Resolving Conflicts at Work

 Brady's West is generally a very happy place to work. Our customers usually are very satisfied with their shopping experience and our staff typically work extremely well together as a team. Once in a while though, we get a grumpy or rude customer, and on rare occasions, an employee may bump heads with another staff member. What should you do if you find yourself having to deal with an unruly customer or you feel offended by another employee? Based on our experience, we've put together the following suggestions to help you answer this question.

 Conflicts with Customers

           Remain Calm and Don't Take It Personally. Do your best not to get upset and visibly irritated with the customer--doing so will only make the matter worse. Even if the customer insults you, take a breath, collect your thoughts, and stay cool. A key element of remaining calm is not to argue back to the customer. Granted, that is sometimes easier said than done, but arguing back only makes the situation a lot worse--especially in front of other customers.

            Listen; Ask Questions. Be as kind to the customer as possible; simply listen and ask questions that help the customer explain why he or she is upset. This action is often all you need to do help the customer feel that he or she is genuinely being heard--and that goes a long way to defusing the situation. Do your best to convey understanding, caring, and empathy. Only by letting your customers express themselves can you begin to understand the problem and work productively toward a solution.

             Be Firm But Respectful. Being understanding doesn't mean that you let an unruly customer walk all over you. Don't let the customer abuse or mistreat you. Respectfully let the customer know when he or she has gone too far by calmly stating as much--something like "Whoa, let's both take a breath and calm down and start over; tell me again what I can help you with..."

            Take Responsibility; Work Toward a Solution. If you've made a mistake or an error with a customer, own up to it. It is okay, we all make mistakes, and it is nothing to worry about unless you keep repeating that mistake over and over again. If you need to apologize, either for your mistake or on behalf of Brady's West, go ahead. Again, it is okay. However, regardless of whether the mistake is the customer's, yours, or Brady's West's, the right thing to do is to work with the customer to find an equitable solution to the problem. If you're short on ideas on what solution might work best, bring a manager into the conversation and together, the three of you will arrive at a solution that will work in everyone's best interests.

            Know Your Limits. Know what you know and what you don't know as well as what you can handle and can't handle. If you feel you don't have the knowledge base to solve the customer's problem, then call a manager to help you. Likewise, if you feel that you simply cannot deal with the customer's rudeness or anger, call a manager to help you. There is no shame in dealing with the issue this way. In either case, and unless told otherwise, stay with the manager and observe how he or she interacts with the customer--use the situation as an occasion for learning how to deal effectively with conflict with customers.

Conflicts with Fellow Employees

            It Happens and It is Not Fun. Conflict between employees in the workplace does happen, although at Brady's West, it doesn't happen very often. When it does occur, it hurts employees at least two levels: It makes for unhappy people and it hurts their success at their jobs. Thus, as soon as a conflict between employees occurs, it should be resolved as soon as possible. The question, of course, is how.

            Let it Slide. One way to resolve the conflict, particularly a small one, is simply to ignore it. Sometimes you catch a colleague when he or she is having a bad day or a colleague inadvertently is rude you. In such cases, your colleague's words or deeds toward you might be forgiven as unintentional and harmless. "Turning the other cheek" is often an appropriate course of action when your colleague's actions are understood in such contexts.

            Be Proactive. If you are unsure of the origins of a colleague's seemingly hurtful deeds or words towards you, then you might consider talking to him or her about the situation. Only by doing so can you truly begin to understand your colleague's actions. In many cases, you will find that your colleague was completely unaware that you felt hurt or offended by something that he or she did. You may also find that you each develop a greater appreciation for each other because you have deepened your understanding of each other's values and work ethics.

            Bring It to a Manager's Attention. If you discussed the situation with your colleague and it didn't end well, or if you feel that your colleague is continually is rude or offensive toward you, then you should not hesitate to discuss the matter with a manager. Our managers will listen thoughtfully to you and will work with you toward an effective solution to whatever the problem might be between you and your colleague.

            Stay Calm. Regardless of what the issue might be between colleagues, everyone involved should remain calm, cool-headed, and optimistic that an agreeable solution to the problem can be reached. Becoming overtly angry, raising one's voice, and hurling insults at a colleague will only make reaching a solution more difficult. So, keep your emotions in check, your tongue still, and your attitude even-keeled. Always strive be part of the solution and not the problem.