COMMUNICATION
DE-ESCALATION MANAGING CUSTOMERS AND DE-ESCALATION
When and why does a situation need to be de-escalated? When customers voice a concern or complaint, sometimes they can come across as intense when sharing their feelings and perspective. It is important that PRCS employees practice emotional control and attempt to de-escalate those situations.
Assess the situation for safety. Are there any immediate safety concerns? Breathe, establish and maintain eye contact, and relax your stance. Customers will respond best when they feel comfortable. Stay calm and try to remain diplomatic and polite, don’t interrupt. Control tone and volume when communicating. Thank the person for raising the concern and do so sincerely. Emphasize the importance of satisfied customers to you and your organization. Actively listen to learn rather than just preparing your response. Practice patience with the customer and yourself, don't respond too quickly. Establish common ground to show the customer you are listening. Affirm your presence in the conversation by engaging physically through non-verbal expressions. Always show a willingness to resolve the problem or conflict. Make the resolution seem as easy as possible. Be firm but understanding with your answers, keep from citing policies for reasoning. “It’s our policy” only escalates things. As a last resort, offer to have your supervisor talk to the customer. Your supervisor may say the same things as you, but sometimes hearing it from someone else has a positive impact on the customer. TIPS FOR DE-ESCALATION
PHRASES FOR DE-ESCALATION
“I would like to understand more about the situation and your perspective.” "I see how frustrating this must be for you." "I can see why you're upset about this." "It sounds like this has been a really challenging situation for you." "I'm sorry to hear that you're feeling this way." "Thank you for sharing that with me." "I understand that this is not the outcome you were hoping for, and I'm sorry for any inconvenience it may cause." "If you need a few minutes before continuing, you can certainly call us back." "I understand you're upset, but I kindly ask that you refrain from using inappropriate language during our conversation." "I am happy to help you, but I ask that you speak to me respectfully." "I understand that you're requesting to speak with a manager. Do you mind if I try to help you first?" "I have a few suggestions to help resolve this issue." "Would you be open to exploring some alternative solutions?" "We have a few options available to meet your needs." "I'd like to present some potential solutions for your consideration.
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