Tricky customers are a part of business that just won’t go away, whether you like it or not. In fact, would the world of business really be the same without tricky customers? No, is the answer. Tricky customers always have and probably always will played a part in the world of business and they actually help to shape it. So, there’s no point in trying to deny the fact that your business will come across or up against a tricky customer from to time to time. What you can do, however, is get your business ready to be able to deal with these types of customers. For advice on how to do just that, make sure to read on.
When it comes to angry confrontations, just stay professional
Staying professional is key when it comes to angry confrontations with customers, and it is key for more reasons that you may think.
Of course, the main reason for staying professional during a heated affair with a customer is to try to save custom for your business. By losing your professionalism and then subsequently snapping at the customer you make it far easier for them to leave your business, taking their custom and money with them. But, there is another reason as to why staying professional is a must during customer arguments: it helps you to protect your own wellbeing, too. By remaining professional throughout an angry tirade from a customer you give yourself the chance to feel personally distanced from the situation, and thus make it less likely that you, yourself will become offended by what the customer says. You see, when you lose your professionalism and become too invested in an argument with a customer you make it far more likely that you will feel offended or personally attacked, and subsequently you may end up taking this feeling home with you.
In order to remain professional during this hard time just remember to keep a control of yourself; remember to allow the customer the chance to vent; remember to respond when necessary to show them that you are listening; and remember to never blame anybody or anything: not the customer as this will anger them or not your business, either, as this would be admitting defeat and accepting a loss of custom and possibly even negative publicity.
Outsource the job of chasing rogue invoices
Sometimes, customers aren’t just tricky in the fact that they cause problems when you are face-to-face with them. No, sometimes customers can be tricky from afar; one such example of this is when a customer decides they won’t be paying you for your services and subsequently their invoice becomes somewhat rouge and a bit of a runaway. Sometimes, for whatever reason, customers will just not pay you the money that they do rightfully and lawfully owe you. But, you can get some help when it comes to dealing with this particular type of tricky customer — this help comes from invoice finance companies. These companies, otherwise known as factors, take it upon themselves to chase up any rogue invoices that you need payment for, meaning you get the money you are owed when you need it and don’t need to waste valuable effort and time in doing this chasing.
Customers always have been and always will be tricky. But, in order to be successful, you shouldn’t avoid these types of customers — no, you should embrace them.
