Cosmetology Retail and Customer Service

How does solving difficult-customer situations benefit your company?

• It will generate repeat business.

• The difficult customers won’t bother you again.

• You will get a promotion.

• All the employees will get promotions.

How does solving difficult-customer situations benefit you personally?

• You will encounter difficult customers less frequently.

• Your customers will be happier.

• You gain valuable communication skills.

• Your boss will automatically give you a raise.

Eva works at a hotel registration desk. When a customer was checking in tonight, Eva reminded him that checkout time would be 11:00 a.m. “No, it’s not!” he exclaimed. “It’s always at 11:30!” Eva’s customer is

• suspicious.

• leave-me-alone.

• impatient.

• argumentative.

Rich works the cash register at a retail store. The store is unusually busy today, and Rich’s line has grown long. A woman at the back of the line remarks loudly, “This is absolutely ridiculous!” Rich’s customer is

• domineering/superior.

• impatient.

• argumentative.

• leave-me-alone.

Jonathan works in his small town’s only grocery store. He is on a first-name basis with most of the customers who come in. Cheryl is a difficult customer. Sometimes she’s really friendly, and other times she snaps at Jonathan. She is a(n) __________ customer.

• irritable/moody

• suspicious

• slow/methodical

• dishonest

Darcie is a lifeguard at the local beach. Sometimes, she has to blow her whistle to signal to swimmers that they have gone out too far. Today, one of the risky swimmers runs up to her and shouts, “I wasn’t out too far! You must be blind!” This is an example of a(n) __________ customer.

• insulting

• suspicious

• impatient

• slow/methodical

Ellen works at a golf course. During the summer, she drives a golf cart around the course, selling cold drinks and snacks to the golfers. It’s a beautiful day, and the course is especially crowded. Ellen offers one golfer a cold drink, and she replies, “Well, I guess I’ll have time, since the play is so slow. It’s not very fun to have to wait so long between holes. Who is running this course? You always set your tee times way too close together!” Ellen’s customer is

• suspicious

• argumentative

• complaining

• leave-me-alone

Carrie has a summer job cleaning and maintaining backyard pools. Her boss thinks she does a great job. Today, she has a new client. For a while, he was watching her from the porch, and then he came out and stood just a few feet away from her. “Don’t do it that way,” he instructed. “You’re using too much chlorine. Should I just measure it out for you?” Carrie’s customer is

• slow/methodical

• domineering/superior

• suspicious

• irritable/moody

Mitch works at the layaway counter in a retail store. The store’s layaway policy is clearly posted on a sign over the counter, but sometimes customers just don’t “get it.” Today, a woman asked about 15 questions to make sure she understood the policy correctly. She was a __________ customer.

• dishonest

• domineering/superior

• complaining

• suspicious

Which of the following is the best way to handle argumentative customers:

• Ask simple, polite questions with options.

• Never press for sales or decisions.

• Explain and demonstrate good service as many times as you need to.

• Mirror their behavior.