| ive complaint resolution seminars, I demonstrate the | | | | This is done through evasive movements, body shifting, |
| martial art Aikido and offer it as a strategy for | | | | and leverage. Taking this to a verbal level, you’d |
| diffusing anger. I began teaching this unconventional | | | | take a customer’s intensity and sense of |
| approach to managing conflict after having my breath | | | | urgency and use that to your advantage with a reply |
| taken away as I watched Steven Segal effortlessly | | | | like: No question, we’ve messed up. Getting |
| defeat his opponents without violence or aggression in | | | | to the bottom of this is just as important to me as it is |
| half a dozen of his movies. Aikido is a nonviolent | | | | to you. Instead of letting the customer’s |
| martial art that never meets force with force and can | | | | intimidation tactics negatively impact you, you turn that |
| be applied to conflict situations with demanding, irate or | | | | energy back at the customer by pacing his actions. |
| unreasonable customers. (I’ve personally applied | | | | 4. Aikidoists blend with their opponent’s energy. |
| Aikido to situations with customers, employees and | | | | In Aikido, this looks as if you move toward your |
| co-workers.) Using the principles of Aikido, you too can | | | | opponent and then change places with them. In a |
| diffuse anger and demonstrate amazing control over | | | | verbal attack, blending with your customer is finding |
| all aspects of verbal attacks. | | | | common ground with the customer. You can blend |
| People using verbal aikido can respond to | | | | with your angry customer by listening with a sincere |
| heated situations directly and assertively without being | | | | intent to understand their pain, frustration and needs |
| pulled into the drama of the battle and they can lay the | | | | and then responding with empathy. The knowledge |
| foundation for win-win resolutions that maintain the | | | | you gain from listening to your customer becomes |
| customer’s loyalty — even with angry | | | | your force and positions you to redirect the energy in |
| customers. Here are 6 Aikido principles that will help | | | | a productive direction. Once you’ve blended |
| you more effectively respond to anger. | | | | with the customer, that is, once you truly understand |
| 1. An Aikidoist strategically calms down the attack. This | | | | the customer’s situation, the attack can be |
| is done by both the use of relaxed body posture and | | | | neutralized and redirected. |
| open hands. Verbal attacks from irate customers also | | | | 5. Aikido students learn to turn with their |
| need the same calming strategy. In Aikido, the master | | | | opponent’s force and let that force go past |
| will step aside rather than confront the attack. This | | | | them. When we respond to angry customers in this |
| takes the power and speed out of the attack and | | | | way, we’re able to keep our cool when |
| allows the master to stay centered and calm. When | | | | customers get hot. We don’t get caught up in |
| you respond to your customer with Clearly, | | | | the emotion of anger. Instead, we allow the customer |
| we’ve upset you and getting to the bottom of | | | | to express his feelings and we don’t take |
| this is just as important to me as it is to you. anger | | | | comments personally and we don’t allow our |
| begins to dissipate. You’ve addressed the | | | | feelings (anger, rejection, offense) to control our |
| anger directly and non defensively and you | | | | responses. |
| haven’t been pulled into the drama of the | | | | 6. An Aikido Master never seeks to kill his opposition. |
| attack. | | | | When we transfer this principle to customer service |
| 2. Aikido never meets force with force. In fact, there | | | | situations, we realize that our goal is to never hang up |
| are no direct attacks and very little striking or kicking. | | | | on a customer, blow a customer off, or fire a |
| When dealing with angry customers it is natural to | | | | difficult customer. Our goal is to find more diplomatic |
| respond to an attack with an attack. If the customer | | | | ways to communicate and reach win win resolutions. |
| yells, we escalate our voice. When the attack gets | | | | 7. In Aikido, all opponents are considered partners. |
| personal, we become defensive and less willing to | | | | Think of your angry customer as your partner and let |
| work with the customer. While we may feel justified in | | | | this mindset direct you to use interactive dialogue to |
| launching our attack because we’ve been | | | | work with your customer to solve the problem. Try to |
| attacked, we must realize that a defensive (forceful) | | | | not resist or coerce your partner. Work with |
| response only escalates the original problem. | | | | your partner, talk with your partner, and seek solutions |
| Let’s learn from the Aikido masters and not | | | | that benefit the customer and the company. |
| attack back defensively. Instead, we will respond | | | | Applying the principles of Aikido to difficult situations |
| carefully and strategically. | | | | with unhappy customers allows you to maintain |
| 3. Aikido emphasizes quick, decisive movements that | | | | composure and control, and effectively diffuse anger. |
| are designed to use the attacker's force against him. | | | | |