While running any type of business, encountering difficult customers is one of the greatest nightmares a business owner or its employees face.
But, there are usually strategies to solving such problems when running a business.
In this article, we will discuss tips to dealing with difficult (angry) customers in particular with certain strategies that keeps the business at an advantage and not in any form disadvantaged.
WHO IS AN ANGRY CUSTOMER?
An angry customer is a buyer of any kind of commodity or services that is displeased at a business owner or an employee for one reason or the other.
We can go ahead to describe an angry customer as an inconvenienced buyer of any goods or services.
furthermore, an angry customer is a great feedback opportunity for any business outlet that has a foresight for gathering data needed for growing their business.
How to deal with difficult Customers
There are different kinds of difficult customers. But, there are also strategies for dealing with them to help you improve your customer service skills and management.
Being able to implement these strategies will aid the growth of your business.
The following are some steps you can take to provide excellent customer service when dealing with difficult customers:
- Communicate professionally.
- Be calm and collected.
- Speak softly.
- At all cost, Practice active listening.
- Give them opportunity to talk.
- Value/Understand the customer’s point of view.
- Assess their needs.
- Seek a solution.
- Ask for support.
- Maintain a positive relationship.
1. Communicate professionally
When dealing with an angry customer, you must ensure that you communicate with them in accordance with the the professional guidelines surrounding your kind of business or environment.
Attending to an angry customer professionally reduces the chances for any form of escalations which in turn brings bad reviews for your products and services.
2. Be calm and collected
Customer behaviours are usually complex and most times, confusing but to be on the safe side of dealing with a difficult customer, you will need to be cool,calm and collected.
Switching to this strategic mood while attending to your difficult customer submerges their fury to a bearable level which in turn cancels out any form of toxic atmosphere.
Furthermore, being calm and collected proves to the customer that you are not in for a fight but after satisfying the customer’s needs at the moment.
3. Speak softtly
When communicating with an angry customer, ensure you speak softly. Harsh tones will only make matters worse. A soft tone while speaking helps the customer see how much you value your customers.
4. At all cost, practice active listening
You don’t do the talking alone. You must learn to listen actively to what the customer has to say. When you do this, you gain more information with which to make more positive decisions that satisfy the customer and benefit your business in turn.
5. Give them opportunity to talk
Most times, angry customers have a lot to say. So, you must be patient enough to allow them to air their views. Most times, when a difficult customer has been given the opportunity to talk, they will in turn listen to what you have to say afterwards.
So, if you desire that your professional approach should be valid and valued by the customer, ensure you give such a customer an opportunity to speak.
6. Value/Understand the customer’s point of view
After listening to the complaints of a difficult customer, do well to understand what it is that they are angry about from their own point of view. Doing this will guide you through in making qualitative decision that solve the problem at hand.
7. Assess their needs
It is very important that you assess and evaluate the needs of the customer to know if it is feasible at the moment to satisfy it. If you don’t assess the needs of the customer, attending to it will be difficult.
Let the customer know that you will do all that is within your power to attend to their needs. This will ease their anger and in turn calm the situation.
8. Seek a solution
Sometimes, it is better to simply ask the customer what they need exactly. For instance, you could say, “What do I need to do to make this better for you?” This can help you get straight to satisfactory solutions, and focusing on solutions will give you a better chance of resolving the situation faster.
9. Ask for help
In some cases, you may have to ask for help from another coworker or manager. Calling on support can help you in some situations to solve a customer’s problem or answer their questions appropriately.
Let a customer know that you are bringing someone else into the conversation who may have a better perspective or has more authority to solve their problem. This keeps them calm and give them the notion that they are of value to you.
10. Maintain a positive relationship
When you are done helping a client, make sure to ask them if there are any other concerns/challenges. They may have been so focused on the original problem that they forgot other issues.
This also lets the customer know that you still respect, value and appreciate having them as customers.
