It is going to happen. We all run into it…an upset donor!
There will be times when making blood donor recruitment calls where we contact a donor that had a previously poor experience donating, or we unintentionally interrupt a donor right in the middle of their favorite show. Whatever the situation, it is our job as Conversational Marketing™ Experts (CMEs) to handle the call properly and do what we can to change the situation for the donor.
Here are some tips on how to accomplish that:
- Maintain a friendly tone. Maintaining a friendly tone will prevent the donor from becoming even more upset. This will also make the donor feel at ease and may even make them realize that they sound ridiculous if they raise their voice.
- Do not get defensive. Keep in mind that the donor is not personally upset with you, you are just the person that they came in contact with. In most cases, they just want someone to listen to them and feel that their concern is being heard.
- Offer a sincere apology. Use empathy, and let the donor know that you are honestly sorry that the situation they are upset about occurred. Tell the donor that you understand their concerns and that you can see why this would upset them. Be very careful not to take their side or say anything that would reflect badly on the client. The best thing to do is remain neutral and apologize.
- Offer a resolution. Once the donor has had a chance to voice their concerns, summarize the concern and follow through with another apology. Once you have done this, let the donor know what you can do for them. If it is not something you can handle, let them know that their information will be given to a supervisor.
Using these tips the next time you reach an upset donor will help the call flow a lot better and make the donor feel like their concerns were heard and not ignored.
What additional tips do you have for handling a call with an upset donor?