b'Headline St oryHow t o Work Through ClientConf lict s By Ted JanuszHave you ever had an upset customer? Takecustomer displaying ?emotional? behaviors? If not, they are heart, we all have. Surprisingly, studies showprobably an Analytical. However, if the answer is yes, they are likely that 96 percent of dissatisfied clients don?tan Amiable or an Associator. What?s the difference? Amiables want complain. At least not to you. their personal point of view to be taken into consideration while Studies also show that of the customers who doAssociators like to entertain, joke, and chat.complain, between 54 and 70 percent will doHow to Handle Each of the Four Personalitiesbusiness again with the organization if theThe Analytical is process-oriented. Their mantra is, the authors complaint is resolved. The figure soars to anstate:Take the time to fully explain the resolution steps and allow me to incredible 95 percent if the client feels that thetalk.complaint was resolved quickly.In addition, if you handle your customer?sRemember: Do not interrupt-Explain the process to resolve the situation when they complain using theissue-Slow down the pace of the conversationinsights in this article, not only might you keep that client but you may also be able to turn them into a customer evangelist for your company. Be sure to demonstrate: Good listening skills ? Thoroughness ?ClarityWord-of-mouth is the most effective form of marketing for your business,The Amiable is empathy-oriented. They request that you, ?Understand since up to 80 percent of consumer choices are the result of personalhow I feel and take a sympathetic approach to resolve it.?recommendations, from family, friends, or online resources. Remember: Call me by my name-Assure me that my issue will be ?Treat Me the Way I Want to Be Treated? resolved-Show how you are personally involved.One of the ways to provide great customer service is throughBe sure to demonstrate: Empathy?Patience?Understanding?Sincerity?personality-based issue resolution,? as discussed by Matthew Dixon,The Administrator is results-oriented. They demand,?Don?t spend time Nick Toman and Rick Delisi in their book The Effortless Experience. on unnecessary details, just resolve my issue!? Or as my father-in-law, Mr. Administrator Extraordinaire, asserts,?Answer the question asked!?The authors relay the results of the efforts of Bradford & Bingley, a United Kingdom-based financial services firm, which reported a 20Remember: Directly address my issue-Speed up the pace of the percent increase in ?willingness to recommend? and a 40 percentconversation-Provide a clear timetable for results.decrease in repeat customer calls after using this approach. Be sure to demonstrate: Confidence-Your ownership of the issue- A It?s a process that allows you to make an educated guess about the?can do? attitude.personality profile of any customer,typically within no more than thirty to sixty seconds. The Associator is social-oriented. They will eventually get around to telling you,?Treat me like a person; don?t provide me with generic The four basic profiles of customers (and the names I have assignedanswers.?them):Remember: Maintain an informal tone-Do not provide scripted 1. The Analytical, who needs to analyze and understand answers-Mention personal information, if appropriate.2. The Amiable, who leads with their emotional needs3. The Administrator, who just wants what they want, when they wantEmploy the Platinum Ruleit The key to resolving customer issues is the Platinum Rule: ?Treat your 4. The Associator, who loves to talk and show off their personality customers the way they would like to be treated, not necessarily the way that you would like to be treated.? The faster and better you are able to The best part, say Dixon, Toman and Delisi, is that the process onlyemploy the Platinum Rule, the more issues you will be able to resolve requires you to ask no more than three questions in your quest toand the more customers you will be able to retain.determine the personality of your customer:Do you see yourself or your employees in one (or more) of these four 1. Is the customer?s issue complex? personality styles? Why wait until you have conflicts in the office to If no, you do not need to continue the diagnosis process. If theemploy a personality-based process to more effectively deal with others? customer?s issue can be resolved quickly and easily, there is really noBe proactive! You and your employees can take a free personality-based need to do anything besides be courteous and professional. In fact,assessment at www.personalityperfect.com. Once you get the results, for simple-issue situations, treat all customers asAdministrators?discuss how you can improve interactions both within the office and just get them what they need as quickly politely as possible. But ifwith your customers.the customer?s issues a complex one (such as a billing dispute), the authors advise to listen carefully to the words the customer uses to describe their issue. Continue with these questions ?2. Is the customer issuing clear directives? If the answer is yes, then the customer is likely an Administrator. No need to further determine their personality, just promptly and concisely answer the customer.3. But if the answer is ?no,? then ask the third and final question: Is the www.ohiomasonry.org 5'