Handling an Irate Customer at Regal Florists
Background
Regal Florists is a small, third-generation, family-owned flower shop in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. Most customers are local residents, but Regal has a website and an FTD delivery arrangement so that it serves customers throughout the United States. Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Boyle have been doing business with Regal for more than 20 years and know the owners well. They often order centerpiece arrangements for holidays and dinner parties, which they host frequently because of Mr. Boyle’s position with a public relations firm. They also occasionally send flowers to their six children and four grandchildren living in various parts of the United States and overseas. Regal’s owners and employees are usually especially cheerful, helpful, and efficient. That is one of the reasons the Boyles are loyal customers even though Regal’s prices have risen above the industry average in recent years.
Your Role
During the past years, you have worked part time at Regal, at first delivering arrangements and for the past year creating arrangements and managing the shop. Mr. Boyle stopped by first thing this morning, just as you were opening the store. He was irate, demanding to know what happened with the arrangement delivered yesterday to his assistant for Secretary’s Day, and swearing he would never patronize Regal again. Apparently, he had phoned in the order last week. The order was taken by a former 16-year-old, part-time employee, who has since resigned. According to Mr. Boyle, he had ordered a small arrangement with carnations and various other bright spring flowers for his assistant. Instead, his assistant received a dozen red roses along with a card, on the outside of which was a border of little hearts and the statement “Thinking of you.” Inside the card was a message intended for his wife: “I do not know what I would do without you.” Unfortunately, Mrs. Boyle had dropped by Mr. Boyle’s office and was near the assistant’s desk when the flowers arrived, saw the card and flowers, and was quite upset. Rumor has it that Mr. and Mrs. Boyle are having marital problems. You were the only person in the shop when Mr. Boyle came in. Answer these questions.
- Do you think that Mr. Boyle should take Regal’s past performance record into consideration? Why or why not?
- What listening skills addressed in this chapter should you use in this situation? Why?
- What could you possibly do or say that might resolve this situation positively?
- Based on information provided, how would you have reacted in this situation if you were Mr. Boyle? Why?
- If you were Mr. Boyle, what could be done or said to convince you to continue to do business with Regal?