**Building Trust: 7 Tips for Softening Up Tough Customers**

When you encounter a tough customer, your first reaction may be to think their crusty demeanor is about you.  It isn’t.  There is a very high probability that what you see and feel is a reflection of their past experiences with other, disappointing service providers.  How can you let them know that you and your company are different?

Finding a way to develop a solid relationship with customers is essential. This becomes increasingly challenging when customers have had negative experiences in the past, leading to a hardened, cynical demeanor. I’ll share seven proven strategies to professionally and respectfully soften tough customers and gradually build a robust, trust-based relationship, one that will turn them into clients:

• Understand their unique concerns. People become cynical due to past disappointments so it’s essential to empathize and understand their pain points. Asking thoughtful, open-ended questions will provide valuable insight into the root cause of their concerns. This demonstrates that you value their opinions and also helps you understand their specific needs. Active listening involves hearing what they say and also being aware of what they don’t say; expressing sincere interest will reveal genuine insights.

• Communicate clearly and honestly. Transparency is key when dealing with skeptical customers. Clearly explaining the process, costs, potential risks, and expected benefits of your service will help eliminate fear of the unknown. Honesty goes a long way in establishing trust. Avoid making unrealistic promises; instead set manageable expectations.

• Offer exceptional service. If a customer has been taken advantage of in the past, they’ll likely appreciate outstanding service even more. Explaining how you will provide reliable, personalized, and efficient service helps reassure them that their experience with you will be different. By demonstrating that you are committed to their satisfaction, it becomes possible to dissipate their initial cynicism.

• Provide proof of trustworthiness. Sharing testimonials, case studies, or reviews from satisfied customers can help build trust. Evidence of your integrity and competence can reassure the cynical customer that they will not experience a repeat of past negative experiences. Use these to differentiate your service but never to boast.

• Be patient. Trust cannot be built overnight. A customer’s skepticism won’t disappear after one positive encounter. Consistent, reliable, and respectful service over time will gradually help to lower their defenses. Trust is cumulative.

• Follow up and follow through. Consistently staying in touch with the customer will make them feel valued. It’s the service after the sale that customers remember. Delivering on your promises demonstrates that they can count on your word, steadily reinforcing their trust in you.

• Admit mistakes and resolve issues swiftly. Even the most attentive businesses occasionally make mistakes and experience service failures. When these occur, promptly acknowledging the mistake and taking corrective action to resolve it can turn a potential crisis into a trust-building opportunity. Owning the outcomes shows customers that you value them more than your ego, further building their confidence in you.

Dealing with cynical customers does pose special challenges, but it also creates an opportunity. By understanding their concerns, communicating honestly, offering exceptional service, and showing consistent reliability, you can soften their defenses. This process takes time, but it is a worthwhile investment, since a trusting customer relationship is an invaluable asset. Your ultimate goal is to convert their cynicism into confidence, turning a tough customer into a loyal client.

Tempus Maximize!