I haven't got time to be nice!

These are the words of a delegate on a Dealing with Difficult Customers Training Course.

We were discussing empathy.....

... and she had worked out that her conversations would last a few more seconds as she stopped to think about the situation, looked at things from the customer's viewpoint and delivered some words that demonstrated to the customer that she understood how the customer feels.

Sometimes as a trainer you get moments like these.  You stand there like a rabbit trapped in the headlights wondering what to say next.

So, practising what I preach, I took a deep breath, stopped to think about the situation, looked at things from her point of view and said a few words that demonstrated to her that I could "imagine" the pressure she must be under.

She immediately relaxed, sighed, smiled and within moments we were having a different kind of conversation.  Throwing around ideas as to how she could change a few things here and a few things there.

And then I reviewed the last 5 minutes with her; what she had said; what I had said and what had happened between us. 

I saw the lightbulb come on over her head.  She's now an empathy convert.