Customers who contact support usually are in pain. Somehow your product or service is not fulfilling their expectations. Instead of shunning you, they have decided to engage with you – sometimes hurling a full set of emotions through your contact channel, at you. As a dedicated customer agent, your specialty is problem resolution. You are ready to dive in, dig deep, and find the perfect solution. And yet – the customer doesn’t listen, gives you a devastating review, or screams back at you. How can you create rapport with your customers? How can you set the stage so that they are able to listen to you, even if they came through the (virtual) door steaming with rage? The magic starts with acknowledging their pain – even if it seems small and trivial for you. Give your customers space, allow them to hurt, and only then, move towards a resolution. I’ll share with you practical examples, concrete phrasings and a framework that allows you to engage with your customers not to simply delight.

1. I hear you!
The art of solving other people’s problems
Valentina Thörner
@valedeoro

2. Solving other
people’s problems
is an art.
Not a duty.

3. Define problem
A matter or situation regarded as
unwelcome or harmful and needing to
be dealt with and overcome.

4. Ignore emotions
at your own risk!
If you cannot control it - hold it.

5. Megan Devine and Refuge in Grief: https://www.refugeingrief.com/2018/07/19/help-a-friend-video/

6. Grief -
grievance
Origin:
Middle English (also in the sense ‘harm,
oppress’): from Old French grever
‘burden, encumber’, based on Latin
gravare, from gravis ‘heavy, grave’ (see
grave).

7. Exercise time!
What’s the problem?
What’s the emotion?

8. Background: your company stopped the
renewal discount for subscriptions.
Renewals are now at full price.
Customers were informed in advance.
YOU PRICKS THINK THAT YOU CAN
JUST OVERCHARGE ME LIKE THAT
WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION?????? I
WILL NEVER EVER BUY FROM YOU
AGAIN, THIS IS ROBBERY! I HAD THIS
SUBSCRIPTION FOR 2 YEARS AND I AM
GOING TO TAKE YOU TO COURT AND
TELL EVERYONE THAT YOU ARE
THIEVES!

9. Background: your company stopped the
renewal discount for subscriptions.
Renewals are now at full price.
Customers were informed in advance.
Support team!
Just making sure I get this right: I am a
loyal customer for 3 years and as a
thank you you start charging me MORE
for the same services? I demand to be
set back to the original pricing. Or give
me a discount. This is unacceptable.
You cannot put me into overdraft just
because you feel like it.

10. Background: the customer is stuck
setting up the account. Your knowledge
base covers this specific problem.
5 hours lost! FIVE HOURS! I just want
that stupid template to look like the
demo you so nicely use to sell your shit!
But either I am too stupid or you are
lying on your sales page thingy you use
to lure customers in. This is ridiculous.

11. Background: the customer is stuck
setting up the account. Your knowledge
base covers this specific problem.
I bought your app last week, but I am
afraid I need a refund.
This is too complicated for me, and my
husband doesn’t have the time or the
patience to sit down with me and help
me figure it out. I will just go back to
using spreadsheets, at least that’s
something I am comfortable with.
Thank you.

12. In a nutshell!
Validate their feelings!
Acknowledge the problem!
Lead the way towards a solution!

13. Thank you!
and connect:
* ValentinaThoerner.com
* LinkedIn.com/in/valedeoro
* Twitter/IG: @valedeoro