deliver on all my needs in the end simply because the salesperson lost her patience with me.”
Strategies that Turn it Around:
- Breathe. Remember to always breathe. When customers become hard to deal with, we become rigid and we forget to breathe, possibly compounding an already bad situation. Calmly breathe in deeply and exhale. Calmly, without exaggerated noise. Breathing nourishes our brain and calms us down, allowing us to concentrate better.
- Focus. Put all your attention on what the customer needs, not on how the customer is delivering his or her message to us. Focus offers clarity of thought, allowing us to listen carefully in order to deliver great service.
- Listen. Simply stated, listen. Don’t start formulating answers or solutions until your customer has told you his or her story. Listening carefully allows us to completely understand the needs of our customers. Again, focus on content and not delivery.
- Deliver. Once you make the conscious effort to breathe, focus and listen, then you are better equipped to deliver exceptional service. No matter who the customer is or how he or she has presented a problem to us, our goal always is to make a difference in the lives of the people we serve. Once you break through all the external noises that come with dealing with customers, especially those who are irate, deliver the best possible customer service.
Remember: Without patience, you won’t smile at customers. You won’t listen carefully. You won’t be courteous, polite or respectful. You won’t offer the best solutions. You won’t deliver even the bare minimum of good customer service. Patience IS the foundation to exceptional customer service.
What do YOU do to ensure that you are patient with all your customers at all times? Please share your comments and stories.