Did I ever tell you about my wonderful granddaughter who has had a way with people since she was a little girl? I am sure I have written countless tales about her. But this one is about her NOW.
She works at an insurance agency. Seems a very crabby woman called in early February to complain about her rates being raised. She asked to be transferred to the boss and everyone in between. My dear girl's desk was the last to receive the call-back-tomorrow message. She picked it up and read it, reviewed the file and started dialing the phone. Her boss motioned NO and said to give the gal 24 hours to calm down. My dear girl just smiled and said, "I can handle this."
She told the woman who she was and what company she was representing, and then before the woman could get out a word, Ashley said, "If I were you I'd be really mad about this too, but the person you should be mad at is your husband. If I were you, I wouldn't give him a Valentine's present or even a birthday present this year. And if I were in your shoes and discovered he'd received a big speeding ticket which affected our insurance rates, and he hadn't even told me about it, I wouldn't give him sex either!"
The woman began laughing. They talked for fifteen minutes and Ashley sold her a $600 policy. Her boss dropped his hand from his forehead, closed his mouth, and gave her a bonus on the spot. He said, "How did you do that!?
You know how? She connected with a stranger on that woman's level at that moment in her life when things were bleak. She addressed the issue: ANGER. She presented the problem The Ticket, and gave her a solution while diffusing with humor.
Sometimes you just need a new approach; be different than the other person; make your work stand out whether your work is visual, spoken or written. Write on.
She works at an insurance agency. Seems a very crabby woman called in early February to complain about her rates being raised. She asked to be transferred to the boss and everyone in between. My dear girl's desk was the last to receive the call-back-tomorrow message. She picked it up and read it, reviewed the file and started dialing the phone. Her boss motioned NO and said to give the gal 24 hours to calm down. My dear girl just smiled and said, "I can handle this."
She told the woman who she was and what company she was representing, and then before the woman could get out a word, Ashley said, "If I were you I'd be really mad about this too, but the person you should be mad at is your husband. If I were you, I wouldn't give him a Valentine's present or even a birthday present this year. And if I were in your shoes and discovered he'd received a big speeding ticket which affected our insurance rates, and he hadn't even told me about it, I wouldn't give him sex either!"
The woman began laughing. They talked for fifteen minutes and Ashley sold her a $600 policy. Her boss dropped his hand from his forehead, closed his mouth, and gave her a bonus on the spot. He said, "How did you do that!?
You know how? She connected with a stranger on that woman's level at that moment in her life when things were bleak. She addressed the issue: ANGER. She presented the problem The Ticket, and gave her a solution while diffusing with humor.
Sometimes you just need a new approach; be different than the other person; make your work stand out whether your work is visual, spoken or written. Write on.
18 comments:
I have to say if I had an insurance person on the line like your girl I would laugh too and maybe even buy another policy.
Too many people get aggressive and cross.
She certainly did a great job but I would have been afraid to call back so soon. This morning I had my own wrangle with a man about scheduling hubby's next medical test. He was really dense. It was so easy once he LISTENED instead of trying to tell me about government regulations!
Looks like your granddaughter has a magic touch, Linda. Glad it all worked out well. Susan
Linda--Your granddaughter got her gift for gab and her ability to smooth ruffled feathers honestly. She got that passed down from you...
What a canny young woman! I'm proud of her and I don't even know her. Tell her I said so!
What a great story, Linda! Your granddaughter is a wise woman, and fearless, to make that call. Not only did her smooth moves net her a bonus, but she did a good deed---that conversation was probably the highlight of that poor woman's day.
The best way to diffuse a situation is to accept blame ..... whether it's yours or not.
I had a psychologist tell me (well, not me specifically, it was a seminar thingie and there were dozens of others in the room) that the best way to defuse someone's anger is to acknowledge it up front, just like your granddaughter did.
Kudos to her!
Listening and letting the upset person know you're hearing what they say can really work wonders. Sounds like your granddaughter knows how to effectively deal with people.
Pat
Critter Alley
She could sell Auction Meat to me. She's just that good.
Wonderful story! Good for her for knowing just how to handle the situation. :)
What a smart young woman she is! A chip off the old block, I'd say~
That girl will go far!
I.Love.This. Go Ashley!!
What a great story. She's going to great things, I'd wager.
Wish I could be more like that, but that's not the case. And she must take after you!
LOL. True. There's a saying, "Cooler heads prevail." The funny thing is, the technique she used would never be taught in a customer service class. Some people just have an innate ability to connect with others.
What a special young lady your granddaughter is ! Lovely story my friend.
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