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Five Ways to Calm a Disgruntled Customer

“There are no ‘bad’ customers. Some are just harder to please than others.”

Yeah, right!

I have never bought into the idea that the customer is always right and I certainly know that there are tough customers out there. I’ve worked in customer service long enough to know that some customers are bad, unreasonable, demanding, and irate. In spite of the brutal truth about customers, I do know that the customer is always the CUSTOMER and deserves professional service. Toward that end, I have prepared a short list of simple, but proven, strategies to help you change a customer’s mood from irate to great…even the demanding, irate or unreasonable customer.

1. Express appreciation for the customer’s feedback…even when they deliver the feedback in a socially inappropriate way.

One of the Golden Rules of Complaint Resolution is to Express Appreciation for the Feedback. We do this because complaining customers are giving us valuable feedback that can help improve our business as well as help us maintain loyalty. Another reason we express appreciation for feedback is for the shock value. The last thing an irate customer expects to hear from a CSR is “Thank you for taking the time to tell us about this. We appreciate customers who let us know when things aren’t right.”

When you’re speaking to an irate customer who won’t let you get a word in, politely interject with a statement of appreciation. Here’s how I do it. “Let me just stop you for one second…Thank you. Thank you for taking the time to give me feedback that will help me meet your expectations and improve service for other customers. Now, you go on. I just wanted to let you know I appreciate your feedback.” How do you think customers respond to a statement like this? Typically, they are speechless and they ALWAYS calm down.

2. Listen with the intent to understand.

Allow the customer time to vent and while they vent, really listen with the intent to understand how the problem they have experienced has affected them. Has the customer experienced embarrassment, inconvenience, or a loss of money or time as a result of this problem? Work hard to uncover the root problem with your listening skills. Your objective is to listen to the customer with the intent to understand their viewpoint before making them understand you.

3. Make your voice naturally authoritative.

A lower pitched, well-paced voice is perceived to be more knowledgeable, in control, and authoritative than a higher pitched voice. Try to avoid speaking loudly or in a higher pitched voice. Keeping your voice naturally authoritative creates calm and puts you in control.

4. Keep the focus on the issue, not the customer’s behavior. Be careful to not take the customer’s irrational behavior personally. The verbal attack, no matter how aggressive it gets, is not personal. Try not to be defensive and do not respond with the same aggression the customer is demonstrating. Really zero in on the problem the customer has experienced and focus on solutions.

5. Apologize.  In a recent consumer survey, 50% of customers who voiced complaints to an organization said they never received an apology. If your company is wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically. This will help you disarm your angry customer and reduce defensiveness. I also encourage customer service professionals to apologize even when they are not at fault. An apology does not have to be an admission of fault. It can be offered to express regret. For example, “I’m so sorry for any inconvenience this misunderstanding has caused you.”

Use these proven calming strategies the next time you’re faced with a difficult customer and I promise you, the encounter will be a lot less stressful for you.