Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Understanding the customer's complaint
• Part 2 of 2: Moving on
• Tips
• Warnings

Dealing with angry customers can be one of the biggest challenges in the workplace. Whether you meet those customers in person or speak on the phone, chances are you will face a lot of frustration, aggressiveness, anger, and impatience. The most important thing is to stay calm.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Understanding the customer's complaint

1. Stay calm and adjust your mindset. Nobody likes dealing with heated, screaming people in public places. However, it is up to you to keep a cool head in that situation. You may be tempted to yell back, but try to resist! The situation will only escalate if you too get angry and start screaming. Put your best customer service foot forward and try to calm your emotions - it's time to get to work.
   • Don't use sarcasm or overtly feigned courtesy. Such behavior will further fuel the customer's anger and make the situation a lot more annoying.
2. Actively listen to what the customer is saying. An angry customer generally just wants someone to express their anger and frustration against, and today you are that person. That means you have to do your best to listen carefully to what he / she has to say. Give your customer your undivided attention and don't get distracted. Watch the speech, and really listen to what he / she has to say.
   • As you listen to him / her, look for answers to the following questions: What happened to upset him / her? What does he / she want? What can you do to help?
3. Turn off your feelings. If the customer is particularly angry, he / she may say something that is extremely rude or mean. Remember not to take that personally. The customer is angry with the company, the product, or the service - not you. You will have to put your personal feelings aside for a while.
   • Just remember, if the customer becomes or threatens to become hostile or violent, tell him / her to bring in your supervisor to resolve the conflict. If you walk back, let your supervisor know what's going on. If it gets worse, ask the customer to leave. Make sure you are aware of the company protocol regarding potentially dangerous customers. If the protocol stipulates this, do not hesitate to contact the police.
4. Reiterate the customer's concerns. When the customer is done flushing, make sure you know exactly why he / she is upset. If you're still not sure, repeat what you think the customer is upset about. Or ask the customer about it. Repeating the concerns shows that you paid attention. You also confirm that there is a problem that needs to be solved.
   • A good way to make sure you know what the problem is is to keep a cool head and adjust your language accordingly. "I understand you are angry, and rightly so: the pizza was delivered to you an hour late."
5. Actively sympathize with the customer. Empathy will help the customer understand that you are there to serve them. Once you identify the problem, show the customer that you are sorry and that you fully understand why they are upset. Say something like:
   • "I totally understand your frustration - having to wait for a pizza is awful, especially when you're very hungry."
   • "You have a right to be annoyed - delivery delays can mess up your entire schedule."
6. Apologize. Let the customer know that you are genuinely sorry this happened - regardless of whether you think the customer is being a tad too dramatic or not. Just like showing empathy, apologizing can put you on the right track. Sometimes annoyed customers want nothing more than an apology for the bad service. Hopefully the customer will calm down a bit if you apologize on behalf of your employer.
   • Say something like, "I'm really sorry the pizza didn't arrive on time. It's incredibly frustrating when that happens, and I totally understand why you don't like it. Let's see what we can do to get it right. to make."
7. Call your manager if the client asks you to. If you are dealing with the situation and the customer demands that you bring in your supervisor or manager, it is best to agree. However, it is always better if you can avoid having to call your manager. By solving a heated situation yourself, you show your boss that you are capable of dealing calmly with angry customers.

Part 2 of 2: Moving on

1. Provide a possible solution (or solutions). Now that you know why the customer is angry, you need to come up with a solution. If you can come up with a solution that will satisfy the customer, provide it.
   • If we take the example of the pizza, then you can say something like, "I fully understand that you are upset about the late delivery. I would be happy to refund you the pizza, and offer you a voucher for a free pizza. I will be there. personally ensuring that the next pizza is delivered to you like lightning. "
2. Ask the customer for feedback. If you are not sure what would make the customer happy, just ask them. What would he / she want to help solve the situation? Is there an outcome that he / she would be satisfied with? Say something like:
   • "How can I make it up to you? If that is within my means I will see to it that it is met."
3. Take immediate action. Tell the customer what you will do to make sure the problem is resolved. Give him / her your contact details, especially if you are talking to the customer by telephone. This way he / she can contact you if the problem recurs.
4. Take a few minutes for yourself after the situation. If the customer has left or hung up, take a moment to process what just happened. Allow yourself to cool off for a moment. Even if the customer has left satisfied, these situations can be extremely stressful. Take a moment to catch your breath. Write down what happened: date, time, place, event, solution.
5. Contact the customer. Call the customer when the problem is resolved. Ask him / her if everything went smoothly. If you can, take it a step further. Write out a handwritten apology or offer the customer a discount on his / her next order.

Tips

• Do not take the complaint personally - even if you were responsible for it yourself. If you become emotionally involved in the issue, step aside. Have another employee settle the conflict.
• Consider how you would see the problem solved if you had a complaint. Then treat the customer as you would like to be treated.
• How you deal with complaints can ensure that customers are retained. If you do it right, there is a good chance that they will keep coming; if you don't do it right, chances are they won't come back.
• One way not to take the matter personally is to remind yourself that the opinions of customers are important, but not nearly as important as those of your family and friends. Don't let a stranger ruin a single minute of your day.
• Some customers complain about everything. If you find one of those customers, try to talk to your manager about whether that customer is one you would rather lose than be rich. The time you waste on such customers can be better spent on good customers.
• If you can't give the customer what he / she wants, try something for free (ask for permission) to make it right.

Warnings

• Remember that the safety of you, your colleagues, and other customers comes first. If a customer crosses a line by threatening you, making threatening comments or showing hostile behavior, contact the police. Inform your supervisor if this can be done safely. Most companies would rather lose a violent customer than compromise the safety of their employees, customers and others.