Losing It Over Stressed & Angry Customers?

No matter what kind of business you are in, you will have your own set of customers. Whether your customers are individuals or other businesses, there will come a time when they might not be very pleased with you, your product, or perhaps your company as well. With mounting pressure from the external environments where people are being laid off, pays cut, bonuses decreased and there are several other problems due to the economy and those about the family, that it can make these disgruntled and frustrated customers very angry. Whether the matter is serious or trivial, it needs to be taken care of in such a way that it not only resolves your customer’s issue but also leaves them happy at the end of the day.

It can be a very tough job for those who are working on the frontline where they must take calls or meet the angry customers and resolve their problems. Conversely, if these situations when handled appropriately give the businesses a golden opportunity to not just shine, but also gain the trust of that customer who will be very satisfied with the service. Of course, it is easy to be polite, nice and cheerful when things are going great but doing the same when things are going down the hill can be a real challenge. It is wise for businesses if they do not underestimate the true value of training their employees to handle such situations, but showing them the right way to do things. Because you wouldn’t want your customers to remember and probably even share that your service left them destitute, they felt neglected, or probably even worse that they were terrified.

So if you are facing some customers who are giving you a hard time to keep your composure, then here are five tips that you can exercise without losing your cool.

Stay Calm

This is one of the most important things, especially when you have a customer who is definitely not calm. In true sense, anyone is bound to become upset particularly when you have to deal with a rude customer. So I don’t mean to tell you that you must remain peaceful and not feel your emotions, but try to not show them to your customer.

Most people become even more unreasonable when they see the other person is also upset. So if you try to stay calm and respectful, it would not only be in your professional but also in your personal interest. Try not to argue even if you were right, as long as you don’t want to start a fight with an infuriated person. Let the customer know that you are there to help them. Staying calm might come as a challenge in a new job, but once you get experienced with what you do, it will come to you naturally.

Don’t make it Personal

Even though angry customers will take their frustration and anger out on you, remember that they are not angry with you per say, but perhaps on your product or service that you give. It can get difficult to deal with customers who might target you personally by blaming you for everything wrong, but it is wise to keep your personal feelings aside for that time and allowing them to vent their frustration out. Listen to them and try to find a solution without taking things too personally.

Sympathize with them

While just listening to your customers won’t really do much good, they would want to know if you truly understand what they are feeling and what they are going through. Be sympathetic towards whatever problem they are facing and show respect towards them. This will not only help them to believe that you truly want to help them, but will also give you a peace of mind as your customer cools down.

Know how to Apologize

Apologize to your customer at the right time to give them some kind of gratification. It is understandable that it may be difficult to be sincerely sorry and keep your cool as you calm down the furious customer. Nevertheless, you must make an effort to give a genuine apology by saying “I am sorry that you feel this way” or “I am sorry that the product does not work well for you”.

Solve the Problem

Now that you have finally been successful to calm down your customer, gather as much information you can to work on the problem. Work with your customer to understand why they are unsatisfied and offer a resolution that satisfies the both of you. If you aren’t sure about the best resolution, you can ask the customer what it is that they would want you to do. But remember that you are running a business, and so the solution that you offer and agree to must be fair not only to the customer but also to you.

Keeping your cool with angry customers is definitely not easy, and hence when you have been successful in solving their problems it is necessary that you take a time-out to relieve your stress. No matter how professionally and calmly you handled the situation, it will still be a stressful experience. So, instead of allowing yourself to be a ticking bomb which is ready to explode any minute, take a short walk, grab something to eat, or talk to someone to get rid of that negative emotion, because you don’t want someone else’s anger to turn your day bad.