When you can’t tell your customer exactly what they want to hear, maintaining a sense of rapport can be challenging. But it’s possible to give your customer lousy news with empathy and a positive slant.

When you have to give a customer bad news, do it using the “Feel, Felt, Found Method.” This approach helps you to foster a sense of connection with customers, even when you can’t give them exactly what they want.

The basic model for Feel, Felt, Found is:

Feel

Relay that you understand how the customer feels. “I can understand why you feel that way.”

Felt

Show the customer they aren’t alone. “I had another customer who had a similar situation and felt the same way.”

Found

Tell the customer what you’ve found to work. “We found that this worked best.”

Let me show you how this looks in action.