In a perfect world, customers can easily reach any brand for support and they can 100% rely on customer service representatives to resolve any of their issues quickly and seamlessly. No miscommunications or mishandled situations. Therefore, customers don’t get upset.
But reality kicks in. Conflicts are inevitable. Now, the 2020 Statista customer surveys showed that 58% were found to have contacted customer service within the past month. Based on this number, would you say that it’s a perfect world?
Can your team confidently handle those toughest situations? If so, that will definitely boost customer satisfaction, and slash churn rates. Plus, the very reason customer service exists as a niche is to ensure that businesses can help customers and clients should the need arise—and conflicts are very much normal.
So today, let’s dive into the 11 essential conflict resolution strategies and skills your service team must have so they can turn frustrated customers into satisfied ones.
The dynamics of conflict resolution in customer service
First and foremost, keep in mind that conflict resolution is not a fixed step-by-step process. Multiple factors influence how your customer service team handles complaints from customers. But first, let’s talk about the cost of unresolved conflict.
- As per Qualtrics XM Institute, $3.7 trillion may be at risk due to bad experiences in 2024. Plus, those disagreements can also trigger a flood of negative online reviews which can deeply impact your reputation.
- On top of that, frustrated customers can kill your customer service team‘s morale—causing stress, burnout, and higher turnover.
So, what forces are at play during a conflict situation?
- Emotional forces (customer’s frustration, anger, or disappointment and the employee’s stress or defensiveness)
- Communication mechanisms (tone of voice and choice of words)
- Technological limitations or advantages (accessing customer history and relevant information)
- Differences in cultural norms and expectations
- Time pressure
- Company policies and procedures for setting boundaries about what solutions can be offered
What are conflict resolution skills?
Obviously, poor customer service can be costly and damaging. Your customer support representatives must know how to manage customer disagreements and misunderstandings ASAP. And that requires conflict resolution skills.
So, that being said, conflict resolution skills are defined as techniques that enable reps to de-escalate tension, identify the root cause of the conflict, and work collaboratively with the customer to find a mutually agreeable solution to resolving conflict.
11 conflict resolution skills to focus on
Can you confidently say that your team can resolve conflict quickly and effectively? Let’s take a look at the 11 essential conflict resolution skills examples that every customer service professional must have.
(Please note that we’ll exemplify each skill using an imaginary complaining customer of a digital music service company.)
1. Active listening
This is also known as understanding first before responding. The first conflict resolution skill your CS team should possess is being calm while actively listening. It’s difficult to truly listen intently when you’re agitated. And listening actively goes way beyond hearing words—it’s understanding the message behind them as well as the intent. Here’s a tip to practice this: repeat back to them what they said based on your interpretation and understanding.
Example: It’s Monday morning and a frustrated customer calls about their lost playlists. The customer service representative practices active listening by saying, “I understand how frustrating it must be to lose all your music. Don’t worry, I’ll do everything I can to help.”
2. Putting oneself in the customer’s shoes
This conflict resolution skill is perspective-taking. It’s an active effort to see things from another person’s point of view, especially in a tense situation. But this doesn’t mean your team has to avoid defending your company. It’s simply about recognizing the customer’s perspective and addressing their concerns before offering justifications or explanations for the situation. Just imagine yourself in the customer’s situation. What would you be feeling?
Example: After the customer explains their situation, you must empathetically say, “Losing your playlists must be a real bummer, especially if they took a long time to curate. If I were in your position, I’d be frustrated too. Let’s see if we can get your music back on track.”
3. Avoiding technical jargon
Not everyone knows this—but using simple language is a top conflict resolution strategy and communication skill. Yes, when it comes to communication, simpler is always better.
Technical jargon refers to specialized terms used within a particular field industry. While these terms make perfect sense to someone familiar with the subject, they can be confusing or even meaningless to those unfamiliar with it. So, your team must strive to use plain words. If a technical term is unavoidable, explain it clearly.
Example: The rep explains the recovery process clearly by saying, “Okay, so what I’ll do is initiate a data recovery scan on your account. This process might take a while, but I’ll keep you updated on the progress. In the meantime, is there anything else I can help you with?”
4. Thinking flexibly about alternative options
This is a conflict resolution skill about approaching problems from a fresh angle. Your customer service agent must handle tough and challenging situations more ‘creatively’ —and go beyond scripts. Remember that customers are unique. Scripts and templates exist to guide your team but they must be capable of thinking on their feet.
Example: Data recovery might not be possible, and the “liked songs” section might be empty. The CS agent can suggest, “If rebuilding playlists feels overwhelming, we have curated playlists based on different genres and moods. Would you be interested in exploring some of those to find music you enjoy?”
5. Principled assertiveness
Standing firm on company policies at the same time you’re respectful and professional is important. But first, your team needs a thorough understanding of the business guidelines relevant to their role like refund policies, return windows, and service limitations.
Example: “I respect your frustration at your music player not working properly. Unfortunately, our return window for this product has passed. However, we do offer a one-year warranty on all our products. Would you like me to walk you through the warranty claim process?” (Translation: Explains the policy, acknowledges frustration, and offers an alternative within company guidelines).
6. Managing own emotions
Even the most professional customer service representatives can feel pressure during difficult situations. So let your team develop stress and conflict management skills through techniques like deep breathing exercises. Thus, they stay calm under pressure and avoid letting their emotions cloud their judgment.
