How to Handle Angry Customers

If you own or run a business, or even work at a business where you serve customers, there are going to be displeased customers. These simple steps may help you make your angry customer happy.

Steps

1. Be patient. An irate customer won't be placated by anything but a satisfactory resolution to their problem. Getting angry back at them won't help.
2. Approach the angry customer and ask what they are displeased with.
3. If they ask for the manager, get him/her quickly and do your best to solve the problem.
4. After they address the problem, apologize for taking their time and inform them that your business will do everything possible to correct it. Then, make sure you and your coworkers DO do everything possible to correct the situation.
5. Compliment them after the discussion. Say something to the effect of, "It's people like you that help our business."
6. The next time they come back, ask how their day is and do everything possible to be polite.

Tips

• Always be polite!
• Try not to take their complaint personally - even if it's about your own job performance. If you feel yourself become emotionally involved in the issue, it is best to step aside and let another employee handle the situation.
• Think about how you would want a problem handled if you had a complaint. Then, treat your angry customer as you would want to be treated.
• If you simply cannot give the customer what they want, give them something for free (you may need a manager's approval) to make up for it.
• Make the angry customer want to come back again.
• Know when to cut your losses. Some customers simply complain to get free things, and they are sometimes stupid enough to come into your business repeatedly. If you catch one of these, all bets are off. You can be polite, but don't do anything to rectify the situation. These customers are not worth it.

Warnings

• Never be mean to the angry customer. Remember, you want them to come back again. If you insult them, they are sure never to come back.
• Some customers are known to complain about anything. If you come across one of those customers, try to discuss with your manager whether this client is beneficial to the company or whether it might be worth to lose him, because he doesn't do a great deal of business and causes the company a lot of time in dealing with his daily complaints. The time wasted on one client like this could be dedicated to customers that are "true" customers.

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