Not every customer is ready to chat with the operator, and not all problems have an alternative solution, but the result is worth trying.
The Canadian company LoyaltyOne conducted an internal study of this technique: a group of employees talked to customers asking additional questions and offering alternatives. The second group served customers in an old-fashioned way. The first group showed an excellent result:
- The customer care score is higher by 11%.
- The share of the problems solved since the first inquiry is 7% higher.
- The duration of the call has decreased.
The last fact was a surprise for the company. At first glance, additional questions should increase the duration of the conversation, not reduce it. But a few paragraphs earlier, we talked about the fact that when a customer does not get what he wants, he starts long emotional discussions or makes repeated calls. A few questions will save you from arguments and disputes and, in the end, help finish the conversation faster and without irritation.
So, remember three key points when choosing an alternative for the customer:
1. Do not rush to say NO.
2. Do not make excuses explaining why you cannot offer what the customer asks.
3. The customer may not know how to solve the problem better.
It's your job.
The highest proficiency is to find and offer an alternative solution even before you say "we cannot" to the customer. When writing the article, I used the book " The Effortless Experience: Conquering the New Battleground for Customer Loyalty" by Rick Delisi, Matthew Dickson, and Nick Thomas