The customer gave you less time than you wanted to complete a project. Their instructions were disorganized. Their print files were not exactly what you asked for. Then, a mistake happened and the customer got upset.
At this point, it’s tempting to point fingers back at those issues. It’s easy to remind the customer that these things happened because of their failure to follow through as you asked. However, I’ve found that this type of response doesn’t really solve things and often makes things worse. In that moment, the customer needs help. They need your help, and the best thing to do is to take responsibility and to simply help them.
I’ve found a great first response is to remind the customer that mistakes happen once it a while, but when they do, we take responsibility and we want to do what we can to make it right. Usually the customer understands that mistakes happen. When they see you are willing to make good on it, they appreciate it. Then they remember these situations, and in the long run, it builds a stronger relationship going forward.