Lesson 1.2
Understand Before You Answer
Estimated time: 5 minutes
Sometimes poor customer service happens because an employee tries to respond before understanding the problem.
A customer says:
“The order I received is wrong.”
The employee immediately responds:
“No. That is what you ordered.”
But the employee has not checked:
- the receipt
- the order form
- the WhatsApp conversation
- the item delivered
- the customer’s name
- the transaction history
Now the situation has become an argument before anyone knows the facts.
A better approach is:
Example
Instead of:
“We didn’t make any mistake.”
Try:
“I’m sorry there’s a problem with the order. Can you show me what you received and what you originally requested so I can check?”
Notice what happened.
The employee did not admit that the business was responsible before checking.
The employee also did not accuse the customer of being wrong.
That is professional.
Useful Questions
Depending on the situation, you might ask:
“What name was the order placed under?”
“When did you make the payment?”
“Can I see the transaction reference?”
“Which item did you request?”
“What happened after that?”
“What were you told originally?”
Important
Do not ask the customer to repeat information unnecessarily if the business already has it.
If your coworker recorded the issue properly, read the notes before asking the customer to tell the entire story again.
Remember
Listening does not mean agreeing. Listening means understanding before responding.
Quick Check
A customer says she paid yesterday, but you cannot find the payment. What should you do first?