I'll say it again, "you need customer service training".
I did and I got it.
One of the major areas that gets focused on is "difficult clients". You think you're the first? What's the difference getting your answers from some training company or getting them here?
They give you insightful ways to handle the situation.
Of course, there will be a very few you will find "Impossible" and guess what the advise was; not "the client is always right" or any other trite stuff: if all else fails walk away.
Of course, you may have to take some lumps but only if you do it the wrong way.
You say you want out.
Classic example.
You don't want out.
No you don't, honestly. Think about it.
Ask yourself what you really want.
"What is it you really want?"
Let me help you.
You don't want your boss to think you're a wimp.
He needs to be able to trust you to do your job with minimal supervision.
He doesn't want you
not to talk to him or he can't judge how you are doing.
But he doesn't want you dumping your problems and making them his.
So approaching the Boss:
You don't ask your boss to get you out or tell him you aren't going back because you will set up the wrong image of you in his eyes.
What you do is you go and see him and say:
"Boss, I'm having a hell of a time with this client and I need you to tell me how you want it handled."
This wins brownie points. You show willing and you are ready to look for help to do your job.
You don't' give him a new problem, you give him to opportunity to help you with your problem. That always gets you good marks. It also often gets you the result you want.
(it isn't to get off site, trust me.)
You want him to be involved in this problem.
Tell him you want out and his problem then is how to do his job and have this job done.
You ask him how to do it and he will get involved.
He'll ask you to explain.
Do so objectively.
Let him ask questions and you respond.
He will get a better picture and he will
be on your side.
I'll guarantee you'll be able to tell it all because he'll want to know - how else can he help you if he doesn't know?
Now, if you want the boss to see for himself, you could ask him if he thinks its a good idea for him to phone the clients and find out what the problem is with you.
He may do that. He might even, because he has to have a better idea (he's showing you how its done), tell you he'll drop in with for for a few minutes as "its time I went to see them about this other thing" and while he's at it, see what the deal is.
(remember to thank him)
See, at no time do you actually tell your boss you can't do the job. Nor do you say you will walk off site leaving your boss with a bigger problem.
Don't ever think that because you speak English and the client speaks English that you can communicate clearly. You can't, you (we all) often need help.
You might think your client doesn't like you personally and you might be offended by that.
But just think, your client was favoured with lots of attention when all anyone wanted was his order and now he has the kit it doesn't work and he wants to see just how important he really is to your company. They want to see your boss but they don't want to have to ask for him. They want to think they are important enough the boss will come see them even if nothing is going wrong.
See? people don't always say what they mean and what they say often requires skilled interpretation. The best thing they think they can do is make your life miserable and then maybe they'll get what they want without having to ask for it.
If you want to learn these things go on a training course and don't get all chuff when some one tells you so.
In the end, if your boss can't find an answer, it will be because it is now his problem and if he can't solve it he wont expect you to and make take you foff the job anyway.
he may take you off the job, but of his own initiative, not because you asked him... a much better solution for you.
This is actually the first lesson of problem solving, always make your problem someone else's.
Second rule: when you have a problem you can do one of two things: make it worse or make it better. You make it better when you make it someone else's problem.
Think about your objectives:
Once you know what your objectives are try and think of good ways to meet them.
You have to ask questions.
You can only solve problems if you understand them.
Don't turn your nose up at customer service training or any other training.
I never do.
If some one wants me to go on a training course, I go.
I have never yet been on one where I didn't learn something new, often something rather basic and
obvious.
If you want help, ask but never ever bite the helping hand. You've come to the right place to ask but if the answers you get aren't what you expected, better take a good objective look at what you asked, how you asked and how you handled the replies.
Nobody here is getting paid for to help you and they give good advice where they can.
They will also roast anyone who asks for it.
Trust me on that.
So, your reply post is exactly the wrong way to approach problems.
This is how to make them worse.
Now not only do you have an upset customer, you have some of the most valuable brains on the planet wanting to join them and give you a kicking.
Think about it.
Think again.
And please, think about what you really want and come back and tell us. If you say you really want to not go back to this customer, you haven't thought enough.
PS you only got my answers because I'm in a good mood and just had my coffee.
JMW
