| By definition, handling an escalated call is probably | | | | take the call. You will have two sets of goals, |
| going to be challenging! A call becomes escalated | | | | your ‘Problem’ goals and your |
| for one of two reasons. One reason is that the | | | | ‘People’ goals. Ask yourself, when you |
| issue is complex and the first Customer Care | | | | finish your call, what do you want to have |
| representative does not have the knowledge or | | | | achieved on the ‘Problem’ side? Write this |
| experience to handle this problem. The second | | | | down precisely, not vaguely. Equally, on the |
| situation is where the first call went horribly out of | | | | ‘People’ side, what mood or emotional |
| control, and the Customer is now either | | | | state will the Customer have to be in to agree to |
| demanding a more senior person, or is so out of | | | | your settlement of the problem? How do you |
| control that the first Customer Care | | | | want them to feel about you, the Company, the |
| representative can no longer handle the call. This | | | | solution to the problem and about the way we |
| second scenario is our area of concern. | | | | handle our problems? Write this down too. |
| Control your Assumptions | | | | Now you have clarity on where you want the call |
| Let us look at the first call, before we begin to | | | | to end. The call will not begin there. The call will be |
| approach the second. Your Customer Care Agent | | | | like a journey, where you will guide yourself, the |
| might tell you that this is a really ‘bad’ | | | | Customer and the interaction to this positive |
| Customer, and much stronger words! It is very | | | | outcome. |
| easy to get caught up in this thought, this | | | | Show Concern as you Begin the Call |
| Customer is one of THOSE types! Don’t let | | | | Prepare yourself mentally to take the escalated |
| yourself do this, it is one of the first fatal | | | | call. You want to sound like a confident and strong |
| mistakes in taking an escalated call. | | | | person, one capable of sorting this problem out. |
| Assume that this Customer is a normal human | | | | However, you also want to sound like someone |
| being, who has a problem, and is misbehaving. | | | | who is interested in the Customer and his or her |
| Most people really don’t WANT to misbehave | | | | concerns. |
| – they even resent the fact that they HAVE | | | | Begin the call by giving a good introduction, using |
| to, and they feel that your poor service is forcing | | | | your title and your FULL name. Also send a |
| them in to this bad behaviour. This is a much | | | | positive message in your introduction, such as |
| more healthy assumption for handling an escalated | | | | ‘I am anxious to help’, or ‘I am sure |
| call. It will help take you into to a more PROBLEM | | | | I can sort this out’. |
| SOLVING ZONE, and well away from the | | | | Don’t tell the caller what the problem is – |
| destructive defensive zone. | | | | just give a ‘title’ to the issue so that |
| Equally, in 90 per cent of situations it is actually | | | | they know you have been briefed. Then let the |
| true! Your first Customer Service agent SHOULD | | | | Customer talk. |
| have handled the call without it getting out of | | | | Let the Customer Tell the Story |
| control. In some cases the Customer didn’t | | | | Again, don’t assume the Customer is in the |
| actually have a problem at all. They became irate | | | | same bad mood as they were earlier, they could |
| at the way the first call was handled. Assuming | | | | well have calmed completely in between the 2 |
| that you have person who WANTS to be calm, | | | | calls. Let him tell the story, and show empathy as |
| will help you handle them correctly, and will open | | | | he talks. Wait till you have got the issue from |
| the door to a more positive call. | | | | their side, and then REPEAT it back. Give them a |
| Gather the Evidence | | | | summary of your understanding of the issue. This |
| When your Customer Care representative comes | | | | will reassure the Customer that someone at last |
| to you with a problem call, get all the information | | | | grasps the problem, and they will calm further. |
| very clearly. Encourage your Team Member to | | | | Offer your Solution Positively |
| relate the issue like evidence in a police report, | | | | Then, and only then, will you offer your solution |
| calmly and objectively. Separate the | | | | the problem. The Customer will now listen to you, |
| ‘people’ from the ‘problem’. Get | | | | and will be much more likely to work with you to |
| an understanding of the problem, the impact on | | | | achieve a good solution for both parties. |
| the Customer of this problem and what was | | | | At the end of your solution DON’T LEAVE A |
| offered already to this Customer. | | | | GAP, always ask a closed question to try to get |
| Get an understanding of the mood and attitude of | | | | the caller’s agreement. If you leave a gap, |
| the Customer at the beginning of the first call | | | | they will open the issue again, always close it |
| – and at the end of the call. In getting this you | | | | down. |
| can get an idea of how much damage was done | | | | These few tips and techniques will really help with |
| during the first call. | | | | any escalated call. But, as these are high level call |
| Think of your Goals | | | | handling skills, the real secret is to keep practicing! |
| Now think carefully about your GOALS when you | | | | |