The art of refusing to get a positive effect. Why do you have to refuse customers and how to do it right? How to respond to customer rejections

Sooner or later, every copywriter has a moment (at least, I wish this for everyone) when customers just “go in a jamb”. And in such a situation, when the time for fulfilling orders has already been scheduled for a month or two ahead and common sense tells you that you should at least cope with this, he appears - the customer of your dreams, well, or just another client.

I'll probably do small digression. Freelancers often write about the need to take care of themselves, leave time for rest and personal life, so as not to slide into the abyss of workaholism, you won’t earn all the money, etc. And given all these reasons, you need to say “no” to the customer who applied at the time of the full employment of the writer.

These are really good reasons, and I completely agree with them, but ... How to really refuse a client?

Imagine the situation: at the moment of complete blockage, a client finds you and asks you to write a series of articles:

- with an interesting, "your" theme;

– ready to pay without bidding and demand for discounts 100% prepayment;

- who wants to see on his site only the creation of your hands;

– promising in terms of further cooperation.

How to refuse such a customer, realizing that physically you will not have time to complete his project on time? Or well, it’s personal time and fatigue, because the order is good, and the person too? To be honest, this situation is always painful for me, so I decided to ask the opinions of other freelance writers.

If the order is with the prospect of further cooperation, on a really “my” topic, with an advance payment and a good price, it is a sin to refuse. Because in fact, the ideal customer is extremely rare. I would review my queue for two months, choose the most uninteresting order and refuse to fulfill it. And I would put the Ideal Customer in his place.

How to refuse an uninteresting customer? My main rule - we take all the blame. Those. apologizing and refusing, we say:

“Sorry, I didn’t calculate my strength, I won’t be able to cope with your order.”

“I'm sorry, I'm not too well versed in your topic, so I refuse the order. You'd better go to a more knowledgeable writer in this area."

Thus, we do not offend the customer with the words “your payment is too low”, or “your project is boring to me, I have outgrown this level”. He has a wonderful project, and he is a wonderful customer. But we are such imperfect performers.

You say that in this case the reputation of the writer suffers? Perhaps suffering a little. But what does it matter if you don't plan to work with this customer anyway? This method has been tested by me and it works. Usually, customers are also grateful for the fact that I got acquainted with the topic and said that it was not mine before the start of work, and did not send some poorly readable rubbish, as it happens, also with the failure of all deadlines. We part in this case always very kindly.

"3D-mama: Making Money on Decree" http://3d-mama.ru/

Looking through the perspective telescope

The first thing to do when a dream customer appears on the labor horizon, littered with burning texts, is to assess its prospects. If you understand that this is most likely a one-time order, and the total cost of the project does not correlate with the financial losses that may threaten if you refuse regular customers, then there is only one way out: we offer the customer our deadlines for completing the work. Does he disagree? So be it.

If, in the future, a new employer brings you much more attractive projects than all your existing clients combined, then you need to cast all doubts aside and agree to complete his task.

Moreover, no one bothers you to try to slightly shift the deadlines for the projects of old employers. Often with many of the permanent partners there are almost friendly relations. Sometimes this can be used to optimize your work.

If it is impossible to transfer the deadlines, but the customer is too attractive, then we bite the bit and harness for several days (you can’t call it otherwise) in a triple gait.

We call for help familiar copywriters

When the situation is really critical, there is so much work that the white light is not visible, and the new customer promises a constant influx of work at an attractive price, then it's time to start plan B.

Every web writer has a few freelancers in their Skype contacts who can support them in difficult times. So, it's time to ask them for help. Invite them to write some articles for your regular customers. The holiday season is ahead, and extra income every copywriter will be happy.

Whether it is worth notifying clients that their work will be performed not by you, but by your friend is a personal matter for everyone. It depends on many factors, including the warmth of the relationship with the customer. In any case, your friend's writing talent will help you to tell the customer a firm "YES" instead of a hesitant "NO".

We refuse correctly: gently and delicately

If you are so busy that you are not able to take another, albeit potentially golden, project, and there are no smart copywriters you know at hand, then you have no other option. Will have to refuse.

But this must be done delicately in order to leave at least a small chance that a new customer will contact you again. To do this, write him a letter with the following content:

“Dear Ivan Ivanovich. I thought about your project. I propose to use such methods of attracting an audience in the text (we list). In addition, I have already roughly sketched out a plan of topics for future articles. I suggest you take a look at it. But I won't be able to get back to work until two weeks later. Waiting for your decision".

