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
- 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.
- Approach the angry customer and ask what they are displeased with.
- If they ask for the manager, get him/her quickly and do your best to solve the problem.
- 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.
- Compliment them after the discussion. Say something to the effect of, "It's
people like you that help our business."
- 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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