Patience Is Right Response To Customer Complaints
By Kelly Watkins, MBA
Have you ever faced an angry participant, sponsor, or volunteer? Unfortunately, most of you probably have. As a sports event planner, you coordinate many people among diverse groups, so the odds are that you will encounter an upset person from time to time. Some of you have had more than your share.
If you’ve worked as a sports event planner for any length of time, you’ve probably also received an e-mail similar to this one, if not in content at least in tone: “You call yourself a Planner! I participated in the Lucky Ducky Mini-Marathon on Saturday, and you morons ran out of water. It was 100 degrees that day. Can’t you read a weather forecast? You don’t even have to read. It’s just numbers! When the temperature was that hot, why didn’t you idiots have extra water?”
Rather than screaming or pulling out your hair, what’s a more professional way to respond to angry e-mails and complaints? Here are seven steps to follow when replying.
Re-read the message. Is the person really angry, or are you just overreacting? If you determine the person is truly upset, then ignore the tone of the message and examine the complaints. You’ll need these for the next step. Focus on the issues. As you compose your response, focus on the facts. Leave out the emotions. Here is an example: “I’m sorry we ran out of water bottles at station three. When we saw the forecast for 88 degrees, we ordered additional water. The problem occurred when one of our delivery people was called away to assist an injured runner. We delivered the water to the station as soon as we received news and rushed additional water to the next station as well. Finally, we passed out water along the route to all the runners. Again, I am sorry.”
In this example, you could have spitefully pointed out that the temperature was only 88 degrees, not 100. But, that kind of response wouldn’t accomplish anything. Simply state the facts.
Don’t be defensive. It’s okay to defend your position—just don’t sound defensive. Still, you don’t have to be a limp noodle when you explain what happened and why.
Calm wins. Don’t stoop to the other person’s low level by being nasty or contentious. You will only make yourself look bad.
As you’ve probably experienced firsthand, it’s the nasty e-mails that are most often copied to other people. If you respond calmly, it only makes the angry sender look more ridiculous. Think of it as a bumper sticker, “The one who stays the calmest . . . wins!” If you want to look good, stay calm.
Vent in Word. How do you resist the temptation to hit the “reply” button and express how you really feel? Put your thoughts and feelings down in a Microsoft Word or other word-processing document. This is a great coping technique, and it’s a safe one because you can’t accidentally hit the send button too soon. You’ll feel better after you’ve told your poor computer exactly what you think—more importantly, you’ll be better prepared to compose a response that focuses on the facts without the high emotions.
Wait. Once you think you’ve calmed down enough to send a rational reply, is it OK to respond? Not yet. Wait a few more minutes and re-read your reply.
Revise the message. Chances are you’ll want to re-write or revise your response. If you think this is a waste of time, plenty of your event planner colleagues could tell you horror stories about sending e-mails in the heat of the moment. You might even have a few tales of your own.
It’s not always easy to wait and think before you respond, but it is the best way to maintain your professionalism—and to retain your participants, volunteers, sponsors and other event partners.
Take a fun e-mail quiz and preview tips from Kelly Watkins’ newly revised “E-mail Etiquette Made Easy” at www.KeepCustomers.com. (812) 246-2424 or kelly@keepcustomers.com.