Page 92 - Delivering Authentic Customer Experiences

Principle 6 Delivering Authentic Customer Experiences

personally and get dragged into a battle that you want to win at
all costs. Be prepared to let go of what isn’t working or will not
work and focus on what will.

Step 2
Acknowledge them and be aware of their state. Listen and allow
them to vent their anger if they need to as this can help diffuse
the situation. Ask an open question to ascertain the nature and
extent of their problem e.g. Tell me what’s happened to make you
so unhappy/angry/frustrated? It’s important you only use the
words they’ve used, so if they say they’re angry, use that word, or
you’ll be in danger of being told you’re not listening right at the
start of the interaction.

Listen with empathy, without interruption and without preparing
your reply. Their story may not be your reality, but it is theirs and
therefore, you must acknowledge their position. It’s important
you show real interest in their complaint. Truly listening to them
will make them feel important and demonstrate that you really
care about what they think. Asking if they mind you taking notes,
can help show your genuine interest.

Step 3
People can often talk a lot without getting to the real issue, so use
probing questions to find out exactly what is wrong and how they
feel about it. When you feel you have got to the root cause,
summarise your understanding so you can both agree the main
issue/s.

Step 4
Any negotiation is easier if you know the other party’s desired
outcome, so the best approach is to ask the customer what they

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