Is it necessary to refuse a good customer? In my opinion, the obvious answer is no. There is no need to refuse if it is really good. Everyone has their own criteria for evaluating a customer, but it is also useful to compare your customers with each other. We decided on the criteria, counted the plus signs and decided. If it's really good, don't give up.

But where will the resource of time and creativity come from? We recall the comparison of customers, we choose the most patient and / or tight-fisted. We compose a beautiful message for the patient about the need to wait, and for the stingy - about raising the cost (due to insurmountable circumstances). Here is the finished solution.

Believe me, the problem of lack of time for good new customer melt overnight, like a glass of ice cream on the dash of a car on a sunny day. The patient one will wait, because you will offer him a reasonable time, and the tight-fisted one ... will also agree to wait in order to avoid unnecessary expenses. In any case, if someone refuses, remember the comparison. you preferred good customer, and the ballast is supposed to be dropped.

If you want to lead happy life, you must be attached to the goal, not to people or things. (A. Einstein)

P.S. This post was able to collect so many interesting scenarios, as it was the result of participating in an interesting experimental game robin, which was started by Ilona Baranova on her blog "The Power of the Word". During the game, 4 participants (including me) wrote 4 miniatures on 4 themes invented by us. This is how 4 articles were born, which are published on 4 different blogs.

As you understand, in each of the articles (I myself don’t know yet in what form they will be published on the blogs of the participants) there is also my piece. You can get acquainted with the articles by clicking on the links indicated in the post.

To combine the works sent to me into a single whole, I chose the form of an interview, because you can’t throw words out of a song, and I didn’t want to change the author’s style of such original web writers.

And what do you answer to customers who apply at the moment of full employment?

UPD: Since the topic turned out to be hot, and personal experience allowed to develop an algorithm of actions, I wrote.

Letova Olga

Your company can produce great product at a fair price or provide the highest quality service, you can be polite and considerate to your customers. But it does not matter, because customers will always find a reason to be dissatisfied.

The program freezes, the taxi is stuck in a traffic jam, the courier is driving too slowly,“I thought that it would be green, and this is the color of the sea wave”, “can I have a discount of not 10% but at least 35%”, “where is the moon from the sky for these couple of thousand?”.

No, reciprocal rudeness, even if it seems like an adequate response, is not an option. But in any case, you must learn to say “no” to clients, on the one hand, without burning guilt and, on the other, without aggression.

We will tell you about ways to politely refuse, which will help you cope with an awkward situation and shamelessly say “no” to a client without ruining your relationship with him.

Ask for clarification

Quite often, customer complaints are emotional, but not very meaningful:

“Your update sucks, what the hell!!! Return everything as it was!”, “Where is that manager, it seems that his name was Vasily, with whom I talked on Wednesday? I want to work only with him, but I don’t know you at all and don’t want to know! What does quit mean? How can I be?.

When clients behave in this way, they at least give you the opportunity to ask a clarifying question, such as this:

“I am very sorry to hear this. Could you clarify what exactly you liked about the previous version that you couldn't find after the update? Why did you like working with Vasily? If you explain, I will try to take this into account, and maybe it will become more convenient for you to work with our company.”

Of course you won't replace new version product to the old one, just as you don’t persuade the retired Vasily to return back, you won’t even try. In this case, it doesn't matter.

You will give the client a reason to feel that their opinion is really important to you and that your company cares about it.

By the way, an added bonus is that customer explanations will actually help you solve their problem.

Promise the client to consider his request in the future

Very often, customers take the phrase too literally. "every whim for your money" and want from your company what it cannot give them.

Pizza delivery companies don't usually provide trash pickup or dog walking as an added option. And pizza is not always the same as rolls. Companies specializing in organizing children's parties rarely deal with bachelor parties, but sometimes the client does not think so.

It would seem simple “no, we deliver pizza, not rolls” it would be enough. But this is not entirely true, because

First of all, this upsets the client and reduces his potential loyalty (after all, someday he will want pizza),

a Secondly, you deprive yourself of an additional and completely free marketing tool.

In order not to upset the client, you can answer something like this:

“Unfortunately, in this moment we do not deliver rolls, but we will definitely think about it. Our company closely monitors customer requests, and if there are enough requests like yours, we will revise our range in the future.”

