Establishing an appropriate pattern of interaction in the professional environment is an essential task for management executives. Consistent and efficient communication between employees, customers, and senior workers is a significant benefit, which ensures the creation of strong relationships between individuals. In the case presented, an employee and a customer are involved in a heated dispute, which hinders productivity and promotes workplace complications. Finding a prominent solution requires understanding the involved parties’ viewpoints, company policies, and communication strategies, clarifying the issue and producing advantageous outcomes for both speakers. This paper examines the conflict between a worker and an angry customer, stating that an attentive and patient approach to communication is necessary to satisfy the situation.
The case discussed involves a considerable emotional output from the client, suggesting that it is essential to address the event calmly. Considering that distressed individuals can respond positively to calm conversations, it is vital to sustaining professional integrity and composure, approaching the situation from a neutral perspective (Fellesson & Salomonson, 2020). After that, acknowledging the client’s frustration and displeasure is also necessary, as increased attention to the individual’s emotional state often improves the outcomes of a heated conversation (Coughlin, 2014). Thus, I would attempt to maintain a peaceful attitude when interacting with the employee and the customer, keeping a normal tone of voice and stating that the complication will be resolved as soon as possible.
Clarifying the cause of the disagreement is another crucial detail for a successful settlement. After assessing the situation, the circumstances of the late penalty application and the customer’s argument should be discussed, as it is highly beneficial to let the client present the issue in their own words. Asking the customer to explain the problem from a personal perspective is an advantageous communicational method that allows to thoroughly examine the dispute and suggest potential resolutions (Hull, 2017). Demonstrating respect to the individual and interest in overcoming the problem substantially aids the possibility to find a prominent compromise.
Discussing the complication with the employee also requires a distinct approach to professional interaction. As such, I would ensure to approach the worker respectfully, evaluating the emerged situation and its origin, as well as learning their perspective on the problem. After that, I would ask the employee to propose strategies for communicating with emotional clients, considering how to avoid heated conversations (Bovee & Thill, 2017). Promoting problem-solving and critical thinking could be especially beneficial for the worker’s abilities, providing them with methods of addressing similar situations in the future.
Nonetheless, satisfying the dispute with the customer might be more challenging in the given scenario. Potential resolutions would significantly differ depending on the origin of the issue. If the client received a late penalty by mistake, it would be imperative to convey sincere apologies, stating how the consequences would be amended in the customer’s favor (Coughlin, 2014). However, if the penalty was applied correctly, the situation would necessitate a comprehensive explanation of lateness policies and suggestions on how to avoid such complications in the future.
To conclude, methods of maintaining effective communication in the presented case have been suggested in the essay, clarifying the personal approach to the situation, as well as discussing it with the employee and the customer. Even though client-employee conflicts are bound to occur, it is crucial to maintain the quality of the interaction, resolving the existent issues ethically. Moreover, maintaining a patient attitude and examining the customer and employee’s perspectives is crucial for understanding the dispute and settling it properly.
References
Bovee, C., & Thill, J. (2017). Business communication today (14th ed.). Pearson.
Coughlin, D. (2014). Focusing on the fundamentals of effective communication within an organization. Effective Executive, 17(1), 28–39.
Fellesson, M., & Salomonson, N. (2020). It takes two to interact – service orientation, negative emotions and customer phubbing in retail service work. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 54.
Hull, R. H. (2017). Communication strategies for a successful practice. The Hearing Journal, 70(5), 22–23.