Be a straight "A" communicator

Here is a formula for effectively communicating with unhappy prospects and customers. To defuse a tense situation employ the "Four A's".

1. Acknowledge--Let the customer know that you have heard their concerns. This satisfies the basic human need to be respected and lets them know they do not have to escalate their behavior to get your attention
2. Appreciate--Thank them for bringing the issue to your attention and let them know you value their business. Most important let them know you appreciate them on a human level.
3. Affirm--You should let the person know you can see their point of view. That you are taking their proposed solutions seriously.
4. Assure--Commit to resolving the customer's problem. Take personal responsibility for remedying the situation and give the customer your personal contact information. Let the customer know precisely what you intend to do and give them a timeline for completing your plan.

This is good advice for handling customer service problems and sales objections.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch