Emily a customer service representative receives a complaint from the customer about a delayed delivery. The customer is angry and frustrated. How could Emily use active listening skills to resolve the issue?

Answer 1

Emily can effectively use active listening skills to defuse the situation and address the customer's concerns about the delayed delivery by following these steps:

1. Pay Attention: Emily should focus entirely on the customer without distractions. This means putting away her phone or other materials and maintaining eye contact (if in person) or a warm tone of voice (if on the phone).

2. Show That She's Listening: She can use nonverbal cues such as nodding to show understanding and encourage the customer to express their feelings. If speaking on the phone, verbal acknowledgments like "I understand" can convey her engagement.

3. Provide Feedback: After the customer has expressed their frustration, Emily can paraphrase what the customer has said to confirm her understanding. For example, she might say, "I hear that your delivery has been delayed and that this has caused you a lot of frustration. I can imagine how disappointing that must be."

4. Ask Clarifying Questions: If there are any ambiguities, she should ask open-ended questions to gather more details. For example, "Can you tell me when you expected the delivery?" This encourages the customer to provide additional context.

5. Empathize: She should express empathy and validate the customer’s feelings. Phrases like, "I completely understand why you're upset. This is not the experience we want for our customers," can help the customer feel heard and understood.

6. Summarize the Issue: Once the customer has completed their account, Emily should summarize the situation to show she understands the issue and its impact. For example, "So, to summarize, your order was supposed to arrive last week, and it hasn’t shown up yet, which has caused a lot of inconvenience for you."

7. Offer Solutions: Emily should then transition to problem-solving. She can say something like, "Let’s see how I can help resolve this for you. Would you like me to track the order or provide a new expected delivery date?"

8. Follow Up: After providing a solution, Emily should reassure the customer by letting them know she will follow up to ensure the issue is resolved. For instance, "I will check back with you in two days to make sure your delivery has been resolved."

By employing these active listening skills, Emily can constructively address the customer’s complaint, demonstrate genuine concern, and work towards a resolution that satisfies the customer.