How would you handle a customer who strongly disagrees with a Navy Federal Credit Union policy?
Part of working in a highly customer-service-driven environment is serving members when they are unhappy. Some critical steps to handling customer disputes with care include empathy, patience, asking questions, and actively listening to their grievances. Once you've heard them, and mirrored to them what they are communicating, apologize for the situational circumstances that may have led them to their grievance. Follow this up with empathy and an assertion that you'll do everything you can to help them while maintaining your level of emotional maturity. You can explain the situation from the credit union's perspective. Tell the customer why the policy they are complaining about is in place, see what reasonable accommodations you can offer, and take every measure to respectfully handle the situation on your own before escalating to a supervisor. You want to take every action to retain member loyalty while protecting the company's assets.
"I have a lot of customer dispute training, which has given me some thick skin when it comes to challenging situations. I know that bank policy can seem convoluted at times, difficult to understand, or even frustrating, so I empathize with customers who are upset over policy. I take the time to review policy in easy-to-understand language. It's also important to unpack their need. Usually, I can find a solution, or at least a work-around that satisfies the customer."
"If I cannot seem to calm a customer down due to a policy, I will straight out ask them what I can do, aside from change policy, to make them happy. Often it isn't the policy itself but that the customer feels stuck in some way. When the customer knows I am willing to rectify the situation, they are more likely to level with me."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
First, always remain calm when dealing with an angry customer. Restating what they are not agreeing with so they feel heard and understand you are listening. Then I would try to explain why the policy is in place in better terms for them to understand. Also, trying to empathize with them even if I don't necessarily agree with them can help cool off a heated customer.
Chad's Feedback
Remaining calm, communicating clearly, and empathizing with the customer are all critical steps to customer dispute resolution. Great job! Next, demonstrate your customer service skills in action by including a personal example of a time in your career when you were able to use this approach to successfully resolve a customer policy complaint.
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