The client is pleased to know that his request will not disappear and that he was paid attention, even if this is the type of client who is trying to order a striptease from a children's party organization.

However, it is important to keep in mind that this kind of polite refusal only works if your company is really ready to change its product line based on customer requests.

But don't lie

No matter how much you want to reassure the client just to get rid of him "here and now", don't do it. Avoid lies and empty promises.

You should not lie to the client that his request will be taken into account and considered if you are not even going to share this information with those who make such decisions.

It is bad to deceive a client, not only because it is unethical, but also because people usually feel good about this kind of insincerity, and your slyness can turn against you.

It's better to upset the client and say "no" than to cheat by saying: "We will certainly consider your request." Because after a while, when you forget about him, or your unsuspecting colleague or, even worse, your boss, is in your place, the stubborn client will call back and ask how things are going with his “Wishlist”.

Say "no" in other words

If you still need to refuse a client's request, you may well do so without using the word "no" at all.

Instead of “No, we do not and will not have a stripper cake” you can say “Yes, we understand that many people like striptease and groceries and that it would be interesting move, but, I'm afraid, our company is not ready for this and it is unlikely that we will ever have this option" or "There is currently no way we can do this for you, but thanks for taking the time."

An honest but polite response is more likely to leave the door open for future success, and the client won't feel like they've wasted their time with you.

Let the client feel like they've been heard

Very often it is important for people to understand that their problem has been heard and understood. Simple tricks like addressing the customer by name or phrases like "I understand what you're talking about" continue to work.

Thank people for letting you know what they need. Whatever their problem, it is important that they took the time to contact you, even if they do not distinguish rolls from pizza and do not understand that the call center operator will not solve their problems with low learning new technologies.

By the way: Respond quickly, but not too quickly, so as not to arouse the unpleasant suspicion in the client that you are doing this automatically without even delving into his problem.

Suggest alternatives

If you are serious about maintaining customer loyalty to your company or to you personally in the long term, you should try to help them, even if right now it does not bring you obvious benefit. Yes, you do not deliver rolls, but you can immediately name the company that does it, even if it is your competitor.

The next most important thing for the client (after getting what he wanted to receive) is the feeling that his request was treated carefully and seriously enough.

If you skillfully and almost honestly combine different techniques of polite refusal, then your “no” will be perceived by the client almost as a “yes”. This will not only avoid embarrassment, but will also strengthen the two-way relationship between the client and the company and, last but not least, between you and the client.

When a customer contacts support, he always expects to hear a positive response to his request. Unfortunately, this is not always possible.

None of us like rejection. Often we react to them emotionally and sometimes in a childish way. We can shout, hang up and say that we will start being served by another company. We describe our experience on social networks - negative impressions are discussed several times more often than positive ones.

All this points to the need to look for a replacement for the unequivocal “no”. Understanding the essence of failure is the main principle of finding a way out of these difficult situations. To understand it, we must remember our childhood. Each of us heard the first “no” when our parents refused a candy.

We are all children inside

When you read The Easy Experience by Rick DeLisi, Nicky Toman, and Matthew Dixon, you'll learn that when we were kids and we heard "no" from a parent, we used one of three behaviors:

1. Send a request to the second parent (after all, we have a chance for a positive answer).
2. Accept a negative answer and forget about what you want (but it's not easy to come to terms with it).
3. Kicking, screaming and crying to show our frustration in the hope that parents will take pity and change their behavior (even the most diligent children did this).

Most likely, it seems to you that you no longer use this behavior model, but for many of us these reactions are still inherent. There is no point in kicking and biting, but we continue to scream and pout.

Our clients respond to rejection:

1. Emotional reaction. They are arguing and angry with a customer service representative.
2. They try to talk to another employee of the same department (for example, by hanging up and calling later). It is as if we asked the other parent to fulfill the request as children.
3. They ask to switch to the older one. It seems to the client that the bosses can change the rules once and forget about the company's policy especially for him.
4. They threaten to go to competitors. These threats rarely come true. Most often, the client says this when he cannot influence the situation.

Whatever reaction hits you, each of them can have negative consequences for your enterprise, because after that social networks are replenished with new negative reviews about the company.

When we get angry we turn into other people. And when you're hungry. Is not it?

How to smooth out the reaction of customers? Three points need to be studied: knowledge of the product, attitude to work and the desire to help the client.

