Cost of choices

Whether we like it or not, these feelings are in all of us. What we can do is to be aware of them and try to work with them. The tricky part is that this "work through your feelings and come across in a relatable way" needs to happen within miliseconds.

None of us are brilliant at this all the time. We try, we fail, we adjust and we learn.

This is your opportunity.

Maybe we cannot change what happens inside us when someone is fuming at us across the counter. And understanding it will help change how we show up next time.

Here is the thing though: Knowing all of this does not change what happens when things go wrong. This is not about putting more pressure on you. It is about being aware and conscious of ourselves and what is at stake.

Because, when someone is fuming at you, your brain reads it as a threat. Not a customer complaint. An actual threat. So it sends signals designed to help you fight or run. Neither of those is useful for anyone dealing with customers.

And all responses come with its own cost.

Download and study this handout

Use it in your conversations with your colleagues. Keep in mind while interacting with customers.

All you need to remember is this:

A difficult moment handled well does the exact opposite of all of this. The customer who came in fuming and left feeling heard? They come back. They tell people. Your confidence increases and the next fuming customer doesn't seem that threatening any more.