{"id":22462,"date":"2024-07-15T11:00:09","date_gmt":"2024-07-15T09:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diariodiunconsulente.it\/?p=22462"},"modified":"2024-12-19T21:10:17","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T20:10:17","slug":"problem-solving-and-customer-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diariodiunconsulente.it\/en\/2024\/07\/15\/problem-solving-and-customer-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Problem Solving and Customer Care: what to do when a customer has a problem"},"content":{"rendered":"

by\u00a0Alice Alessandri<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

You know the meme \u201cit\u2019s a dirty job, but somebody\u2019s got to do it\u201d, right? This sentence seems tailor-made for anyone dealing with customer care<\/b>. Their job can really be very hard as they have to often manage angry customers<\/b>, but it is also essential. After all, who would trust a company or organisation which, after you purchase a product or service, is unable to offer assistance <\/b>or solve problems<\/b>? The way problems are solved<\/b> has a direct impact on customer satisfaction<\/b>, which in turn affects the reputation <\/b>and the success <\/b>of the business. Considering everything boils down to problem solving<\/b>, let\u2019s try to understand what it is and how we can improve our attitude towards it<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What Problem Solving means<\/span><\/h2>\n

Problem solving <\/b>is a set of techniques and tools used to solve problems<\/b>. Having a method<\/b> when facing critical situations is important because it allows you to react promptly<\/b>, find solutions more quickly <\/b>and with less effort<\/b>, repeatedly make use of good practices<\/b>, understand mistakes<\/b> so as to avoid repeating them, but also collaborate <\/b>more easily, which contributes to establishing a work culture based on mutual help and support.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are actually many different problems that can occur in a variety of contexts, so talking about a single method to deal with problem solving <\/b>is impossible. Many different techniques have been developed and codified by psychologists, business management experts, designers and so forth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Within this variety of approaches, what is certain is that having a method <\/b>guarantees efficiency<\/b><\/span>. We will be focusing on problem solving <\/b>dedicated to customer care<\/b><\/span>, and to simplify, we divided it into 3 stages<\/b>, the first of which is dedicated to understanding the problem itself. Indeed, at times, understanding the problem is harder than fixing it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Problem
Problem solving scheme \u00a9Passodue<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1st<\/sup><\/span> stage: analysing the problem<\/span><\/h2>\n

For a customer<\/b>, a supplier<\/b>, or a colleague<\/b>, a problem is something that prevents <\/b>them from achieving the goal they had in mind. When facing a difficulty, each of them has a particular expectation <\/b>of how things should pan out. When they explain the problem, they will tend to present expected solutions <\/b>rather than focusing on what really happened. Failing to present the solutions they were expecting might be cause for disappointment in the short<\/b> term, but let\u2019s not forget that full customer satisfaction is achieved only if the offered solution is effective and reliable<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, in order to make an informed decision, we need to achieve an accurate understanding of \u201cwhat\u201d happened and \u201cwhat\u201d is being prevented from happening, i.e., the other party\u2019s final goal<\/b>, <\/b>and not just \u201chow\u201d they want to fix the issue.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Let\u2019s remember that <\/i>frustration<\/i><\/b> stemming from a difficulty can result in <\/i>anger<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/a> or fear, which often turn into aggressive behaviours.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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This is perfectly natural, and it forces us to analyse the occurrence not only from a technical point of view<\/b>, but also in terms of relations<\/b><\/span>. We need to ask ourselves in what emotional state <\/b>the client is and what was the event that triggered their reaction. In any case, the biggest mistake we can make in this phase is to react impulsively without having the right information and draw hasty conclusions instead of taking the time to fully understand the problem.<\/span><\/p>\n

But what can we do if the customer is the one who immediately proposes solutions?<\/span> We can, of course, listen to their suggestions (we might need them later), but remember that you are in charge of guiding the problem-solving <\/b>process, making sure that you spend as much time as possible in the analysis phase, which after all is also the most time-consuming and demanding. Try asking questions<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n