Running a cell phone repair business is about providing the best all-around services. As your customers hold the keys to business growth, you need to give your best shot every single time.
However, it’s easier said than done.
Like any other service-based business, a cell phone repair store gets all kinds of customers and requests. You know how to provide repair quotes and schedule appointments, but how do you handle difficult customers?
That’s exactly what we are here to answer.
This article will help your team brush up their skills in dealing with all kinds of customers and learn the best ways to respond to unusual customer requests.
Understanding the Customer
The first step after you greet a customer at your repair store is to listen to their requests carefully. The goal here is to understand what they need and find the best solution for their problem. Considering the scenario where a customer has a phone with water damage or a broken screen, anyone can guess that they won’t be in their best mood.
So, you can expect an unusual customer request because either they won’t be happy with the quote you provide, or the estimated time of repair. In such cases, whether the customer is on the phone or standing in front of you, it’s best to keep your calm. It’s normal for customers to hang up or raise their voices if they are upset, or even leave your shop if they think you’re asking too much for the repair. Although you need experience to keep calm in such situations, it’s important to understand that you can NEVER lose your temper.
Put Yourself in Your Customer’s Shoes
Imagine that it’s your device that is broken, and you want a quick fix without delays or additional costs. You would ideally like the repair store owner to empathize with you, the customer.
So, if a customer is getting loud or panicking, you should speak slowly and calmly. This gives them the impression that the situation is not as bad as it seems. Similarly, your repair shop staff needs to be trained to operate regardless of the customer’s tone.
Find a Quick Solution and Communicate Effectively
Now that you have created a relatively calm environment, you need to provide some kind of assurance to the customer. If you feel that you can’t find a quick solution, communicate it to them. You still need to give them something if you want to return them to your store the next time. You can offer a discount on the repair if the order will take longer than they expect. Or you can offer a discount on accessories if you feel their device needs extra protection after the repair.
These little compensations might do the trick. But with angry customers, you need to go the extra mile. For example, in the case of a time-consuming repair, you should explain the details and let them know why it will take that long. Lastly, it’s a must to follow up after the repair order has been completed. You need to know whether the customer is satisfied with the outcome.
Imagine All Your Customers are Watching
The biggest mistake you can make in an unusual customer scenario is to think that it’s just one customer and you can do as you wish with them. As we all know, business reviews are a big thing in 2024. Negative reviews can change consumer decisions. So one bad customer journey can cause you to lose many other potential leads.
So, you must act like you have your entire customer base in front of you. Even if the customer is asking for something unusual, or being abusive, you need to hang in there. Acknowledging the fact that one bad reaction from you may result in a negative referral allows you to stay calm.
Be Nice, but Hold Your Ground
At a cell phone repair store, you often run into situations where customers start arguing over an order. It can be about the price of parts used, or the time taken to complete the order. Some customers are just not willing to pay the price in the end, which brings us to the dread of chargeback fraud. Most of the time, you don’t even understand why a chargeback happened, let alone try to get the money back.
Dealing with these kinds of customers requires more than just calmness – you also need to stand firm. After all, you shouldn’t be allowing fraudsters to take advantage of you while you are trying to provide good services.
While you are being nice to a seemingly suspicious customer, you still need to stand by your payment policies. For instance, creating a solid ‘terms of service’ statement can help you avoid bad situations. Defined rules allow you to convey your rules to the customers without sounding rude.
Resolve the Request and Follow Up
To resolve unusual requests, you may need to offer compensation in the form of a free repair or a discount. Then, you need to explain to the customer what services you can offer and how much time will be required.
Your efforts, as good as they are, don’t end when a difficult customer leaves. After you’ve handled an unusual request, it’s also important to follow up and ask for feedback. This further stresses that you care about them and elevates the chances of them considering your repair store for their next repair.
Be Prepared for Every Unusual Customer Request
The cell phone repair sector is not for those who don’t evolve with time. You always need to know what’s going on in the market and more importantly, at your repair store. Here, RepairDesk’s inventory management system comes in handy as it keeps you updated with what you have in store. Not only that, the new suggestive upsell feature allows you to upsell accessories relevant to a repair order. So, whenever you’re in a difficult situation, you will have one or two tricks up your sleeve.
