Tips for difficult telephone discussions

At one point or another, all of us have had to have a difficult telephone discussion. Those that work in the complaint handling realm are likely to have these discussions on a daily, if not hourly basis. So what are some tips to help make those difficult discussions as easy as possible? Well, as seems to be a continuing theme on this blog, planning and preparation are key. If you practice what you intend to say and make bullet points of the key points, this will help you to stay focused and keep the discussion on track if things become a bit heated.

Remaining calm and staying patient are also key to the success of the discussion. Where possible try to distance yourself and your emotions from the subject. In the case of complaint handling, the person delivering the bad news is usually the independent complaint handler so ditch feeling guilty when you have to deliver bad news – a review has been completed and an outcome found. If due process has been followed there is no need to feel guilty about the outcome.

Another hot tip is to check what the other person has heard. While you may think that you have delivered a beautifully phrased outcome, the other party may have misinterpreted what you have said. Checking for understanding is an often over-looked but very important step in handling difficult telephone discussions.

Some more tips for your review ….

Tips for difficult telephone discussions

·         Prepare for the discussion

·         Make some bullet points of what you want to achieve in the discussion and keep it nearby

·         Do a quick relaxation technique before you start

·         Be polite and patient

·         Breathe

·         Employ the broken record technique – keep saying what they are not hearing until they do

·         Check for understanding (e.g. What is your understanding of what I’ve just said?)

·         Collaborate (e.g Do you have any suggestions as to how this could work?)

·        If the discussion becomes abusive or threatening, ask them to desist, come back to the point and try again

·         If the abuse continues, end the call politely and calmly with an offer to try again later

·         Debrief with a friend/ colleague or superior.