The presentation covers some special situations that salespersons normally face. We will cover here how to handle objections, complaints and awkward customers.

1. HANDLING
Objections, Complaints and
Awkward Customers

2. I. Handling Objections
Objections happen for one
of the following reasons:
Misunderstanding
Concerns
Smoke Screen

3. The Reasons
MISUNDERSTANDING
The customer doesn’t understand the facts or didn’t hear a
benefit already mentioned.
CONCERNS
The customer doesn’t see the benefits of your proposal or
believes something is needed that your recommendation
doesn’t offer.
SMOKE SCREEN
The customer may be using the objection as a bargaining
ploy or may have decided not to buy, but does not want to
tell you.

4. WAYS OF OBJECTIONS
VERBAL
It ‘s too expensive
Delivery at that date means we will have to hold up
production
That ‘s not consistent with our plans
NONVERBAL
Returns Brochures you have shown
Shakes head no, pushes chair back from table
Lack of attention or concentration
Silence

5. TIPS
If customers doesn’t object, there is no need for
the efforts of the salesmen.
Objections doesn’t necessarily mean loosing the
current situation.
You should never allow an objection to lead to an
argument.
You should stop defending yourself againest the
objection and should turn it to a positive pitch
with your own product.

6. STEPS OF HANDLING AN OBJECTION
Paraphrase to show understanding.
Refine vague objections to something specific,
something you can handle it.
Press for specifics to clarify the concern.
Respond with appropriate facts and/or benefits
You should always be prepared for objections
by:
 Productknowledge
 Knowing his competitors and their products
 Knowing his customer’s needs

7. II. HANDLING COMPLAINTS
Complaints are common to very business.
People make mistakes, suppliers and customers
alike can be wrong.
It is certain from time to time complaints will be
made.
What is less certain is how they will be dealt with.
How complaints are dealt with mark out the well
run organization from the rest, it also sorts out the
professionals from the amateur s.

8. The Six Stages to Handle
Complaints
1. Listen
2. Sympathize
3. Don’t Justify
4. Ask Questions
5. Agree a course of Action
6. Check the Course of Action

9. The Six Stages to Handle Complaints
1. Listen
a. Some people face complaints by not listening.
b. They just don’t want to get involved and they
think deafness is the way out.
c. This is the worst situation which turns a minor
incident or fault to a major tragedy.
d. So, listening is very important, getting the
details right first time is vital.
e. Listening will help to diffuse the persons temper
and give them the impression that you are
going to resolve the issue.

10. The Six Stages to Handle Complaints
2. Sympathize
a. The cause of the complaint has properly given
the complainer a considerable amount of
personal grief already.
b. So, you are dealing with someone in an
emotional state.
c. Therefore it is essential that the first words the
customer hears are words of sympathy.
d. Your expression of sympathy needs to be
limited.

11. The Six Stages to Handle Complaints
3. Don’t Justify
a. A complaining customer is not looking
for the reason behind the mistake.
b. So, don’t justify by telling excuses.
Saying; “This happened because …” will
make him more angry.
c. Just stick to the facts.
d. Keep off what happened in the past and
focus on what is going to happen now.

12. The Six Stages to Handle
Complaints
Now
 You listened to the client, allowed him
to let off steam.
 You got the details down correctly and
sympathized with the inconvenience.
 You avoided the justification rap.
Now you have started to put the
customer in a frame of mind to seek a
solution.
Your next stage is to ask questions

13. The Six Stages to Handle Complaints
4. Ask Questions
a. This will give you more detailed information
about the specific complaint.
b. This will allow you to see a way through to a
possible solution to the problem.
c. Open ended questions are your tool in this
stage.

14. The Six Stages to Handle Complaints
5. Agree a course of Action
a. Anyone who complains wants an answer.
b. You have to find a solution which is
satisfactory as far as the customer
concerned and also satisfies your company
work rules and policies.
c. From both points of view a satisfactory
course of action has to be agreed upon.
d. It should includes what is going to happen
and by when.

15. The Six Stages to Handle Complaints
6. Check the Course of Action is
carried out
a. It is vital from yor point of view that if you
agreed with the customer that something
would happen by a certain date and time.
b. You have to check that it has happened.

16. III. THE AWKWARD SQUAD
1) The Angry Customer
 He can turn an unpleasant little incident to an
unpleasant big incident.
a. Stay cool
b. Apologize for the specific inconvenience only
c. Take an immediate action to put it right
d. Tell the customer the action you are taking
e. Keep the conversation off the past and guide it
towards the future.

17. III. THE AWKWARD SQUAD
2) The Talkative Customer
 They are talking too much in irrelevant
matters.
a. Don’t show you are bored
b. Don’t interrupt
c. Use every conversational gap to guide the
conversation back to business.

18. III. THE AWKWARD SQUAD
3) The Rude Customer
 He is rude by nature, he is rude to everyone
and not just to you.
a. Ignore his rudeness
b. Remain detached
c. Keep a professional distance
d. Stay cool
e. Keep Smiling
f. Avoid a sarcastic tone or manner.

19. III. THE AWKWARD SQUAD
4) The Superior Customer
 He loves displaying his superiority and
making other people feel small.
a. Don’t assume that he or she has more knowledge
than you
b. Don’ ask his/her judgment
c. With praise and compliments you will be able to lead
her/him to many buying decisions.

20. III. THE AWKWARD SQUAD
5) The Silent Customer
 He doesn’t want to be bothered by sales
people or other customer contact staff
a. You need to ask questions associated with the
merchandise he is looking at.
b. If he insist to stay silent, don’t annoy him, leave him
alone (while keeping your eyes on him).

21. III. THE AWKWARD SQUAD
6) The Suspicious Customer
 He checks and double-checks everything
because he wants to test your authority and
reliability, your organization, your products,
services and of course, you.
a. Patience is the key to handle this type of customers
b. The other key is knowledge
c. Don’t claim that you have knowledge which you
don’t have … you can't fool people too much.

22. Handling difficult customers is
like removing obstacles that
block the customer path to be
a committed “long-term” loyal
customer.