TYPES OF DIFFICULT
CUSTOMERS
Sales and Advertising
ARGUMENTATIVE
• The customer
– Questions
– Disagrees
– Take issues which an
employee makes
– Always looking for
errors or mistakes
– Quick tempered
– Typically slow in
making decisions
How To Sell To Argumentative Al
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•
•
•
•
•
Practice self-control
Use merchandise knowledge
Sell benefits, features
Do not push a decision
Give logical explanations
Customer needs more information
COMPLAINING/HARD TO
PLEASE
• The customer
– Thinks everything is
wrong
– No matter what the
employee does it is
wrong
– Tries to get employee
to take side against
the company
– Passes judgment on
everything
How To Please Hard To Please
Hazel
•
•
•
•
Listen
Stress Product Knowledge
Let them feel they have made the decision
Don’t push the sale!
IRRITABLE/MOODY
• The customer is
– Irritable
– Moody
– Unpredictable
– Smiling and happy
one day but hardly
speaking the next
Tips To Handle The Irritable
Irma
•
•
•
•
•
•
Offer a place to rest if possible
Lower your voice
Slow one’s physical action
Do not argue
Practice empathy, consideration
Listen
INSULTING/SNOBBISH
• These customers are typically:
–
–
–
–
–
Rude
Loud
Rough
May bluff and swear
Are always ready to take advantage of a
situation
How To Sell Snobish Sylvia
•
•
•
•
•
Do not be offended by this customer
Quiet dignity is needed by a salesperson
Be very pleasant
Appeal to exclusiveness
Make them feel special
IMPATIENT
• These customers:
– Expect immediate
service without
regard
– Indicate through
actions, body
language, and facial
expressions that
they cannot wait
How to Deal with Impatient Ida
•
•
•
•
•
Acknowledge that they need help
Calm them down
Get another salesperson to help them
Suggest an alternative option
Bottom Line = Get them in and out quickly!
LEAVE –ME – ALONE/JUST
LOOKING
• These customers usually
– Let salespeople know
right away they don’t
need help
– Prefer making their
own decisions
– May lack information
which is needed to
make buying decisions
How to Deal With Looking Lucille
•
•
•
•
Do not preasure or ride this customer
Stand at a distance
Watch for shoplifting
Inform customer that you will be near if
he/she needs help
DOMINEERING/SUPERIOR
KNOW IT ALL CUSTOMERS
• These difficult customers can be:
– Overbearing
– Have all the answers and opinion on the
subject
– Overly self-confident
– Very talkative
– Pushy
– Think that they are always right
Know-it-all Nancy
•
•
•
•
Let customer do the talking
Will sell himself/herself if handled properly
Let customer’s opinion stand, if acceptable
Don’t argue with customer
Cut-the-Price/Thrifty Customers
•
•
•
•
•
Focus is on saving money
Looking for the best deal
Want to feel they are getting a good deal
Some like to bargain
Often will try to find fault with product to
get to lower price
Cut-the-Price Carol
•
•
•
•
•
•
Explain store policy
Guarantee
Store Services
One price to all customers
Fair trade items
Be friendly and firm
SUSPICIOUS
• These customers:
– Doubt everything
– Look for tricks on your
part by asking silly
questions
– Insecure
– Want facts or proof to
support what employee
tells them
– Hard to help but can
become most loyal
customer
SLOW/METHODICAL
• These customers:
– Are easy to handle but take
lots of time
– Silent customer
• Shy, insecure
• Reluctant to ask questions
– Indecisive
•
•
•
•
Insecure
Make several visits
May lack knowledge
Changes mind often
DISHONEST
• These customers:
– Hard to identify
– Always trying to take advantage
of employees
– Do not pay for products
– Purchase goods – use them – and
return them
– Switch or alter prices
– Damage goods and then ask for
discounts