HOW TO DELIVER BAD NEWS TO YOUR CUSTOMER

Stuff happens. Things don’t always go as planned and that means you’ll need to deliver bad

news to your clients sometimes. Don’t soften it, never hide it, never blame and never assume

it will go away without being addressed. There is normally some opportunity that comes

with delivering bad news. Mistakes will happen but it’s how you deal with it that builds trust

with customers.

Below I offer a few ideas on delivering this news. Perhaps one of these scenarios for

delivering bad news will work for you

Offer Positive Initiative

At the very least offer positive initiative. Something like this... “Unfortunately ___

happened, but I’m optimistic that ____ will occur because we’re are doing ____”

Be Authentic and Understand Their Position

Be sympathetic and authentic. If the customer sees you as thinking "oh, it's bad to be in your

shoes," they are more likely to feel as though they're alone. However, saying that "we will get

through this together" inspires camaraderie and loyalty. After getting through it together,

the memory of overcoming adversity will be a positive one.

Make Sure They Know You're Upset

Start off by telling your client that you are not pleased with the situation. Immediately this

puts you on the same side as your client, who will inevitably also be upset by the bad news.

Next, let them know that you have some ideas to help overcome this misstep but want to

know if they have any great ideas as well. Collaborating on a team approach will help further

bond you and your customer.

Let Them Know You Care

Bad things happen in any client relationship. But it's important to let them know that you

are taking it just as seriously as they are, and that you care about what happened. Empathy

can go a long way towards mending fences when things go wrong.

Be Confident and Forthcoming About It

People are sophisticated enough to see through a lot of your attempts to soften bad news.

Just be frank and tell them, not with a mean or indifferent attitude, but with honesty.

They'll appreciate that you're leveling with them, and they might be more willing to work

with you on finding a solution to the problem than if you'd tried to sugarcoat it.

Never Say "We can't do this."

Frame everything with a solution. Instead, start with, "This is what we're doing, and this is

why it's a better alternative to the one we had originally outlined." Clients want solutions,

not problems.

Say It The Way They Would Deliver It To You, But With Empathy.

Each client is different. Think about how they would treat you in a similar situation. We

each learn in the direction of a certain communication style. If you think carefully about

them and roll play in your mind you can determine what your customer or client's

communication style is. Then speak using the language that they're most comfortable with

for bad news.

Empathy is key.

Be empathetic. We've all received bad news and we want to know that the person delivering

the bad news understands our pain and what we're experiencing. Be tactful and speak as if

you’re in their shoes.