How to Deal With Irate Customers

It's a pretty reasonable expectation to say that at some point, some where, some how, you will come across an irate customer. The mistake could be yours, a colleague's or even a result of organizational policies. There are specific things you could say or do to not only defuse the situation, but also convey the message that you are doing your job...which is providing excellent customer service.

1. Listen. When someone's upset, they tend to talk fast, talk loud and talk urgently. Hear it through and start thinking forward on solutions to the problem. Keep your voice calm and level. An appropriate response is "ok, I understand you're upset. Please give me some time to try and find a way through this. Would you like to hold or can I call you back?"

2. Do not get defensive, or play the blame game. Don't look for ways to blame the client through their actions or lack of. You'll only aggravate the situation more.

3. Do not over-apologize. I personally find this irritating. Apologize for the inconvenience twice at most. Over-apologizing says you wish you could help, but can't. There's always a supervisor/manager somewhere who has the authority to assess a situation and make a decision to resolve the issue...even if the company has to take a loss. You know it.

4. If the error is yours, and you recognize it, explain to your supervisor the circumstances and the error you've made and if you can think of a solution to it, suggest it. Be upfront and honest with your manager. They're human, too. A manager worth his/her salt will recognize what to do, your desire to help the customer and if your solution is fitting, will remember that you are self-motivated and directed.

5. Once you've found the solution, get back to the customer immediately. If you have to get back the next day, say upfront that you will get back the next day. If you still don't have an answer, call the customer back and say you need more time.

6. If a customer becomes belligerent, state in a level voice that "sir/ma'am, I understand you're upset, but that language is not necessary. Please give me a call back when you've calmed down. In the mean time, i'll continue to look in to what I can do for you." Don't just hang up...say thank you and goodbye, so they know the conversation is over and you'll be hanging up.

7. Do remember, you're in customer service. That requires a lot of patience, but you're not a doormat. If the customer is being unreasonable beyond expectations, state firmly that it is not possible to do so. You recognize there's an error and you've found a reasonable solution and don't be afraid to say that.

8. If you haven't guessed it yet...have a solution to the error. There is ALWAYS a solution...may require some compromise, but there is always one.

9. Be flexible. The above are guidelines and meant to inspire your own creative ways to calm a customer down. The above are what I've learned running my own business for the last six years. Granted it's easier for me, as my manager is me...but I do give employees some leeway with errors. Of course, if the errors are made repeatedly...then yes, a job is in jeopardy. :-)