When faced with pressure or insults, speak in a calm voice, clarify the facts, and avoid arguing. Ask the shopper to continue without insults. If the insults continue or you are unsure how to handle the request, involve the administrator or another responsible person and continue working on the issue.
Store owners should write down in advance how issues are handed over: who helps the salesperson, who replaces an absent administrator, and who carries out the next action. The purpose of this process is to organize the conversation and the transfer of information.
Assign responsibilities before a difficult conversation
Write a short procedure and practice it with staff. Below is an example of an internal process that you can adapt to how work is divided in your store.
| Role | Action | What to pass on |
|---|---|---|
| Salesperson | Clarifies the facts and expectations, asks the shopper to continue without insults, and involves the responsible person | The substance of the issue and what has already been discussed |
| Administrator | Receives the issue and assigns the person responsible for the next action | A specific action and the agreed time for a response |
| Administrator’s substitute | Receives the issue when the administrator is absent | The same summary and next step |
| Assigned staff member | Carries out the agreed action and reports the result | A record of what was done or the next agreement |
Set a workable way to contact the primary person responsible and their substitute. During training, practice both scenarios: the administrator is available and the administrator is absent. The salesperson should know whom to contact in either case.
Clarify what happened and what the shopper expects
Ask specific questions: what happened, when it happened, which product or order is involved, and what action the shopper expects. Ask one question at a time. After each answer, clarify only what remains unclear.
Restate what you heard in your own words and ask the shopper to correct any inaccuracies. Separate what the shopper has reported from information the store has already established. For example: “You say an employee promised to get back to you, but you did not receive a response. Have I understood correctly?”
Do not make assumptions about the person’s character or motives. When discussing the issue or handing it over, describe what happened: what the shopper reported, what needs clarification, and what they expect.
Ask the shopper to continue without insults
Keep your voice calm. Do not respond with insults or make the discussion personal. State that you are ready to work on the issue and ask the shopper to keep the conversation respectful.
For example: “I’m ready to help with your issue. Please continue without insults.” This is an example of wording for an internal procedure. Then return to a specific question or the next action.
If the insults continue, involve the responsible person: “I’ll ask the administrator to join us now so we can look into your issue together.” Do not make handling the request conditional on the shopper apologizing.
Hand over the issue and agree on the next action
Contact the administrator if you are unsure what to do or if the issue falls outside your assigned authority. Give a brief summary: what happened according to the shopper, what they expect, and what the salesperson has already offered.
If the administrator is absent, contact the assigned substitute. Tell the shopper who will continue handling the issue. Do not limit the handover to saying, “The manager isn’t here.”
The person responsible should agree on four things: who will take action, exactly what they will do, when they will report the result, and why this step is needed. Give the store’s working contact details and explain how further communication will take place. Promise only an action and a timeframe agreed with the person carrying it out.
Hypothetical example of handing over an issue
Suppose a shopper complains that the store did not notify them that their order was ready and insults the salesperson. The salesperson clarifies the circumstances and summarizes: “You expected a notification that your order was ready and did not receive one. Please continue without insults. I’ll involve the person responsible now.”
The administrator is absent, so the assigned substitute receives the issue. They agree on the next step: “I’ll check the order status and let you know the result today by 4:00 p.m. through the agreed channel. The store’s working contact details are on this information card.” The time in this example is hypothetical; in a real conversation, agree on it with the person carrying out the action.
Summarize recurring issues
To train staff, keep a summary by topic: what questions come up, what actions the store offers, and what outcomes recur. For example: “Notifications that orders are ready: shoppers contacted us because they had not received a notification; staff checked order statuses and agreed on the next step.”
Do not include records of individual conversations, issue or order numbers, exact times, verbatim statements, or details that could identify a shopper. Summarize actions and outcomes without judging people.
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