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No matter which method you are using to provide customer service, it is almost
inevitable that at times you will have to deal with an angry customer. This is the
case in even the best-run businesses, and for the best customer service individuals.
Sometimes, whether justifiably or otherwise, customers will get annoyed with the
company and will wish to vent that anger at the first available representative. It will
frequently be quite powerful anger which may boil over into verbal abuse, but the job of a customer
service provider is to accept that it will happen and get on with solving the problem. The first step in
doing this is to try and calm the customer down; because it will be difficult to solve a problem if they are
boiling with fury, whether their anger is justified or not.
The first thing you must do is speak to the customer in a calm manner and get straight the nature of the
problem. It may be the case that they want to scream and shout a bit to vent their fury, and it is up to
you how long you give them to do this. Your opening gambit should be something along the lines of “I
can tell this is obviously a matter of some importance to you – I’d like to do what I can to help you”.
Saying “please, calm down” or refusing to help until they have stopped shouting will simply escalate
their anger.
Very often, anger arises as the result of a misunderstanding. In these cases it is essential to get to the
source of the misunderstanding as quickly as possible. You should speak to the customer and allow them
to see that you realize the matter is important. Do not say “I understand” or “I sympathize” – they do
not want your sympathy and they will doubt that you understand. Getting the problem laid out, so that
you can move forward, depends on getting the customer to see that you are willing to help. From that
point, they will be a lot more ready to calm down and proceed.