#4. Don't take it personally when a customer gets mad.

It's not usually you that Mr. Jones is mad at, it's your company in some shape or form or the actions of someone within your company. ( If it is your mistake, it's actually easier to deal with because you'll know exactly what went wrong. Hold your hands up, explain what went wrong honestly, apologize sincerely, and get it sorted out ASAP.) To him, you ARE the company and therefore deserve to be the focus of his wrath. Keep your cool and an emotional distance from it all to avoid either losing your temper or crying your eyes out right there and then. The more professional and polished an outward appearance you have, the more likely the customer is to feel that you will deal with his complaint in a similar vein.

If you resort to Cardinal Sin #1 : shouting back at him, or Cardinal Sin #2 : rol

Over the years I've found that there are right and wrong ways to deal with them, and the route you choose can mean the difference between them leaving happy or vowing never to spend another penny with your company again. Here are some suggestions that may help you the next time you're faced with The Customer from Hell.

Do's and Don'ts to Keep in Mind When Dealing with Difficult Customers

#1.Do listen to them carefully.

Sounds simple, doesn't it? In reality, it can be very hard if someone is upset or angry to pay attention to what they're saying rather than looking for an escape route. They may after all have a valid complaint, and you'll only find that out if you can determine the source of it. Make a real effort to use active listening, noting mentally what your understanding of their complaint is. Concentrate fully on what's being said. Beware though of taking too many notes while they're talking. The customer may get the impression that you are ignoring them, or worse still, doodling on a notepad because you don't care less.

If you wish to take notes, ask them for permission as a courtesy. Make it clear why you are writing something down or keying information into a computer (usually to ensure that there is a record of the complaint on file). Some people do get a bit paranoid when they can't see exactly what you've input. Personally, I always turned my monitor to show it to the customer when I had finished logging a complaint so that they could review its accuracy. If you're thinking you'll try that next time, always check with your superior that you wouldn't be breaking any rules by doing so well ahead of time.

#2. Do let them finish what they're saying before responding.

There's probably nothing more irritating to a customer whose blood is already boiling that being interrupted. Save any questions if at all possible until they have finished their tirade, (now would be a good time to ask about notes) and then reiterate your understanding of the complaint's nature in a summarized fashion to check that you have it right.

For the purposes of example, we'll call our fictitious customer Mr. Jones. It may be helpful to say something like, "I'm sorry that you're unhappy, Mr. Jones. I'd like to help sort this out to your satisfaction, so I just want to check that I have understood the facts before we go any further." Whether or not you agree with him is immaterial at this point. If the customer feels that you have in fact been taking what he says seriously, then you're halfway there to resolving the situation.

In my experience, many will actually become calmer once they realize that you're going to give it your best shot. (I'm assuming here that you do really want to do your job well and bring this to a satisfying and mutually acceptable close.) The customer's had the opportunity to let off steam and like a balloon, chances are that once he's went up, he'll come down again.

#3. Do give the customer your full name and contact number if your company policy allows you to do so.

This will help you establish a connection with the customer and reinforces the sentiment that you really do want to help. If you can give them a business card with your details on it, so much the better. In these days of faceless call centers, it's just too easy for an employee to say whatever they like and not be held accountable for any promises or claims that they have made because no one knows who said it in the first place.

Many times, I found myself on the receiving end of an irate customer who had been told complete rubbish by one of the aforementioned faceless employees, only to speak to me next and be given the bad news. Of course, as I was in front of them, I got the brunt of their anger. Which brings me nicely to point four:

#4. Don't take it personally when a customer gets mad.

It's not usually you that Mr. Jones is mad at, it's your company in some shape or form or the actions of someone within your company. ( If it is your mistake, it's actually easier to deal with because you'll know exactly what went wrong. Hold your hands up, explain what went wrong honestly, apologize sincerely, and get it sorted out ASAP.) To him, you ARE the company and therefore deserve to be the focus of his wrath. Keep your cool and an emotional distance from it all to avoid either losing your temper or crying your eyes out right there and then. The more professional and polished an outward appearance you have, the more likely the customer is to feel that you will deal with his complaint in a similar vein.

