Best ways to deal with difficult customers- input please! (employee, job, company)

[IGoZoom]

Over the past year, my work situation has changed dramatically. I won't bore you with the details, but six months ago I was an insurance industry professional working full-time, mostly from home. I also had a part-time job a few days per week in specialty retail (pet supply store). Due to changes beyond my control, I lost my insurance job and I recently went full-time as an entry-level manager at the retail job.

Prior to starting this job part-time about one year ago, I hadn't worked in retail since 1998. I worked in grocery for four years (Kroger) and made it to a department head before leaving for an office job. In the past 18-19 years, I forgot just how rude, difficult and impossible to please some customers are. But now that I'm back in a management position, I have no choice but to deal with some @ssholes!

Some customers are justified in their anger and frustration, even if it is misdirected at me or one of my co-workers. Others are mad at something else (or the world) and want to take it out on everyone else. And a few are just despicable, nasty individuals who shouldn't be allowed out in public....but I digress.

I've always said that the definition of professionalism is being able to make a customer believe that you want to help them and address their problems or concerns, regardless of how you actually feel. I regularly have very unpleasant exchanges with people and, while I'm trying to seem as empathetic and polite as possible, I really want to see them get hit by a bus! Still, keeping up appearances and trying to reach a satisfactory resolution is the job that we must do.

So, my question is this- What have you found to be the best way to deal with angry and/or difficult customers? I'm truly interested in hearing the details because I could use some ideas. When there is no resolution in sight (and I'm starting to lose patience, especially if they're yelling), I will usually say something like, "What can I do to make this right (or to make you happy today)"? But that only works in some situations and can seem insincere and/or patronizing in others.

So let 'em rip....share the best ways that you've found to deal with unhappy customers....

[mapleguy]

Have a corporate policy created that states that no employee has to endure yelling, threatening, or abusive language. And POST it at the entry door, and at the cashier positions. AND enforce it.


A business has the right to refuse service to any one, who is acting in a abusive manner. Legally it is called " disturbing the peace " . If the person refuses to leave store when asked to do so, call the Police.


By all means TRY to find a peaceful way to resolve problems, but draw the line at being verbally attacked.


xxx.

[dumb]

Oh god I had to do this all day once. Literally 9-7 everyday, back-to-back complaints, people screaming from hell and threatening, also the occasional malicious call.

OK, so: use your brain. This could be you here, dialing some stupid company for months and not getting anywhere. Put yourself in that position. How would you feel? Pretty mad!

Feel their exhaustion and appreciate that they called. Think of ways to solve the problem as if you had total control. Be "that person" who gets right down to it. Be their friend. Use their frustration as a weapon.

Somewhere, somehow, there is a manager way above your head who has screwed up and is always being a screwup, stupid dumbass manager is always being a screwup, and probably forgot to do anything except give a generic phone number for them to scream down to when things didn't turn out their way.

So eventually, it's karma. When an angry customer calls, your responsibility is to take that anger and put it on the person who is being paid x3 as much as you plus bonus.

Also, if it is your fault, say sorry. I've had so much appreciation from customers who called or I've called and said, "Hey I screwed up. It's my fault. I was wrong. I'm sorry." That goes a long way.

[Disgustedman]

When I worked the deli, I found that by offering them a "Sweet Deal" would usually get them happy, like we were out of fried chicken and so I offered the customer 1.5 lbs of chicken tenders for the price of the 8 piece of chicken. That usually was $6.95 for the 8 piece and I gave them $10.50 worth for the same price.

So what if they didn't know that after 7 pm the prices were cut in half anyway?

[cfbs2691]

Most people are mad at something else as you said.
It's imperative that you remember that.

I let them rant and rave until they exhaust themselves.
I don't interrupt them.. just let them keep going.
The hardest part for me is not rolling my eyes at them because it seems the biggest A-holes have the smallest issues to yell about.

Whatever you do and no matter what they say - do not take it personally.

Hope this helps.

[Seahawksfan33]

I had to deal with those in the call center, and it's a little better with it being face to face. Always try dealing with them with a smiling face, and block out the pain of whichever insults they say.

[RbccL]

Originally Posted by cfbs2691

Most people are mad at something else as you said.
It's imperative that you remember that.

I let them rant and rave until they exhaust themselves.
I don't interrupt them.. just let them keep going.
The hardest part for me is not rolling my eyes at them because it seems the biggest A-holes have the smallest issues to yell about.

Whatever you do and no matter what they say - do not take it personally.

Hope this helps.

Excellent advice! I've noticed that letting someone vent until they are done (no do not smile while they are upset) is a good first step and sometimes the last step! When a person hears them-self telling the long irritating story of why they are so irrationally irate, they sometimes realize how they are behaving all on their own.

Don't get emotional, even if they're insulting you, tune that part out and at the end of the rant, simply ask:
"What is it I can do to make you feel better about this?" You must put on your best acting skills and be sincere though, or it will only exacerbated the situation. Nod and agree, saying: "it's awful, I wouldn't like that either."

Good luck!