Handling Customer Complaints Article by Barbara Bird, Pet Groomers Network, Pet Grooming articles, Pet Style, Curtis Hanvey, Hanvey Specialty Engineering,  GroomersNetwork

   One of the common topics amongst groomer friends is how to deal with a client grievance.  The following exchange from the Groom-TNT E-mail Network contains many tips of how to handle a difficult exchange with an angry client.  The original post by Linda S. was analyzed in depth by BBird, the Groom-TNT resident author and former therapist. Excerpts from other responses have been added to the exchange and a summary of key points is found at the end of the article.

Linda S. wrote:
Subject: What would you have done? (Long)

     I'm really not too great at customer relations when a client is unhappy...I immediately get defensive...so I'd appreciate your comments regarding the following.  Yesterday, a woman brought in her Peke.  She comes in about 3-4 times a year, usually for a 5 AO, sometimes for a bath & brush out in the winter.  This time, the dog was totally matted, which I pointed out to her. The ears in particular were a mess.  I told her I didn't know if I could save any of the coat and that Chane would probably be shorter than he usually is.  Her exact words to me were, "Do what you have to."  I proceeded to shave the dog down with a 7 AO, using a 10 on the matted portion of the ears and in the armpits.  I was able to save his tail.  His ears had to be cut short.  When I was doing the groin area, I noted he had an infection in his penis (probably from the build-up of matts!).  I used a 15 on the groin. When she picked up the dog, I explained to her about the matts and the ears and why the body and the ears were so short.  She didn't really say too much when she left.

     Today, when I got into the shop, there was a message on the answering machine from her.  She said she had been up all night with Chane and that we had cut him too short and she was going to have to take him to the vet and to please call her, which I did.  Very nicely I asked her what the problem was.  She said Chane had been rubbing himself (penis) on the carpet so much that she had to put a towel down for him.   I explained to her that it seemed to me like he had an infection there that should be checked out by the vet.  (Damn, I forgot to tell her that when she picked the dog up.)  She immediately got hostile and said he
hadn't been doing that before he came in to me.  She then chastized me for cutting him so short and I explained again that it was impossible to do anything differently because he had been so matted.  Then she said that I had made the ears too short.  I said to her that cutting them that way had to be done because they were so matted and the reason they were that way is because they hadn't been brushed out in a long time.

She told me I should have left them and she would have brushed them out.  (Sure!)  Anyway, she was extremely agitated with me and said I did a terrible job.  I explained to her that I didn't do anything differently with Chane than I would have done with any other dog, to which she responded, But we're talking about Chane, NOT any other dog! I said yes, we are, but still, it wouldn't be any different.  She huffed and puffed and said she was going to go to the vet.  I said I thought
that was a good idea.  I know that she won't be back.  I know I handled the call all wrong. I could hear the aggravation in my voice.  What would you all have done? How would you have handled this irate woman?TIA(Thanks In Advance).

BBird replied:
Linda.  I really want to acknowledge your willingness to take a look at your customer relations and ask the question, "what could I have done differently?"  This is how we learn and grow.  It is human nature to get defensive when attacked.  So the object of the interaction with an upset client is to deflect the attack.  I am going to go into your post and make some suggestions.  This is a "do as I say, not as I do" look at your conversation as described.  I get defensive too, we all do.

"Very nicely I asked her what the problem was.  She said Chane had been rubbing himself (penis) on the carpet so much that she had to put a towel down for him.  I explained to her that it seemed to me like he had an infection there that should be checked out by the vet.  (D____, I forgot to tell her that when she picked the dog up.)"

I would suggest that you not talk about your grooming or *your* thoughts right away.  Reflect back to the client what she is saying, "it sounds like you had a terrible night...."  And a little later, something like, "I can hear that you are really concerned for Chane..."  Don't try to stop the venting by stating your position. By cutting her off with your "take" on the problem, you forced her to pull out another gun, so to speak, and here it is:

"She immediately got hostile and said he hadn't been doing that before he came in to me.  She then chastised me for cutting him so short and I explained again that it was impossible to do anything differently because he had been so matted."

You did it again.... You countered her position instead of validating her.  Don't invalidate the other persons perspective or concern. "I'm sure it seems to you that there wasn't a problem with this before."  Here's where we often stumble, because we are afraid that if we validate the client's perception, we admit guilt.  This is NOT so.  If you say "I can see from your perspective it seems like....." , this gives them room to breathe and settle down.   If you make them wrong, they will make you "wronger".  And here she goes:

"Then she said that I had made the ears too short."

