A guest article from Peter Economy , previously published in Inc. Magazine and featuring customer service exper Micah Solomon - Customer Service Consultant (that's me).

__________________________________________

Is your customer service stellar most of the time, until it all falls apart when confronted with an angry, upset, or disappointed customer? If so, it's because you don't have an effective service recovery framework in place ahead of time--before an unhappy customer is breathing down your neck or burning up the phone line.

This planning is essential because it's hard for you and your people to politely think on your feet when you're thrust into a tense confrontation with a disgruntled customer.

Customer service expert Micah Solomon  has developed a particularly effective approach to service recovery--MAMA. Here are the four steps in MAMA.

1. Make time to listen.

Stop whatever it is you're doing and listen to the customer with your ears, eyes, and body. Don't interrupt them with questions or explanations. Only after you have taken time to listen quietly should you begin to probe into what the customer is specifically upset about. You may have to dig deep to get to the answer. According to Solomon, this step is the hardest to master. We may be so busy trying to solve the problem before we know what's going on that we don't listen to what the customer is telling us.

2. Acknowledge and apologize.

Acknowledge the situation to the customer, and if called for--that is, the customer feels an apology is warranted, not necessarily that you do--apologize. And even if you think you're not at fault, it's still important to convey that you recognize and regret their negative experience. When you make your apology, deliver it sincerely and avoid passive-aggressive apologies such as "I'm sorry if you feel that way."

3. (Have a) meeting of minds.

Get aligned with the customer's expectations for an acceptable solution. This requires figuring out the intersection of what's acceptable to them and what's practical (or even possible) for you to deliver. Be sure to include your customer in the process and keep an open mind. When you find an acceptable solution, spell it out as you understand it, then commit to exactly what you will do and by when.

4. Act! and follow up.

Follow through on your promise by delivering the solution you agreed to, and then follow up with any employees you've delegated the task to and the customer to ensure their problem has been resolved satisfactorily. Take time to see if there are ongoing negative patterns, systemic issues, and choke points in your operation, fix them, and then train employees in any new policies and procedures.

That's it.

If your current service recovery framework needs work--or you don't have one--give MAMA a try. The sooner you do, the sooner you'll have happier, more loyal customers.