Last updated on Jan 18, 2025

A customer is upset over a disputed transaction fee. How do you handle their frustration?

An upset customer over a disputed transaction fee can be a delicate situation but handled with empathy and clarity, it can be resolved smoothly.

1 Managing customer frustration over transaction fees

When a customer is upset about a disputed transaction fee, the key is to address their concern with empathy and clear communication. Here's how you can handle the situation effectively:

Listen actively: Give the customer your full attention, allowing them to express their frustration without interruption.

Clarify the issue: Explain the fee clearly and why it was charged, ensuring the customer understands the process.

Offer solutions: Provide options such as a fee waiver, a detailed review, or escalating the issue to higher management if necessary.

How would you approach a similar situation? Share your strategies.

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Patrick Aero

Payments Switch Support Officer
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Firstly, I would ask the customer to tell me a story with key details like location, event, time, amount, date, day, and external parties then allow the person to tell their story. Secondly, I would thank them for airing out their frustration and ask follow up questions. Thirdly, I would explain to them hy there are transaction fees and how they work, so that the customer would also have a foundational understanding of what I will be talking about. Finally, I would type out a memo or a letter to give to the customer to sum up what we've talked about and use it as a reminder for future transactions they make. I woukd then suggest to marketing teams to share the same information on the company website for everyone's awareness.

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Matt Atawneh

Associate Vice President - Senior Manager | Strategy | Planning | Digital Bank | FinTech | Banking as a Service | Enterprise Architecture | Cloud Transformation |Business Architecture | Solution Architecture
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To begin with I always say "LISTEN! LISTEN! LISTEN!". Hear them out. Demonstrate the message has been received and understood. Acknowledge their point of view ( this doesn't mean you have to agree with them ) Don't take it personally, they really have no problem with you as a person. Calmly explain the fee and why it applies. If it's available look into the customers history, is it a positive relationship with the company. If so and there is room for a one-off fee-waiver, give it to them. No option for a waiver, offer a path of escalation. Else, politely apologise, and explain how/if this can be avoided in the future

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Travis Mays

Founder & MD @ Lyntra | Support when you need it | Engineering | Project Management | Renewable Energy | Recycling | Waste |
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I've found that the most important thing is to let them speak and you actively listen. Most of the time the customer needs to vent before we can work through the issue, allowing this, assuming it doesn't go to far, whilst actively listening and asking questions is the most important step. Making sure they feel heard and that you actually care is so important. If you don't care, don't fake it, get someone else to handle the complaints, everyone can quickly tell when someone is faking and it'll do a lot of brand damage for no reward

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Patrick Ngabonziza

Patrick Ngabonziza is a certified aircraft pilot, tech visionary, and fintech strategist with deep expertise in IT systems, banking innovation, and mathematical modeling.
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I would first acknowledge their frustration to show empathy, then shift the focus to understanding their specific concerns. After addressing their feelings, I would explain the situation clearly, offering solutions step by step to guide them toward a resolution while keeping the interaction calm and constructive

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Tarek Habib

Operations Catalyst Driving FinTech, SaaS & CX Growth | Creator of Frictionless Customer Journeys & Revenue Engines | PMI® Certified | McKinsey Forward | Payment Operations, KYC Analysis, Client Retention Specialist
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I believe that handling a customer's frustration over a disputed transaction fee requires empathy, clear communication, and proactive problem-solving to resolve the issue and build trust, turning a potentially negative interaction into an opportunity to enhance loyalty. So, I listen actively and clarify and explain then offer solution and follow up to ensure the client satisfaction.

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A customer is upset over a disputed transaction fee. How do you handle their frustration?

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A customer is upset over a disputed transaction fee. How do you handle their frustration?

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1 Managing customer frustration over transaction fees

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