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| HOW DO YOU HELP OUT AN UNHAPPY CUSTOMER? |
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The Headache: Customers seem to have shorter fuses these days. Aggravation levels are higher. And the stakes for making sure customers are happy have never been higher, especially now that the new Consumer Financial Protectin Bureau has "gone live." Our Question: What tips can you offer for helping the irate customer? Come see what other bankers think, and add your own views
How can bankers put things right when customers become upset or angry? Is it our imagination? Or are people in general living on more of a hair trigger than ever? Set as favorite Bookmark
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Tom Meuser, chairman and CEO, El Dorado Savings Bank FSB, Placerville, Calif.
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Subscribe to this comment's feed| The most important thing is listen--don't interrupt. Angry customers want someone to listen to their problem. Once you understand the problem, give the customer a straight answer. If you can help, do it as quickly as possible. If you can?t resolve the problem, explain why. The worst thing you can do is avoid the customer, or not offer a timely and clear response. | |
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Kevin M. McCarthy, president and CEO, Newport Federal Savings Bank, Newport, R.I.
said:
| We instruct our staff to let the customer vent. We try to give the customer our undivided attention and listen without interrupting what they have to say. As best we can, we empathize and make it clear we understand their frustration. Further, we make it known how we will try to correct the problem and then follow through on what we commit to do and let the customer know in a timely fashion what the results are. This seems to work well, as over the years, we have had very few complaints that have ended up with regulatory officials. | |
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William Grant, chairman and CEO, First United Bank & Trust, Oakland, Md
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The most important thing to do is to allow the customer the opportunity to express his or her frustration. In many cases, the customer needs to vent, or get an issue off his or her chest. Careful listening skills must be employed. Take good notes so that the issue, or issues, can be appropriately framed. It is fine to empathize with the customer, but care should be taken to not "throw the bank under the bus." Comments like, "I don't know why those people did that" don?t help. Remember, you are part of "those people." It is your bank. In addition to possibly venting, the customer is looking to you for a solution. If, after your conversation, you can provide this solution, do so in a prompt and courteous fashion. If the solution is not apparent, or more research is required, be upfront with the customer. Take the issue from the customer?s shoulders, and tell him or her that you will follow up at a given time with either an explanation or a solution. Close out the conversation with a genuine ?thank you? for bringing the issue to your attention. And, if appropriate, ask the customer if there are other situations or opportunities with which you can help provide a solution. |
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Greg Patton, president and CEO, Sierra Vista Bank, Folsom, Calif.
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The efficiencies and shortcuts that we've built into our service is often a part of the problem with an angry customer. Frequently, they don't understand us, nor our policies, procedures, requirements, or other realities of modern banking. Their questions are regularly stymied by an electronic interface. So we have discussed with our frontline personnel a range of the big issues that they are likely to hear from the customer. With this knowledge we give them some ideas on what that angered person really wants, whether they know it or not. But most importantly, we have empowered that line employee to fix the problem. They know they can waive a fee, they know that they can open a different type of account. In short, they can offer anything that seems reasonable. (When they don't get that exactly right, it is an excellent training opportunity for the next time.) And most importantly, they know they can walk that person into my office (or the office of any other officer of the bank) and we will help them handle the situation, if necessary. No one wants to hear "Our policy states?" so between the trained employee and someone in management, we attempt to completely describe and discuss (without the benefit of banker acronyms) the issue or policy that stands between the angry customer and their return to a happy state. It can't always be done. But our commitment is to not let them leave or hang up until they at least know the why or the why-not concerning their issue. |
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Joshua Spivey, assistant vice-president, operations, Woodhaven National Bank, Fort Worth, Texas
said:
| Most customers get upset because they don't feel like they are being "heard" or understood--therefore, they tend to get louder so you will "hear" them. What I have found works best is to listen to them and let them completely finish talking before you interject anything. This way they feel that you care enough to listen to everything they have to say. Then when you respond, make sure you explain that you understand they?re upset (be sincere, they can see through someone who is faking it). But also clearly explain to them the policy or regulation that upset them (or apologize if it was a mistake or error). Once they feel like they are "heard" or they understand why we are doing something, then normally you are left with a happy or satisfied customer. | |
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Charles G. Brown, III, chairman and CEO, Insignia Bank, Sarasota, Fla.
said:
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We have seen more frustrated customers coming over from other banks that are internally focused on loan challenges. As a result, our staff has been able to raise the bar and pleasantly surprise new customers with our level of service. Of all of the things a banker needs to focus on in this environment, I have been thrilled that dealing with any frustrated customers has not been one of them. Any issues we have seen have been very few, and, in fact, maybe less than I have seen at my previous banks during stronger economies. On the very few issues we have seen, we adhere to a "service recovery standard" where any staff member takes ownership of an issue; owns it from beginning to end regardless of how many other staff might need to get involved; and certainly apologizes for any inconvenience or challenge the issue might have caused the customer. After remedying the issue, we then try to go yet one more step to exceed the customer's expectations, whether it be through a small gift, or other product pricing discount to show our appreciation for the customer coming forward. We have always looked at any challenge brought to us by a customer as a "consultation" of sorts. That is something that the big banks pay big bucks to consultants to find out about. |
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George Marx, chairman, president, and CEO, Copiah Bank, N.A., Hazlehurst, Miss.
