Inform without Arguing

As you’ve no doubt observed, the customer is not always right. However, the customer is always the customer. So, when customers sometimes have their facts wrong you need to be able to correct them without being argumentative. That’s when Ron Willingham’s popular feel, felt, found formula is so effective. The way it works is when a customer says something you disagree with, you reply along the lines of, “I understand how you feel. Other customers have felt the same way. And what they eventually found was (based on this new fact or information that you’re introducing)…” Essentially, you’re starting your response by validating their concerns and showing empathy. That demonstrates to customers that you’re not becoming defensive or dismissive. Then, you introduce new information the customer may not be aware of. We can indeed reduce customer conflicts. The trick is to disagree without being disagreeable.