All the customers’ complaints regarding the quality of service that is offered by sales staff should be taken very seriously. Firms need channels through which customers can send their complaints regarding the quality of service that is offered to them by their sales staff. Customers’ feedback regarding the way their transactions are handled within a firm should be treated with the magnitude it deserves by the management. In the case highlighted, the senior sales employees do not handle customer issues seriously. This has made the customer feel unwanted and unappreciated by the salesperson, which portrays a bad image of the firm (Fairweather 2010, p. 83). The sales representative has become more aggressive and his attitude is inappropriate when conducting business with the customer. His behavior is a threat to the relationship the customer has with the organization.
Aggression is a sign of emotional stress and it is important to help an affected employee to overcome the stress that he faces. If the employee is experiencing a problem at home, he can be offered a leave of absence to enable him to rest (Fairweather 2010, p. 84). This gives him the chance to reflect on how to redeem the negative change in behavior he has been having. The discussion should not confront or accuse the employee of his shortcomings. It should explore ways through which the employee can improve his commitment and behavior when transacting business with the customers.
The senior salesperson should then be made to undergo a thorough examination process through which he can testify to the firm that his behavior has improved. This should be done when the employee does not have any duty to perform to ensure that he is receptive to the ideas and solutions proposed. The employee should be made to understand the negative consequences of his actions and why it is important that he improves his conduct. If possible, the employee needs to apologize in person to the offended customer to ease the tension between the two parties (Oade 2010, p. 96). This is vital in securing the loyalty of the customer to the firm because he will see the firm cares about him. The sales representative needs to get a warning regarding his behavior and should be aware of the consequences he is likely to face as a result of any future complaints.
The firm should change its policy to encourage feedback from its employees and clients regarding how business operations are carried out by its staff. This is vital in tracking the performance of employees within the company in the way they interact with customers. Customers should also be encouraged to raise their complaints about the quality of services that are offered by the staff of the organization.
For example, a taxi driver working in a London firm was experiencing a messy divorce that negatively affected his attitude and behavior. He was offered counseling at the expense of the company and this helped him to overcome the difficulties that he was experiencing (Ong 2010, p.71). The sales representative in question also needs to be taken through a plan that will monitor his performance and discipline at work. This plan should outline all the steps the firm has undertaken to correct the disciplinary issues the employee has had in the organization.