The technique of "correct" failures for the help desk

If you refuse a client, you can form a negative impression of the company in him. To prevent this from happening, you need to take a more careful approach to the word “no”. What does he represent?

Use positive words. When you say "no" to a client, they get the feeling that you don't want to help. Even if nothing can be done in the situation of the applicant, you can always find a way to convey this fact to the client in a positive manner.

For example, a user of your online service wants to open a second account, but your company provides this option only for premium customers. In this case, the helpdesk operator can say in different ways:

1. “No, you need to be a premium customer to be eligible to create a second account. You are currently using a simple account."
2. "Undoubtedly. We are happy to provide you with this opportunity when you become a premium customer. You can find information on how to switch to the premium segment here” (provide a link).

If you answer as suggested in point B, the conversation will end on a positive note.

Provide the client with an alternative solution. If you are unable to give the client what he needs, try to find the most suitable alternative for him. Even if the buyer does not like this option, he will be grateful for the desire to help.

For example, a client of an online store wants to buy products of a certain brand, but it is not in stock and never has been. Can answer:

1. "Sorry, we don't work with this manufacturer."
2. “We are not working with the brand you are interested in yet, but we can offer something similar.”

When a client receives an alternative, you get the opportunity to earn without losing the sale. Every member of your customer support team should have a thorough knowledge of the product and its description in order to offer it as an alternative to the missing items if possible.

Detail your explanations.

Customers don't always understand how your product works. Someone to make a purchase may need a more detailed or completely new explanation of its features or capabilities.

Imagine you are making software, and the consumer calling customer service is in the process of introducing your product to the enterprise website. You can have a conversation with him in two ways:

1. “If you followed our instructions, everything should have gone perfectly, unless, of course, you made a mistake at some stage. The reason may also be incorrect work your website"
2. “Let's go through the whole sequence of actions together from the first step. If it doesn’t work out again, I will know from my colleagues if there is a way to solve this situation differently.”

Offer the client other ways to solve the issue that interests him. If the client is interested in an example, give him an example. If it is more convenient for him to perceive information through a detailed explanation, let him get what he wants.

Don't let customers push you around

It is clear that it is impossible to satisfy absolutely all the requests of your customers, no matter how strong your desire is. If you need to turn down a customer, follow some simple rules of courtesy.

For example, a customer wants to return a product, but too much time has passed since the purchase. You will have to refuse him, because that is the policy of the company. You can say "no" in a number of ways:

1. “The rules of our company do not provide for a refund in your case. Too much time has passed since the purchase. I'm sorry, but I can't help you."
2. “I understand your problem. I will discuss it with the manager. But, unfortunately, according to the rules of our company, I do not have the authority to return products. I'm really sorry.".

It is not always important for the client to hear a positive or negative answer. He cares how you talk to him. Let the client feel that you have entered his position and, indeed, do not have the opportunity to do what he wants. Instead of focusing on the consumer's mistakes, focus on what you can do for them.

Refuse correctly.

Each client appeal cannot end with a positive response. Learning how to properly refuse and how to use it correctly is a very important nuance in dealing with consumers.

Remember that consumers will not always be with you just because you helped. But they will definitely leave if they feel unwilling to help.

Don't leave your consumer alone with a hard no. Instead, try to reduce the discomfort that your rejection caused by providing an alternative solution.

If you go back to childhood, you can remember that being sincere and completely devoting yourself to your favorite business means, among other things, the ability to feel the problems and needs of the consumer, instead of voicing a refusal on a formal occasion and switching to another job.

The ability to write rejection letters is one of the most important skills of an employee of an enterprise responsible for external links organizations and business correspondence. The content and presentation of such a letter not only speak about the education and culture of its originator, but also form the image and reputation of the enterprise in the business environment.

What are the reasons for business correspondence

Each actively working company regularly receives letters with various offers. This may be a proposal for cooperation (commercial), for participation in an event (conference, seminar, celebration), etc. Letters of inquiry, claims, reminders, etc. are also common in circulation between organizations. Thus, the incoming correspondence of an enterprise can amount to tens or even hundreds of different messages that require a response.

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How to issue a waiver

Consideration of a letter in no way guarantees that the representative of the organization who received it in without fail will respond with consent to the offer, request or claim contained therein. On the contrary, in many cases employees of companies write refusals.

