8/22/2024-His email was scalding…eesh!

You possess the magic wand to eliminate your client’s frustration. Save the stamp on the "I’m sorry" Hallmark card; human interaction is the best way to calm your clients. Let them feel heard.

Your company’s execution of the new contract is going great…at least in your eyes.

Oh, but wait. A new email from the buyer just hit…ouch….ummm, okay. He’s ticked off. Actually, he’s piping mad.

Who better than you to take care of it?

Sales superstar and Top 10% charter member Dia Marchionne offers, "When something feels – or is contentious with a client – I push hard to get on the phone to talk it through. A meeting would be optimal, but things won’t calm down unless they are and feel heard."

Buyers sometimes communicate by sending nasty, churlish notes. That’s their prerogative.

Don’t be offended or inflamed. Let it roll off your back.

Dia adds, "Email is a bad conversation tool, so don’t even try to solve a problem by responding to their note."

The next time you have a problem or a miscommunication with a client, put on your big girl / boy pants and invite them to join you on a call or a video chat. It might take a few tries, but it’ll be the best way to use your charm, grace and ears that have gotten you this far.

You’ll inevitably have to deal with frustrated clients at some point in your transactions or relationships. "Stuff" happens.

Don’t panic. These situations are never as bad as the coffee breath that comes out of your manager’s mouth. These situations present opportunities to create deeper understanding and relationships.

When you feel frustrated – or even seething – regarding a service issue or some part of a transaction, what do you want?

You want to know someone’s on it and moving fast to fix it. But mostly, you want to be heard.

So the next time you are in a situation where one of your clients is seething, try opening with this line: "I know you are frustrated, and you have a right to be…tell me about it. What’s going on?"

And then. SILENCE.

Let them talk for as long as they want…the longer they talk, the more they’ll calm down and open the door for you to make it go away.

It will be hard not to say anything, but wait until you know the customer is finished. Like a baby crying itself to sleep, your buyer will calm down and feel heard. Good. The repair work can then begin.

YES, it is hard getting your customers on the line to talk about stuff…and it may be harder when they are hotter than a whistling kettle.

Still…don’t succumb to engaging in an email conversation. Try harder for a real conversation.

Simon Sinek offers insights here on how to have an uncomfortable conversation with your customers. Simon offers some good nuggets here that will help with any difficult convos you need to have in your sales life.