[Expert Solution]: A client arrives visibly upset because…

A client arrives visibly upset because they say no one called to confirm their appointment and they had to wait 30 minutes. You didn’t schedule the appointment, and you suspect there was a system glitch, but the client insists the office “doesn’t care.” You want to use H&R Block’s CAPE Service Recovery Model to rescue the experience. What is the first thing you should do? Begin by greeting them professionally, making eye contact, using a calm, friendly tone, and saying, “I’m here to help—let’s get this sorted together,” while giving them your full attention. Immediately pull up the system to find the error and explain apologetically that it was a technical glitch outside your control, then thank them for their patience. Offer apologetically to have the original associate call them later to resolve the issue, since they were the one involved, making sure to maintain eye contact. Start with a detailed apology and explain the office’s policy for confirmations. Then discuss next steps with the client.