But in order to refuse correctly, certain skills are needed. It is important not to offend the sender of the letter with negative content - this is dictated not only by the rules of elementary business courtesy, but also by the possibility that in the future he may become a customer, client or partner.

General information about a business letter

All official correspondence is subject to certain rules drafting. First of all, it must be remembered that, despite the fact that the content of the letter can be completely arbitrary, its structure and composition must comply with the standards adopted in the design of business papers, i.e. conditionally divided into three parts: beginning (address and heading of the letter), main section and conclusion (signature and date).

The writing style should be restrained, concise, without unnecessarily "loaded" sentences, complex specific terminology. Refusal should be made as correct as possible, rudeness, profanity and other extreme manifestations are unacceptable in it. When forming a letter, it is necessary to take into account the norms of the Russian language in terms of the culture of speech, vocabulary, grammar, spelling and style.

The refusal may be unmotivated, but it is still better if the letter indicates its reason.

If the answer is detailed and detailed, then it should be divided into paragraphs or paragraphs - this way the perception of the text is greatly facilitated.

In case of refusal, it is not necessary to chop off the shoulder and “burn bridges”, it is advisable to leave the path to retreat, that is, to thank for the attention paid and express hope for the possibility of further cooperation. To do this, you can specify the conditions that the recipient can fulfill to establish business relations. If there is an opportunity to advise an enterprise that would also agree to cooperation or other proposals made in the original message, then it should not be neglected - this will leave a good mark in the memory of the addressee.

In whose name to write

The refusal must be written strictly in the name of the person who signed the original letter. Otherwise, the refusal may not reach the addressee or get lost in the flow of incoming mail. However, if there was no signature of a specific person under the offer letter, then a neutral form of address can be used (for example, in the form of a simple greeting “Good afternoon”).

Drafting a rejection letter

The letter can be written by hand (this format will speak of a special, warm attitude towards the addressee) or printed on a computer.

In this case, it is permissible to use a simple sheet of paper or a form with company details and a company logo.

The letter of refusal is formed in a single original copy, must be dated and numbered (in accordance with the document flow of the enterprise). At the same time, information about it should be included in the log of outgoing correspondence, noting its date, number and briefly - content. In the future, this journal may become evidence of the creation and sending of the message.

Who must sign

Ideally, under the letter there should be an autograph of the director of the organization, but perhaps this is far from always (and almost completely excluded in enterprises with a large number of employees and many structural divisions). Therefore, any employee of the company authorized to create this kind of documentation and entitled to sign correspondence can sign a letter of refusal. It can be a secretary, lawyer, head or specialist of any department.

How to send a letter

A letter can be sent in many ways, and it is best to choose the one through which the original message came. Sending via Russian mail is most acceptable, but in this case you should take a registered order with a return receipt, you can also use a transfer through a representative or courier (this method guarantees more fast delivery). The use of fax, electronic means of communication and even social networks or instant messengers (but only on condition that the sender of the initial letter himself uses this way of communication).

Non-cooperation letter

If you need to create a letter of refusal to cooperate, see its sample and comments to it.

1. At the beginning of the letter, write for whom it is intended: indicate the name of the organization, position and full name of its representative, in whose name you are writing the answer. Use a polite form of address, thank you for the attention shown to your company, and then move on to the essence of the message.
2. Be sure to refer to the letter in response to which you are writing a refusal, indicate the circumstances that caused the negative reaction. If any additional papers were attached to his proposal by your opponent, indicate that you have read them.
3. If possible, express in the letter an expression of hope that cooperation will nevertheless take place, without failing to introduce the conditions that must be met for this.
4. Finally, sign the letter and date it.

Letter of refusal to participate in the event

When writing a letter of refusal to participate in an event, use the above recommendations for a letter of refusal to cooperate. Everything in the letter is standard, but mandatory: information about the sender and addressee, then the appeal, the refusal itself with a mention of the proposal to participate in the event and the circumstances that led to the negative answer, then the signature and date.

Job offer rejection letter

Not only from the enterprise can receive a letter of refusal. In some cases, it can be expressed by a person who has nothing to do with the company: for example, an applicant for a position. If you are just such a person, form a refusal also in accordance with the rules and regulations of business documentation. Use courtesy, indicate the name of the job offered to you, as well as the reason why you refuse it (keep in mind that a potential employer may revise the terms of the job offered to you). Be sure to sign and date at the end.