Mental Health Awareness — Improving Customer Perception

“That unique centrepiece wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for a good stream of customers needing that service.”

Following on from our last blog about mental health, we discussed vendors helping their customers who may have mental health issues in their lives and how to improve that communication. This time we’ll be focusing on the other side of the conversation, directed towards the customers.

From the supplier’s point of view, they want to give you their best service. They want you to walk away happy, delighted at your purchased product/service and recommending their passion to other future customers. But it’s important to remember that they are a business at the end of the day. They need to earn money for their rent and bills just like the rest of us, and to continue selling their product. That unique centrepiece wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for a good stream of customers needing that service. So you can see how, despite wanting to give amazing service, these suppliers can find it difficult finding a way to help a customer who may be indecisive or nervous, and seeing a definite sale at the end of the interaction. It sounds harsh, but it’s the way of life. We all need money to survive.

In business, the supplier needs to consider their customer’s needs. More than that, they need to consider their side of things and how the transaction will help (rather than hinder) their brand. Passion is a good starting point but it doesn’t put bread on the table. The common transaction becomes a journey of unpredictability, liability and concern. Your supplier isn’t your therapist — while that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t care, it does mean that your mental health isn’t their responsibility. They can accommodate as well as much as they can within their ability. If you’ve disclosed your mental health troubles (which is your choice and your right) to the supplier in question then they can be held liable if you feel you’ve been discriminated against. If they’re a new business, unfamiliar with different mental health conditions, they may become the anxious ones. Suddenly it’s like you’re walking in a minefield without a metal detector and any wrong move could ruin the business you’ve built from your passion. There is no ill will toward the customer, but the supplier in question may ask to speak to another person that can assist them, or ask if there is another person the customer would be willing to involve in the process. This is another mine in the field since it’s understandable that a customer could be offended by this, but ideally, the customer should have another person present on their side to act as their assistant during the proceedings, for support with stressful situations. This can help with liability issues, as the customer’s assistant would be able to provide evidence backing up or refuting any claims towards the supplier’s actions. However, whether that complaint is legitimate or not, it will take up a lot of their time that they could be otherwise be using to perfect their brand, improve their product, or streamline their service. They want to help, but it can’t be at the cost of their business.

Another point to mention is time management. The supplier you’re working with may not have the extra time to help you, especially if they have more bookings. You are their priority, you are their customer. However, if you’re unsure of how your feelings will affect your supplier, the process will take longer than usual. You can’t help how you feel and the stress of the situation may inflate that worry to anxiety or panic. It’s always good to ask for help from others in this situation — may be a family member, a friend, or even your partner could help with the conversation, someone who knows you and knows what you’re thinking. You could also prepare your ideas beforehand, write them down and rehearse the conversation with someone you trust.

In this world, we have to respect and understand each other. Everyone is unique and everyone has a different approach and understanding of things. Someone may come along who has the wrong idea or can be oblivious to the mental struggles of some customers, but that’s what feedback is for. Don’t be afraid of offering advice to your supplier on how they can improve their service, especially if they’re just starting out and finding their feet in the market. Reviews can help other customers, but customer evaluations are a valuable asset to their business.

Remember, if you’re worried about the mental health of your friends or family, don’t be afraid to offer your support to them. This can range from going to the doctors with them, or just sitting with them and listening to their problems. They may not necessarily want advice, so be prepared to just sit and hear them out. If you’re concerned about someone’s health and don’t know how to help them, check out Mind charity for assistance. If you or someone you know is suffering from suicidal thoughts, here are some helpful phone numbers:

• 116 123 = Samaritans
• 111 = NHS non-emergency medical helpline
• 0800 58 58 58 = Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) — for men (5 pm to midnight every day)
• 0800 068 41 41 = Papyrus — for people under 35 (Monday to Friday 10am to 10pm, weekends 2pm to 10pm, bank holidays 2pm to 5pm) or Text 07786 209697
• 0800 1111 = Childline — for children and young people under 19 (This number does not show up on your phone bill)

Remember, in an emergency, call 999.

If you have any other points to raise that would be helpful for either customer or supplier, feel free to comment or message us privately with your advice. If you have any experiences in this area, we’d love to hear about them!

See you next week.

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Photo credit: @totalshape, @dbeltwrites, @punttim.