Example: The customer becomes increasingly frustrated and raises their voice during the conversation. The rep recognizes the rising tension and utilizes stress management techniques by politely excusing themself for a moment. They take a few deep breaths in the background to re-center themselves before returning to the conversation with a calm and professional demeanor.
7. Negotiating when needed
Not all situations have a clear-cut solution. Negotiation is a conflict resolution and communication skill when dealing with difficult customer requests. The objective is to identify conflict and find a compromise that’s fair to both the customer and the company.
Example: The customer insists on a free subscription extension because of the lost playlists. The CS employee uses negotiation skills by explaining, “Unfortunately, we can’t offer free subscriptions as policy, but to show our appreciation for your patience, I’d like to offer you a free month’s access to our exclusive music section.”
8. Finding common ground
Getting to know the customer and making a connection with them on a personal level can help build a more trusting and collaborative, positive work environment. This doesn’t require lengthy personal conversations, but simply acknowledging shared interests or experiences can make a big difference.
Example: The conversation revolves around music. The rep builds rapport by mentioning, “It sounds like you have great taste in music! I’m a big fan of [genre the customer listens to] myself. Hopefully, we can get you back to enjoying your favorite songs soon.”
9. Active learning
The world of tech keeps evolving, and so should your customer service approach. Encourage your team to actively learn. If your team masters a tool they use daily, it becomes a lot easier to get customer data and resolve any request they have.
Example: The rep successfully de-escalated the situation with the music listener in just two days, but realizes there might be more effective ways to handle similar situations in the future. They actively learn your CRM and aim to de-escalate situations in just a day.”
10. Taking ownership
Empower your reps to take ownership of customer issues. In other words, they keep the customer in the loop during the resolution process. Result? Making sure each customer concern is addressed to their satisfaction.
Example: The rep informs the customer that the data recovery attempt might take 24 hours. They take ownership by saying, “I’ll personally call you back tomorrow with an update on the progress. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.”
11. Documenting everything
Documenting the entire customer-agent interaction is crucial for future reference and improvement. Included are the customer’s concerns, the solutions offered, and the positive outcome made. You can use this data to spot potential trends in customer issues or areas where the service could be better.
Example: The rep documents the interaction with the music listener, including their frustration with lost playlists, the attempted data recovery, and the use of “liked songs” to rebuild playlists. This information can be used to identify if data recovery success rates need improvement or if the service can be enhanced by prompting users to utilize the “liked songs” feature more actively.
How to develop conflict resolution skills?
So if you’re looking to improve your team’s ability to handle conflicts constructively, this section provides actionable steps and exercises you can implement.
Use the “conflict mapping” technique.
Conflict mapping is a visual method used to analyze and understand complex conflicts. Its purpose is to visualize a conflict, identify all parties involved and their relationships, and highlight key issues and dynamics within the conflict. By visualizing the conflict, you can often identify aspects or potential solutions that weren’t apparent before.
Set up realistic scenarios for your team to practice.
Set up a realistic environment for these practice sessions. Use actual customer service tools if possible. For a true-to-life scenario, provide relevant company policies and product information. Role-play as a customer and representative who only has basic initial information they would typically have access to at the start of an interaction.
Study successful resolutions.
Studying resolutions can expose you to different conflict resolution frameworks. These frameworks give a structured approach to handling and resolving disagreements together. You also see what conflict resolution skills were used to successfully resolve the conflict.
Pair less experienced reps with seasoned pros.
Think of it as an apprenticeship. The less experienced rep learns from the more experienced rep’s experience. With this method, new reps get to witness seasoned pros handle conflicts firsthand.
Emotional intelligence training.
Emotional intelligence training is important for understanding and managing emotions. For self-awareness of your own emotional triggers and empathy development.
5 best conflict resolution practices
So if your team ever faces customer service conflicts today, here are five conflict resolution strategies to keep in mind daily.
Stay professional
No matter how heated things may get, staying professional and respectful will bring you to places. Your calmness can deflect negativity and keep the situation from spiraling out of control. Remember, a cool, calm, and collected customer service agent puts customers at ease.
Focus on the issue, not the person
It’s easy to get caught up in the moment. Still, resist the urge to point fingers or get personal. Separate the problem from the individual or parties involved. You’re there to resolve conflict or a specific issue, not win a fight. So, focus your efforts on understanding the customer’s concern and collaborate to find a solution.
Set realistic expectations
Sometimes the best way to de-escalate a situation is to be upfront and honest. Let the customer know what all the parties can realistically expect in terms of timelines and potential outcomes. And don’t sugarcoat things or make promises you can’t keep.
Use “I” statements
Rather than accusatory statements like “You’re wrong,” try “I statements” instead. For example, “I understand this might be frustrating, but let me explain our policy…” An approach like this makes the conversation less confrontational.
Follow up
Just because you resolved the issue at the moment doesn’t mean the story ends there. Being responsive later shows you care about their experience. A quick email or phone call to confirm everything is on track can go a long way in preventing future conflicts and building a healthy relationship with lasting customer loyalty.
Build a conflict-ready customer service team
With strong conflict resolution skills, used right, you can turn your biggest challenges into your greatest opportunities to shine. Sure, these skills take practice to develop. But the payoff? Happier customers, better brand perception, more professional relationships, and a more confident, capable CS team. It’s a win-win-win.
So, where do you start? Make sure you have first-class customer service. And don’t look far, check out LTVplus. We cover hiring, training, setup, QA, management, monitoring, and evaluation. Book a free call to learn more about our services.
