Good negotiators have mastered the skill of pacing others. They mirror the verbal expression or body language of the person they're talking to, and this pacing helps them create rapport and puts them in the best position to influence the outcome. 

You can use pacing to influence the outcome of inte...

In this video, I'll show you how to assert yourself with your approach and your vocal tone, so customers take you seriously and accept your word as final. 

Assertiveness is to:

Say what you mean.

Mean what you say.

Don't be mean when you say it.

Assertive Tone

It's important that cust...

When you can't solve the customer's issue immediately, how do you move the conversation forward and to closure? 

One of the most challenging interactions you'll have with customers is when you can't do what they want - when you must deny a request, say no, or can't give a solution at that moment. 

What is Aikido?

It can be challenging to remain calm and composed when dealing with an angry customer. We often turn to the traditional approach of using logic and reason to try and resolve the situation. You might have yet to hear about an alternative strategy: conversational Aikido.

Aikido is a ...

One of the most challenging aspects of customer service is dealing with angry and upset customers. Often, these situations can escalate quickly, leading to negative consequences for both the customer and the company. This article will explore customer service de-escalation techniques to help you sou...

Use Partnering Language to Create Calm and De-escalate Intense Interactions (Especially now, when customers are panicked) 

When a customer reaches out to you about a problem, they usually don’t think things will be easy. They expect to have to push for what they want.

To customers, it’s t...

A lot of the time, when a customer uses profanity or yells, they're baiting you. They have the upper hand if they can throw you off, ge...

Here's a transparent and great question from one of my subscribers.

Question

How do I keep calm and maintain the right tone when a caller uses foul language and puts me on the defensive?

My answer 

First, it's entirely normal to feel defensive when we're disrespected. I love that you're aw...

As a seasoned professional in any industry, you've likely encountered your fair share of difficult customers. These challenging interactions can overwhelm you, frustrated, and sometimes downright exhausted. However, handling a difficult customer is a crucial skill for success in any customer-facing ...

It can be emotionally draining to deal with challenging customer interactions. I cannot overstate the importance of debriefing and decompressing after a difficult interaction. Here are my suggestions for leaders and frontline employees on how to process and learn from these experiences:

For lead...

Introduction to Handling Upset Customers

One of the most challenging aspects of customer service is dealing with upset customers. Customers can become frustrated and even angry if they have received a faulty product, poor service, or misunderstood a company policy. As a customer service representat...