How to handle a customer who insists on speaking to a supervisor/ manager during a support interaction?
speaking to a supervisor
As a customer service agent, you may encounter situations where a customer insists on speaking directly to a supervisor or manager. While this can be challenging, it’s essential to handle such interactions with professionalism and empathy.
There are two options from here: to escalate the call to your manager or handle it on your own. However, the decision could be based on the following factors:
- The company policy: The majority of businesses have procedure guides that address this. Escalation is definitely necessary if the request exceeds your scope of responsibility.
- Your training: Most agents receive training from their managers on how to handle such situations. The best course of action is to proceed as your manager or supervisor trained you to.
- Level of customer frustration: If the frustration is relatively low, the representative can focus on active listening, problem-solving, and finding a resolution independently. However, if the frustration is high and the customer is adamant about speaking to a supervisor or manager, it may be necessary to involve higher-level authority to address their concerns effectively.
To manage this encounter, there are 2 ways:
Resolving the Issue Independently
So here’s the situation: A customer calls you and either asks to speak to a supervisor right away, or becomes agitated while on the phone with you and wants to speak to your supervisor. Say something similar to the following “I completely understand your desire to speak with my manager. It’s important to me to fully address your concerns and find the right solution.” By saying this, you are acknowledging that there is a real issue at hand and their apparent need for another perspective.
Finding a way to agree with the customer and keeping your language non-inflammatory are two excellent ways to promote calm in such an event.
You can now reframe the case by saying something like, “I’m in this position to fix problems for customers, that’s what I do. Will you grant me a chance to look into the matter and try to fix this?” By doing this, you are changing the focus from speaking with a supervisor to having them work with you.
Now add the following comment every time: “Now if I can’t fix this for you, I’ll connect you with someone who can then.” By doing this, you are effectively suggesting to the customers, “If I can’t help you, I will transfer your case to a supervisor.” This is a fair enough approach for them.
In this way, you could de-escalate the tense situation. You might be astonished by how many customers will let you assist them.
Escalating the Call to the Superior
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, the customer may still insist on speaking to a supervisor or manager. In such cases, it’s crucial to handle the transition smoothly.
Inform the customer that you understand their request and explain the process for involving a supervisor or manager. Assure them that you will convey the details of the interaction accurately to ensure a seamless transition.
When passing the customer to a higher authority, provide a brief summary of the situation and any steps you have already taken. This information will help the supervisor or manager address the issue promptly and demonstrate a united front in resolving the customer’s concern.
After the interaction, take the opportunity to debrief with your supervisor or manager. Discuss the situation, seek guidance on how to improve, and learn from the experience.
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With there being 3.5 billion smartphone users in the world, mobile becomes one of the key elements of an omnichannel strategy. With the addition of hundreds of millions of users in a month, it makes sense for a customer to seek support on their mobile devices too.
According to a study conducted by SuperOffice, 90% of customers stated their customer service experience on mobile was negative and 52% of customers said that a poor mobile experience makes them less inclined to the brand. To improve on this factor, make it easier for your customer to navigate and get support. The top complaint of customers for customer service on a mobile site was “difficult to navigate”.
With there being 3.5 billion smartphone users in the world, mobile becomes one of the key elements of an omnichannel strategy. With the addition of hundreds of millions of users in a month, it makes sense for a customer to seek support on their mobile devices too.
According to a study conducted by SuperOffice, 90% of customers stated their customer service experience on mobile was negative and 52% of customers said that a poor mobile experience makes them less inclined to the brand. To improve on this factor, make it easier for your customer to navigate and get support. The top complaint of customers for customer service on a mobile site was “difficult to navigate”.