Can you see that by invalidating this woman at every point, you have pushed her into coming up with more and more things that are wrong with the grooming?  You could have stayed with the penis, but now you are all the way to the ears being too short.  So now there's no way to deflect the attack, how about trying to DIFFUSE the attack by acknowledging what she is saying.  "So Mrs. ____, what I hear you saying is that you are concerned about a possible medical condition with Chane's penis and that you are basically unhappy with the grooming  choices I made.  Am I hearing you correctly?"  "I can tell you are really upset!"  By reflecting back to the client what she is saying and acknowledging the upset, you help her to diffuse the energy behind her position instead of her needing to be more forceful.  Once we know that we are being heard, we can let go a little.  The customer is not going to listen to  YOU until she knows she is being heard. You don't have to agree with anything she says.  "I hear you...I'm glad you called....I can tell you're upset and concerned..."  These statements will allow the conversation to transform.

"I said to her that cutting them that way had to be done because they were so matted and the reason they were that way is because they hadn't been brushed out in a long time.  She told me I should have left them and she would have brushed them out.  (Sure!)  Anyway, she was extremely agitated with me and said I did a terrible job.  I explained to her that I didn't do anything differently with Chane than I would have done with any other dog, to which she responded, But we're talking about Chane, NOT any other dog!"

Honey, you are in the dumpster now!  Way back there you could have avoided this point by saying "I'm sure this is far from your favorite grooming of Chane.  It was not how I like to see him either."  "I do not enjoy having to make some of these tough decisions to clip short." "I hope you can appreciate that I make these choices based on the condition of the dog at the time of grooming.  I work with what is before me and make choices often based on the welfare of the animal being groomed not our own druthers."  Here again, she is not going to hear you unless you have heard her.

In regards to the medical condition, yes, you really should have brought that to her attention when the dog was sent home.  In fact at that point you should have dealt with her reaction to the grooming as well. You could have acknowledged at that time that it was not how either of you would prefer him to look and fortunately it was one haircut out of a lifetime.  "Let's not let him get that matted again, please."  Now granted that you forgot to talk about the penis at the time of check out, when she brought it up, you might have asked "Did you NOT notice that he was caked and dripping and irritated in that area?"  That puts it back in her court for not paying attention to what is going on with her pet.  A really good tactic if you can think of it under pressure.

   I hope this gives you something to think about.  I have probably loaded you with much more than you ever expected.  Again, Linda, I honor your willingness to grow and not just want to put this behind you fast.

I hope I have been helpful.

BBird(Barbara Bird)

Here are some excerpts from additional posts on this subject:

Mel S. said: “...It would have been a good idea to tell them about any condition the cut-down revealed when they picked up the dog.  ... It also does not help to be defensive because the client expects you to do so.  Try assuming a concerned willing to listen to every word the client has to say position, not to say you’re not concerned, this will help diffuse the anger level of the client.  Your should repeat that you told them about the poor condition of the dog’s coat and that it revealed the pre-existing condition.....  If you know the vet she uses, you should call them and ask if she was there and explain that the penis infection already existed and ask what they think about the problem.”

Susan T. added:  “I have found that if I try to put myself in their (client’s) place and try to treat them how I would like to be treated, confrontations usually go well.  Of course it helps if you can distance yourself and not think of it as a personal attack on you.  Try and commiserate with the client.  I also ask them ‘what would you like me to do to help you in this situation’, or a good one is ‘ How can I make you
feel better about this situation.’..... I will offer free baths to a customer for their pet  within say four weeks.  This does two things.  It gets the customer back into my shop and usually reinstalls their confidence in us and it really does not cost us much to provide this service.”

Scott W. reminds us:  “One thing to remember is DO NOT REFUND MONEY FOR THE GROOMING.  Sorry I didn’t want to have to shout.  You provided the service and did what was in the best interest for the pet.”

And Tracey S. said:  “....if she is going to blame you for her lack of attention to the dog, she will pick whatever reason is needed.  She may just need a cooling period to see the wisdom in your decisions in grooming him.”

SUMMARY

     One of the most difficult challenges that a groomer faces is having to deal with a client who is upset because their pet has developed a medical problem believed to be related to the pet being groomed. Here are some points  to remember:

    1. Listen to the client and refrain from inserting your position until the client has an opportunity to vent and be heard.

    2.  Let the client know s(he) has been heard by saying something to the effect that “I hear you say (repeat the complaint).”  Or “I can tell you are very upset.”  This will help to diffuse the anger.

    3.  Don’t invalidate the client.You can honor their perception without admitting guilt.  If the client feels invalidated they will get more intense.

    4.  Share in the concern for the pet, especially if there is a medical problem.

    5.  Ask the client what YOU can do.

   6.  Don’t refund the grooming fee. You may need to help with a vet bill if the vet believes the grooming caused injury, and you may want to offer a free bath  to get a client back in your door, but you provided the service they paid for even if it does not meet their expectations.