You're facing pricing discrepancies at a busy trade show. How do you handle customer complaints effectively?

Firstly, i will listen carefully what they say, and show the detail cost information to our customer, i will give the cost breakdown to explain the discrepancy. Then i will check with the budget price with customer.

Handling pricing complaints requires immediate attention and transparency. Apologize for the inconvenience, review the discrepancy, and provide a clear resolution, whether through offering discounts or explaining the pricing difference. Maintaining a professional and understanding attitude ensures customers leave with a positive impression, even in the face of challenges.

In my past handles issues like this we should handle a pricing discrepancy at a busy trade show by staying calm and acknowledge the issue. Listen to the customer without interrupting, apologize sincerely, and explain the pricing clearly. Offer a solution, such as honoring the lower price if it's your mistake, or providing a discount or future offer. Act quickly to resolve the situation without delaying others. Confirm the customer’s satisfaction before ending the conversation and thank them for their understanding and patience. This approach ensures a positive experience despite the issue.

I will find out what the situation is and check on the facts. I will call both parties to a room for them to discuss the issue and for me to listen. Based on facts, I will pave the way for the parties to resolve the issue.

Absolutely agree with all of the above and if possible I would take this off the floor where you’re better able to give the customer full attention (or find the best placed person to do that within your team - you may still want to stay with customer and support both them and your colleague towards a resolution.) You also don’t want other potential customers listening in. Take notes whilst you are listening to the customer and play those back to confirm you have the correct details down & are taking the matter seriously, will follow up, feedback etc. Ensure you thank them for raising the matter. Tell them how you plan to take this forward, manage expectations and give them a time frame. They can continue their day in the meantime.

Understand first what the competitive pricing includes. There may be distinct differences and value added features that differentiate what would seem to be identical products or services.

Define "discrepancy." In who and what context? Did a trade show visitor find an incorrectly marked item among your products and is making a scene while making a stink? Shut that down before it becomes the drama in aisle 9 & just sell it to that customer at whatever price theyre kvetching about & move on. If theyre wingeing bc your line isn't matching The Other Guy, just say sorry. You're not obligated to explain your business decisions & anyone at a trade show is either another peer/competitor, media (in which case schedule a proper interview to turn a question into publicity) or an insider cruising for deals who will frankly not give a damn Scarlett about how or why you make your rates. So a "discrepancy" (for me) needs more context

After hearing them out, I quickly verify the pricing details. I’ll check the product info, the listed price, and any other relevant details. It’s about getting the facts straight so I can understand exactly where the discrepancy is coming from before jumping to conclusions.

C'est difficile de prendre un décision radicale à ce niveau, car il y a plusieurs enjeux. Cela dépend du contexte de cet écart de prix, de la nature du produit, materiel, logiciel ou service, en promotion ou pas, quantité demandée, en stock ou sur commande, liquidation de stock, la période de la vente fin quarter, fin d'anné ou pas, du client lui-même et de son niveau de partenariat...etc Donc, plus que tu as d'infos, mieux tu peux en juger

If you are at fault, you value the customer and there are options to resolve the matter, you may be able to ask the customer how they’d like you to resolve the situation, what they would consider, what they’d be comfortable with, etc. You’re then building the relationship and involving them further in a way forward. It may be that you can’t do exactly what they are asking but this approach gives you both the chance to explore options.

Instead of just addressing the pricing discrepancy, turn it into an opportunity for engagement. Invite affected customers to join an exclusive “feedback panel”. Offer them special access to upcoming products or services. This approach not only remedies the situation but transforms a potential negative into a powerful tool for deeper customer connection and loyalty. It shows you value their input, making them feel like partners rather than just buyers.

A bit more work, but there may be tangible justification for what would seem to be a discrepancy. Sometimes perception IS reality, but perceptions can be managed with compassionate confidence. Don't default to a discount.

I think it is imperative that you don't turn a difficult situation into an even more difficult situation by complicating matters. Try to simplify and solve. An example of how many complicate situations is when you demand the client to further "justify" their position or provide additional documentation. In some cases, this may be absolutely necessary. But the more quickly you can resolve the situation to everyone's satisfaction, the better. Put forth effort from your end to demonstrate good will to resolve it, rather than pushing all of the work back onto the client. More time of frustration by the client can lead to growing their frustration and sharing that with even more people.

Once I know what’s up, I focus on solving the problem. If there’s an error on our end, I’ll either match the lower price or offer another fair solution. My goal is to make sure the customer feels like they’re getting a fair deal, and that we’re committed to making things right.

If you are presenting YOUR product in this environment, you must appear as the subject matter expert while being properly humble in your demeanor.

If trust seems to have been broken, and people's emotions are running high, chances are they are not listening clearly either. It is important to either establish or re-build trust before you can move forward. An essential part of communication is actively listening and really hearing what they have to say. Just that simple step can help to establish a level of trust in order to communicate more effectively going forward.

I then explain the situation to the customer in a clear, straightforward way. Transparency is key here—I want them to understand what happened and why we’re handling it the way we are. This helps build trust and keeps the interaction positive, even when there’s an issue.

Comme j'avais dit il faudra donner toujours une explication raisonnable et claire selon le contexte, a toute situation de conflit avec le client

Different products from different providers could have a price discrepancy deposing on the type of material used and the production costs.

I have always felt that my team members needed to be empowered to make the right decisions on the spot - at least up to a certain level. If they feel they are doing the right / best thing in that situation (after seeing all of the context), I will fully support them in their decisions. That means that you have the right people in place, and they also clearly understand your approach to solving these kinds of issues. Role playing can also help.

You must be certain that your staff is representing your product/service consistently, confidently and with the same level of pride. Staff should know where to find answers and be empowered to confidently respond to any challenge.

After resolving the issue, I take the time to brief my team. We’ll go over what happened and discuss how we can prevent it in the future. This way, everyone learns from the experience, and we’re better prepared for next time. It’s all about continuous improvement.

Finally, I keep a record of the issue and how we resolved it. This isn’t just for reference—it helps us spot any patterns or recurring problems that we can address proactively. Keeping track ensures we’re always refining our processes and delivering better service.