How to Deal With Difficult Customers

One of the biggest challenges you’ll face as a business owner is dealing with angry callers and irate customers. No matter how frustrating it is to deal with difficult customers, it’s important to remember that they are the lifeblood of your business. Without them, you wouldn’t have a business at all.

This article will give you some tips on how to handle irate customers over the telephone, so you’ll know what to do the next time you’re on the receiving end of a customer complaint.

How to Deal with Difficult Customers on the Phone

1. Maintain a Calm Demeanor

The key to learning how to deal with irate customers on the phone is to remain calm and collected at all times. This can be difficult to do when you’re feeling frazzled and frustrated, but it’s important to remember that the customer is not trying to purposely make your life difficult. They’re just upset about a problem they’re experiencing.

Speak with a calm voice and avoid getting defensive, as this will only make the customer angrier. Take a few deep breaths before responding to the customer to keep your cool and avoid saying something you’ll regret later.

2. Practice Active Listening

Angry customers want to be heard, and one of the best ways to show them that you’re taking their complaints seriously is to practice active listening. This involves repeating back what the customer has said to you, using phrases like “I understand how you feel” and “I’m sorry that happened.”

By actively listening, an irate customer will feel like you’re truly trying to understand the problem and that you care about resolving it. This can help diffuse the situation and make the customer more cooperative.

3. Be Professional at All Times

The role of customer service representatives is to be professional at all times, no matter how difficult it is to deal with frustrated customers. This means using positive language, avoiding profanity, and refraining from making any personal attacks.

It can be tempting to lash out at an angry customer, but this will only make the situation worse and damage your company’s reputation. Remember that you’re representing your business, so always behave in a way that you would be proud of.

4. Sympathize and Empathize

There are times when an angry caller just wants to be heard and acknowledged. In these cases, it’s important to sympathize and empathize with the customer. This doesn’t mean agreeing with everything they’re saying, but rather acknowledging that you understand how they feel and that you want to help them resolve the issue.

When dealing with difficult customers over the telephone, always put yourself in your customers’ shoes and imagine how you would feel if you were in their situation. Angry phone calls are often the result of a customer feeling like they’re not being heard, so by empathizing with them, you can show them that you understand their frustration.

5. Apologize When Necessary

If the customer’s anger is justified, then it’s important to apologize for the situation. This will show the customer that you’re willing to take responsibility for the problem and that you’re committed to making things right.

Sometimes, an apology is all an angry customer wants. By admitting that you made a mistake, you can diffuse the situation and turn a negative customer experience into a positive one.

6. Get to the Root Cause of the Problem

The best way to deal with a difficult customer on the phone is to get to the root cause of the problem and resolve it as quickly as possible. This will often involve escalated calls to supervisors or managers, but it’s important to do whatever it takes to solve the issue.

In some cases, you may not be able to resolve the problem immediately, but you can still diffuse the situation by letting the customer know that you’re working on it and will get back to them as soon as possible.

7. Offer Reasonable and Fair Solutions

The goal of customer service is to resolve problems, so it’s important to always offer a solution to an angry caller. This may involve providing a refund, issuing credit, or sending a replacement product.

Whatever the solution may be, make sure you’re clear and concise about what the customer needs to do next. Create a straightforward plan of action that will resolve the issue and make sure the customer understands it.

8. Follow Up After the Call

Last but not least, always follow up with the customer after the call to ensure that their problem has been resolved. This shows that you’re committed to providing excellent customer service and that you care about your customers’ satisfaction.

It’s also a good opportunity to see if there’s anything else you can do to help the customer. By following up, you are showing the customer that you value their business and that you are always working to improve their experience.

Take Your Customer Service Experience to the Next Level With AnswerHero

Dealing with angry customers is never easy, but our live virtual receptionists at AnswerHero can help. We’re here to take your calls, 24/7/365, and our team is trained to handle even the most difficult customer service inquiries.

When you partner with us, you can rest assured that your customers will always receive the best possible experience. We will help you build trust and loyalty with your customers, and go above and beyond to resolve their problems.