said:
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First of all, realize there is a difference between an irate customer and a disgruntled or unhappy customer. You will never be able to satisfy 100% of customers who complain, but I do think the old 80%-20% rule, or a little higher, is a good goal. Here's some of what's worked at our bank: * Empathize with the customer. Treat them as you would like to be treated. * Never allow yourself to lose your temper. * If you are face-to-face, SMILE. A smile can work wonders. * Speak slowly and softly. Kind words never hurt. * Apologize for any inconvenience caused to the customer. * Be very prompt in responding if you are to call them back. * Always provide a resolution?even if it will sometimes not be what the customer wants to hear. * Always end the conversation by thanking them for their call or visit, and thanking them for the relationship they share with your bank. |
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Mark Long, president and CEO, First Commercial Bank N.A., Seguin, Texas
said:
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The current environment of changes in many of our products and pricing, brought on by Dodd-Frank, has created numerous opportunities for issues with bank customers. Some may simply be questions regarding product modifications which, if not addressed correctly, may escalate to more serious complaints. One of the most important steps in resolving any customer issue is to listen carefully and correctly assess the problem they are having. Responding with a tone of genuine concern is always helpful. Repeating the details of the problem provides validation to the customer and verifies the details of the problem they are having. This is important for the next step in the process, which is to make sure that they are transferred to the correct department and person that can solve their issue. In my own experience, there is nothing more frustrating than being shuffled around from person to person, especially being placed on hold for long periods of time. When transferring such calls we must be sure to identify the customer and explain the issue to the employee that will be taking care of them. We should empower our employees to waive fees if appropriate. Privacy should be remembered. Sometimes irate customers can cause issues in a lobby environment and should be asked to step into an office, where the matter may be discussed in private. They will be more comfortable discussing their issue, and the problem will be isolated from other bank customers. Look at yourself, too: Always make sure to check your personal attitude. If you are having a bad day it is very easy to translate your attitude to the customer, making matters worse. Now, assuming the customer's issue has been addressed, what of the future? Depending on the circumstances, a follow-up call to the customer is always appreciated. A bank cap or cup always helps show appreciation for their business. If the problem is resolved either on the phone or in person, this is a perfect opportunity to review the customer's relationship to determine if there are any other bank products that may suit their needs. |
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Leonel E. Castillo, president and CEO, AmBank, Provo, Utah
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I canvassed my staff, so this answer really comes from all of us. * Assume the customer is frustrated by something outside their control. * Listen to emotion without emotion. Keep a pleasant and sympathetic attitude. They are generally not angry at you personally. * Show patience while the customer gets the opportunity to vent. Give the customer a chance to say everything they have to say. * Say, "I can see that you're upset and let me see if I understand why." Then restate what you heard the customer say and make sure you both agree on the facts. * Own the problem and correct it immediately if you can. If correcting the problem will take longer, keep the customer informed and make sure you keep your commitments. * Thank the customer for their willingness to share their frustration and express appreciation for how it helps the bank improve. Exhibit gratitude for what you are learning from the customer. * Express appreciation for their business and, if appropriate, provide a small gift (i.e. movie tickets, etc.) for any inconvenience caused by the event. * Follow-up and follow through. If indicated, suggest system and/or process adjustments so that the problem does not re-occur. * Remember, successful handling of an angry customer can often lead to having a loyal customer ? and new best friend for life. |
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Ed OLeary, banking consultant, retired banker, and blogger, www.ababj.com, "Talking Credit"
said:
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New Mexico is a very "in your face" environment, different by degree than virtually any other place I've worked in banking. As president of the bank, everyone wanted to get to me and complain or otherwise let me know what might be wrong with the service in our bank. Sometimes I agreed, but often I did not. Our phone system differentiated inside calls (single ring) from outside calls (two short rings). I never picked up my phone on any outside calls, always letting my secretary, Judy, do that and thereby intercepting any irate customer before he or she got to me. Judy had a wonderful, calming manner and impeccable phone etiquette. She would patiently listen to the complaint or problem and then research the "facts" before I returned the call. I always did and usually within the same working day if possible but never without having a sense of how the bank representative perceived the situation or whether the customer had been orally abusive to a bank employee. As a result, I was much more productive with resolving a customer complaint or issue and sounded a lot more professional because I had the facts first before speaking to the customer. It's also helpful to know if the caller is profitable with significant business or runs an average negative collected balance. I never wanted to be rude to a customer but neither did I want to fail to acknowledge with my thanks the substantial business of someone with whom I might not have any name recognition. Poor Judy. She hated this aspect of her job but I used to tell her that were she not so good at it, we wouldn't need to have her in such a key spot. |
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