To manage demanding customers, it is essential to master the art of responding to negative communication.
Understanding the pivotal role of empathy in customer service and honing your emotional intelligence (EQ) is not just a skill, it’s a stepping stone to achieving win-win outcomes in both business and life.
This brings us to an important question: Are your customers truly being demanding, or are you feeling frustrated because you struggle to communicate with them on your terms?
Customers don’t benefit from being intentionally troublesome or unreasonable. While interactions can sometimes be challenging due to varying needs, these situations can be managed effectively to create a win-win outcome for both your business and your customers.
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Dealing with difficult people is more straightforward with high emotional intelligence (EQ). EQ develops naturally through life experiences, and like IQ, it can be designed with training and practice.
According to Carl G. Jung, with 16 different personalities, not everyone always gets along. In fact, misunderstandings between people are typical; however, when there appears to be no way forward to reach an agreement, communication can cause tension. What’s worse is that when they are not acknowledged and addressed, i.e., resolved, deeper emotional issues can take hold in some people.
Emotions such as envy, greed, and hatred can motivate negative actions, including shouting at shop assistants in a store or having outbursts on social media.
If that action fails to attract the correct response, it escalates, which, if you are the leader of a mighty nation, could lead to trade wars or, worse, an actual war!
Dealing with difficult people is more straightforward with high emotional intelligence (EQ). EQ develops naturally through life experiences, and like IQ, it can be designed with training and practice.
According to Success.com, there are five surefire ways to develop your IQ. Learn how to recognize patterns by learning new things that use the power of your brain. Work on math skills and engage in regular cardiovascular exercise, i.e., at least 20 minutes daily. Play games with levels, so you must improve your score to progress.
Crosswords, puzzles, and brain teasers also develop your IQ. To work on your EQ at Inc., some straightforward tips include practicing active listening, avoiding reacting off the cuff, choosing to respond in your own time, developing empathy, and focusing on being self-aware while remaining approachable.
Many of us have mastered the art of appearing to listen, when in reality, we’re just waiting for our turn to speak.
Improving your ‘active’ listening skills is crucial. A good way to ensure you’re doing it right is to rephrase what you’ve heard when it’s your turn to respond. Also, pay attention to what’s not being said but communicated through non-verbal cues, such as body language.
Our lizard brain, also known as the dinosaur brain, is the first to act; the ‘fight or flight’ mode can interfere with effective communication.
Your impulse will be to react, prompted by intense emotion; however, you will work better with difficult people when you hold onto that thought or action and choose how and when to respond.
We all do it, react with a quick reply like an SMS message, and afterward regret it, but it’s too late. We can not erase our message. This is where the delete button on the keyboard comes in handy. Use it as often as you want and ‘sleep on i..’
Responding after some time has passed and with clarity will get a better outcome for you and your customer.
Empathy is not the same as sympathy. It demonstrates that you understand another person’s viewpoint, which is a bright and emotionally intelligent approach.
Sympathy is the act of showing pity for another person’s dire circumstances. Empathy is about showing respect and understanding where the person is coming from, i.e., their frame of reference.
Are you the person strangers approach and ask for directions or your recommendations? Sometimes, you may wish you could walk down the street without attention; however, being approachable is part of having a high EQ.
Being sociable and friendly will hone your EQ, and you use your communication skills with every interaction.
Be reflective, too, and consider how you got on in the interaction. Mentally assess what worked and what needs improvement, and look for the opportunity to do it differently in your next connection to achieve a better outcome.
While stress is often inevitable, the power of self-awareness can help you manage it effectively. For instance, when faced with a demanding customer, instead of reacting to their stress, focus on your own emotions and use techniques like deep breathing to alleviate any tension within you.
Take some deep breaths, and you’ll be amazed at how focusing on your inner calm changes your emotional state for a few seconds. With a clear mind, you can get to work helping your customers alleviate their stress, allowing you to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.
Remember, practice makes perfect, and you’ll need to focus on yourself and your EQ development to become the best version of yourself for your business.
To form a ‘practice’ habit, you’ll need self-discipline. Creating a habit takes at least 15 days, but it can take nearly a year.
Healthline states that if a habit becomes automatic, it takes approximately 66 days, which is the good news. Breaking a habit, however, is not easy, and you’ll need to break your habits that conflict with your new habit of practice, so here’s how you can do it.
When you know what you want to achieve, create a plan. To accomplish this, I think of your action plan as your personal roadmap.
Without it, you risk losing your way. What do you envision when you think of being more in control of your actions, thoughts, and behaviors?
Your list should include your life, business, or career goals. These goals serve as the catalyst for change, and your action plan will inspire you to be disciplined and commit to investing time in forming the practice habit.
A fully developed EQ will enable you to manage your communication effectively. Business success relies on customer interaction, so set yourself up to handle challenging customer relationships.
For further reading on self-awareness and mind control, helpguide.org has three MP3 audios of beginner-to-advanced ‘Ride the Wild Horses’ meditations.
