Emotional Value

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APPENDIX EEIGHT-STEP GIFT FORMULA

1. Say “Thank you.” Don’t think about whether customers have a legitimate complaint or not. Just consider the complaint valuable information—a gift. We need to create immediate rapport with our customers and we need to meet them on their ground. There is no better way to make someone feel welcome than to say “Thank you.”
2. Explain why you appreciate the feedback. “Thank you” by itself can sound empty. You need to qualify it by saying something about how hearing the complaint will allow you to better address the problem. “Thank you for telling me. It gives me a chance to fix it for you.”
3. Apologize for the mistake. You create more powerful rapport with customers by saying, “Thank you. I appreciate your telling ...