Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/376303
20 Cover Story If you hit a snag and risk falling behind, let the customer know. If the repair is going to cost more than estimated, let the customer know. Get approval on each step before moving forward on your path. And if your customer has concerns at any point, or re- escalates the confl ict when trouble occurs, go back and discuss it, Voyles says. One confl ict is bad enough, but angering a customer while working toward a solution puts you at risk of losing that cus- tomer forever. "Sometimes you have to start peeling back the onion," Mulshine says. "You have to go through the bill one line at a time" until you fi nd the exact source of their concern. And just like Steps 1 and 2, document everything. There are business systems available in today's market that will automatically send updates to customers (through their preferred method of communication) when you update their repair order, assuring them that the job is moving forward as planned. "When customers realize that data is available their eyes light up," Riemer says. Also make sure copies of your records are provided to the customer at the conclusion of the confl ict. Proof of your efforts reduces the likelihood of another callback. Don't close the book on a confl ict when a customer leaves. Calhoun believes the most important step in manag- ing confl icts in your business is what you do immediately afterward. Taking time to evaluate your team's performance during a confl ict can improve your responses in future confl icts. "That component is absolutely critical and yet it's so hard to do," says Calhoun. "When a customer leaves there's a natu- ral feeling to say 'Whew, glad that's over,' but it is absolutely imperative if you are looking for improvement that you look at why things went south. "You have to ask, 'Was [the confl ict] actually resolved, or is it just over?' There is a difference." "If you don't know where you're making mistakes you're go- ing to make them again," adds Williams, who notes employees should be encouraged to actively participate in these discus- sions. They are on the front lines and have the most experience operating your confl ict resolution strategy. Allowing them to make changes when necessary will empower them when the next confl ict comes along, he says. Any changes made to your resolution strategy should be communicated to other staff members as well. "You have to give your people the tools to be successful," Williams says. Follow up discussions also allow you to reduce the risk of related confl icts moving forward, says Voyles. Addressing a problem your team made can get them back on the right track before one mistake leads to a trend. "Nobody in the service provider business is perfect. Nobody gets it right every time," he says. "You're going to have some sort of confl ict almost every day. But if you are willing to learn from those confl icts you can build a stronger business." T R U C K P A R T S & S E R V I C E | S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 4 While this article addresses what you need to do during a confl ict, it's likely you personally aren't the point of contact for every customer complaint. That's OK. Trying to manage every customer complaint and confl ict on your own would be a poor use of your time. A better way to deal with confl ict is empower your employees to fol- low a resolution strategy you've installed in your business. If you can create a hierarchy of confl ict scenarios, and instruct your team as to when you or other management need to be briefed on a complaint, you can signifi cantly improve your resolution time. "What empowerment does for morale and your business as a whole is so important," says Kenneth Calhoun, vice president of customer relations at Truck Centers of Arkansas. "When you start empowering people to make decisions on their own, you don't have to be a full-time fi refi ghter." Empower your employees Keeping a customer informed of how you plan to resolve his problem is a good way to get them back on your side, and keep them when the confl ict is resolved.