when dealing with angry or abusive customers, which is the best course of action

A 2017 study conducted by a team of international researchers showed that the best response to an angry customer was polite, professional and firm. In the case of an unhappy customer, use your business policies and good sense to find the root cause of their anger and unhappiness in the first place. The upset customer is frustrated for a reason.

Full Answer

How to deal with aggressive customers?

The aggressive customers are angry and feel their needs should be prioritized above all. You need to stay calm and never argue with them. Try and avoid responding to their arguments in an agitated or emotional manner. Instead, show you understand and look for alternatives and offer other solutions.

When to take legal action against an abusive customer?

Legal action may also be required at any call from an abusive customer, whether it’s their first or their fourth, if the customer uses racist, sexist or homophobic language which contravenes the Equality Act. In these cases, it is good practice to talk to the advisor who objected to the abuse and ask them if they would like to take legal action.

What is the difference between an abusive and an angry customer?

It’s all about how the customer’s abuse is directed. An angry customer who says something along the lines of: “I’m getting frustrated, this keeps happening”, is very different from an abusive customer who starts to call the advisor names. The key difference here is how the abusive language, e.g. swearing, is directed.

What are the best phrases to deal with angry customers?

The following is a list of phrases best suited to dealing with this type of angry customer; note that the words of particular importance have been highlighted – for best results, these should be repeated at various points throughout the conversation. “I’m so sorry that you feel this way, Mrs Brown…” “As a solution,..” “May I suggest that…?”

Which course of action is the most appropriate when dealing with a frustrated customer?

Make sure that you listen actively to their problems or complaints, and resist the urge to interrupt or solve the problem right away. Be empathic and understanding, and make sure that your body language communicates this. If you're not sure how to fix the situation, then ask your client what will make them happy.

How will you handle an angry customer?

How to Deal with Angry CustomersRemain calm.Practice active listening.Repeat back what your customers say.Thank them for bringing the issue to your attention.Explain the steps you'll take to solve the problem.Set a time to follow up with them, if needed.Be sincere.Highlight the case's priority.

What is the first step you should take when dealing with a difficult client?

10 strategies for dealing with difficult customersFirst and foremost, listen. ... Build rapport through empathy. ... Lower your voice. ... Respond as if all your customers are watching. ... Know when to give in. ... Stay calm. ... Don't take it personally. ... Remember that you're interacting with a human.More items...

Which of the following should you not do when dealing with angry customers?

The 8 Worst Ways to Handle Angry CustomersGetting Defensive. One of the worst ways to calm a frustrated customer down is by trying to explain why something went wrong. ... Taking it Too Personally. ... Raising Your Voice. ... Ignoring Their Concerns. ... Showing Lack of Empathy. ... Being Slow to Respond. ... Acting Aloof. ... Not Asking for Feedback.

How do you deal with an angry customer interview question and answer?

Tips for Giving the Best AnswerListen to the Customer. You can typically tell if someone is angry within the first few seconds of the interaction. ... Stay Calm and Present. ... Repeat Back What You've Heard. ... Avoid Putting the Caller on Hold. ... Take Action.

How do you handle customers?

10 Tips for Dealing with Customers10 Tips for Dealing with Customers.Listen to Customers. Sometimes, customers just need to know that you're listening. ... Apologize. When something goes wrong, apologize. ... Take Them Seriously. ... Stay Calm. ... Identify and Anticipate Needs. ... Suggest Solutions. ... Appreciate the Power of “Yes”More items...

How do you handle difficult customers answer?

How to answer "How would you deal with a difficult customer?"Listen carefully to the customer. ... Repeat what you've just heard. ... Actively sympathize / apologize. ... Take responsibility to resolve the issue. ... Remain calm and compassionate.

How do you handle difficult clients please provide an example?

Put ego aside, and honestly evaluate the situation, as objectively as possible. Apologize, and let them know that you acknowledge an error was made. Being truthful is important in a case like this. Let your customer know that you are working to fix the mistake, and how long it will likely take to be resolved.

How do you deal with difficult people?

Let's look at 10 expert techniques to deal with difficult people.Use Lots of Kindness. Look, I get it. ... Be Compassionate. Ever heard that saying about dealing with your own problems? ... Find Something in Common. ... Stay Calm. ... Share Your Side. ... Treat with Respect. ... Ignore Them. ... Control What You Can.More items...

How to deal with an angry customer?

Customers can tell when they're being spoken to in a patronizing or equally angry manner, so make sure your word choice and tone are deliberate and respectful.

What to do when a customer is angry?

That said, if a customer is so angry they're being rude, abusive, or aggressive in tone or language, you don't have to tolerate that behavior.

How to resolve a problem with a customer?

