Three Things You Must Know About Dealing with Angry Customers

How to handle angry customers is a topic I’ve covered in the past. Recently, I was interviewed by three different reporters/authors about this topic within a week. Why, all of a sudden, is there a renewed or greater than usual interest in this topic? I’ve been reading a lot about how the tough economy can cause customer frustration or anxiety. Maybe this is part of why some customers lash out at employees when there’s a problem. Or maybe, as I’ve written about many times, the customer is more demanding. Unfortunately, when some people don’t get what they feel they deserve, they get angry. So, how can we deal with those angry customers? Here are three concepts you must know and understand about how to deal with angry customers:    

1. The angry customer is not angry at you. They may be mad because the product didn’t work, they had a bad experience, or maybe it’s a broader anger toward the company. So, when the angry customer comes to you, remember it’s not you. It’s something else that made them angry. Don’t take it personally!  

2. The customer is NOT always right. If you’ve been following my work, you know this is one of my favorite sayings. Too many good employees have been told, “The customer is always right,” but they aren’t. And when they are wrong, and we’re told that we must treat them as if they are right, we become conflicted. We don’t know what to do or how to respond to their issue. So, remember that the customer is NOT always right, but they are always the customer. So, if they are wrong, let them be wrong with dignity and respect.  

3. Some customers will lash out at you, yelling and even cursing. This is a difficult situation. It’s rude, disrespectful and unnecessary. Our customer service research (sponsored by RingCentral) found that 34% of customers admit to yelling at customer service reps, and 21% of customers admit to cursing. How you deal with the angry customer at this point is crucial. Until the customer acts in a somewhat reasonable manner, it is almost impossible to make them happy. Inform them you are there to help, but you can’t until they calm down and you can do your job. For leaders and managers, it’s important for your employees to know you have their backs. Employees need to know you’ll support them in a decision to terminate a call properly. Train agents and anyone on the front line dealing with customers when it’s the right time to end the interaction and how to do so properly.

Regardless of how angry the customer is, keep these ideas in mind, and always remember: You’re not trying to win the fight. You’re trying to win the customer!

Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops at www.Hyken.com. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.