All businesses have customers. Many have staff and business associates that you will have to work with. Sooner or later you will have to deal with a difficult one. You may even be dealing with one right now! How you deal with it will be a huge factor in how your business will thrive and survive. No matter what, I recommend that you be professional at all times. Try not to take anything personally, even if it is about you!
Reasons why people don’t want to face a difficult person
· Don’t like confrontation
· Don’t want to “upset the apple cart”
· Always want to please people
· Are concerned that you may lose students
· Are stressed out about how to face this issue
Let’s face it, no one wakes up in the morning and says, “Oh boy, I really hope that I have to deal with a difficult person today. I am really looking for a confrontation!” But if you are going to keep your sanity, you will need to have a strategy for how you will deal and react with the difficult staff/parents/students.
Below are three different groups that as studio owners you may have to face. In any circumstance, have the party come in and meet with you face-to-face. If someone is belligerent, abusive to you or just not good for your business, meet with them to say goodbye and show them the door – and I don’t care who they are! There will be times you will need to draw a line in the sand and say enough is enough.
Staff/Teachers
Tips for successful results:
1. Meet as soon as possible to discuss the problem at hand.
2. Meet during a time where you will be undisturbed and away from customers.
3. Listen intently and take notes.
4. Meet again to discuss how this issue can be resolved.
5. Stay professional at all times.
Parent/Students
Tips for successful results:
1. Meet only with the parent at first.
2. Listen to all issues, take notes and then decide the best course of action.
3. Meet with parent and student to discuss issues.
4. If you decide it is best to part ways, then you must do it!
5. Don’t take it personally even when it gets personal. Don’t lose your cool!
Landlord/Business Associates
Tips for successful results:
1. Send a certified letter with the issues you are having and set up a meeting.
2. Decide up front what is the best course of action.
3. Find a happy middle ground.
4. Don’t let them push you around.
5. Stay businesslike at all times.
By Angela D’Valda Sirico of Dance Teacher Web.
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