8. Use your support resources. 1 Placing a customer on a strategic hold to buy time or de-escalate emotion. 2 Setting up a screenshare or recording troubleshooting steps to explain a complex solution. 3 Asking a colleague for additional confirmation when you know your solution will work -- this can build rapport with a customer who's dubious of your advice.

What is the key part of active listening?

A key part of active listening is making sure you and the customer are on the same page. So once you've determined the root cause of the anger, repeat back to the customer what you're hearing to make sure you understand each other, and to let the customer know that their concerns have been heard and will be responded to.

Is the customer always right?

The adage, "The customer is always right" still rings true. You have far more to lose by taking the low road and stooping to a customer's level of hostility. Treating someone with disdain or disrespect can reflect negatively on you and your company, so reputation management should always be top of mind.

How to create a policy for handling abusive customers?

To create a policy for handling abusive customers, it is first important to define what is considered abusive and to make sure that management and advisors agree on this. A traditional next step is to then implement a “three-strike” rule, giving the abusive customer a chance to stay on the line and resolve their query.

What should an advisor do if abuse persists?

If the abuse persists, the advisor should advise the caller why they are now terminating the call, while giving the customer their name and that of the line manager. Then, the advisor should make a note of the call details, so that the line manager can listen back to the call recording.”.

Why do advisors need clear guidelines?

So, clear guidelines need to be in place so that advisors can distinguish between an angry and an abusive caller. These guidelines could be similar to those shown below: All staff have the right not to be subjected to any behaviour/abuse that includes: Threats of physical harm or violence.

How long should an advisor take to report an abusive call?

This will help to assure management that the call was indeed abusive, and that the advisor did not just report it to gain a 10–15-minute break.

When should an advisor unhook?

Once the advisor has terminated the call and its details have been passed through to the manager, the advisor should be given the time to unhook if the abuse has had an impact on their emotional state.

What happens when a follow up call is made?

Once a follow-up call has been made, the customer’s number has been routed and an alternative method of communication has been offered, the company is left with little alternative than to drop the customer.

Can an auto filter be set up to take screenshots of abuse?

In addition, an auto-filter could be set up to take screenshots of any abuse, which can then be archived. Dominic Kent. However, abusive customers should be given more leeway on written channels as it is hard to sense tone, according to Dominic Kent, a Product Marketing Manager.

Customer Service Is Key

Whether you work at a department store or your local artisanal oil shop, it is very important to be skilled in customer service. So what is customer service? This is the ability to serve your business or company in personal and pleasant way. However, this is not all.

Techniques for Handling Abusive Customers

Customer service requires several traits, like personality, listening, and patience. These skills are even more important when working with irate customers. Unfortunately, whether due to the business or personal reasons, customers will occasionally become angry when working with you.

Safety First

When working with customers face to face, there is a small percent of customers that may become emotionally or physically abusive. So, how do you address these issues and keep from being hurt?

What does it mean when a customer is abusive?

Sometimes if you don’t tell them what they want to hear, they become abusive. Abusive is defined as verbally threatening, using foul language, and emotionally out of control.

How to solve a problem in a customer service?

Remind the customer you want to solve the problem. Let them know you can solve the problem only when the language is appropriate, and demands are reasonable. You should never allow the customer to continue if they’re using inappropriate language, or if they’re totally out of control.

How to handle an out of control customer?

Here are some specific steps you can take to manage the out of control customer. Personalize the conversation . The less personal the interaction, the more likely it can escalate out of control.

Empowering your team with a robust process

When a support rep experiences inappropriate behavior, it can understandably be difficult to figure out what to do or where to go for help in the moment. That’s why it’s important to empower your team with a clear, consistent process.

Confronting a customer as a manager

Of course, it’s not just support reps who need a robust process and support system. You’ll want to ensure your management team up is set up for success as well.

Always put your team first

Inappropriate comments can hurt employees on a deeply personal level and impact their potential to lead a fulfilled work life. And that’s never okay.

How to make a customer irate?

Make notes – First listen to the customer very carefully and patiently. Make a note of every detail, as you can make your customer increasingly irate if you make them repeat and convey that you don’t care. Don’t interrupt – Never, never interrupt the customer while they are explaining the issue.

Is listening alone enough to talk to a caller?

However listening alone is not enough and the agent should summarise the callers words back to them. This has the effect of actively demonstrating you care, it can slow the conversation down (callers can’t be angry and talk slowly!) which allows a reasonable conversation to occur and a solution to be worked out.

Should I say I understand how a customer is feeling?

In general practice, you should NEVER say that you understand how a customer is feeling. From personal experience, I can tell you that it never goes down well with the customer because to them you do not understand.