If you resort to Cardinal Sin #1 : shouting back at him, or Cardinal Sin #2 : roll

If you wish to take notes, ask them for permission as a courtesy. Make it clear why you are writing something down or keying information into a computer (usually to ensure that there is a record of the complaint on file). Some people do get a bit paranoid when they can't see exactly what you've input. Personally, I always turned my monitor to show it to the customer when I had finished logging a complaint so that they could review its accuracy. If you're thinking you'll try that next time, always check with your superior that you wouldn't be breaking any rules by doing so well ahead of time.

#2. Do let them finish what they're saying before responding.

There's probably nothing more irritating to a customer whose blood is already boiling that being interrupted. Save any questions if at all possible until they have finished their tirade, (now would be a good time to ask about notes) and then reiterate your understanding of the complaint's nature in a summarized fashion to check that you have it right.

For the purposes of example, we'll call our fictitious customer Mr. Jones. It may be helpful to say something like, "I'm sorry that you're unhappy, Mr. Jones. I'd like to help sort this out to your satisfaction, so I just want to check that I have understood the facts before we go any further." Whether or not you agree with him is immaterial at this point. If the customer feels that you have in fact been taking what he says seriously, then you're halfway there to resolving the situation.

In my experience, many will actually become calmer once they realize that you're going to give it your best shot. (I'm assuming here that you do really want to do your job well and bring this to a satisfying and mutually acceptable close.) The customer's had the opportunity to let off steam and like a balloon, chances are that once he's went up, he'll come down again.

#3. Do give the customer your full name and contact number if your company policy allows you to do so.

This will help you establish a connection with the customer and reinforces the sentiment that you really do want to help. If you can give them a business card with your details on it, so much the better. In these days of faceless call centers, it's just too easy for an employee to say whatever they like and not be held accountable for any promises or claims that they have made because no one knows who said it in the first place.

Many times, I found myself on the receiving end of an irate customer who had been told complete rubbish by one of the aforementioned faceless employees, only to speak to me next and be given the bad news. Of course, as I was in front of them, I got the brunt of their anger. Which brings me nicely to point four:

#4. Don't take it personally when a customer gets mad.

It's not usually you that Mr. Jones is mad at, it's your company in some shape or form or the actions of someone within your company. ( If it is your mistake, it's actually easier to deal with because you'll know exactly what went wrong. Hold your hands up, explain what went wrong honestly, apologize sincerely, and get it sorted out ASAP.) To him, you ARE the company and therefore deserve to be the focus of his wrath. Keep your cool and an emotional distance from it all to avoid either losing your temper or crying your eyes out right there and then. The more professional and polished an outward appearance you have, the more likely the customer is to feel that you will deal with his complaint in a similar vein.

If you resort to Cardinal Sin #1 : shouting back at him, or Cardinal Sin #2 : rol

There's probably nothing more irritating to a customer whose blood is already boiling that being interrupted. Save any questions if at all possible until they have finished their tirade, (now would be a good time to ask about notes) and then reiterate your understanding of the complaint's nature in a summarized fashion to check that you have it right.

For the purposes of example, we'll call our fictitious customer Mr. Jones. It may be helpful to say something like, "I'm sorry that you're unhappy, Mr. Jones. I'd like to help sort this out to your satisfaction, so I just want to check that I have understood the facts before we go any further." Whether or not you agree with him is immaterial at this point. If the customer feels that you have in fact been taking what he says seriously, then you're halfway there to resolving the situation.

In my experience, many will actually become calmer once they realize that you're going to give it your best shot. (I'm assuming here that you do really want to do your job well and bring this to a satisfying and mutually acceptable close.) The customer's had the opportunity to let off steam and like a balloon, chances are that once he's went up, he'll come down again.

#3. Do give the customer your full name and contact number if your company policy allows you to do so.

This will help you establish a connection with the customer and reinforces the sentiment that you really do want to help. If you can give them a business card with your details on it, so much the better. In these days of faceless call centers, it's just too easy for an employee to say whatever they like and not be held accountable for any promises or claims that they have made because no one knows who said it in the first place.

Many times, I found myself on the receiving end of an irate customer who had been told complete rubbish by one of the aforementioned faceless employees, only to speak to me next and be given the bad news. Of course, as I was in front of them, I got the brunt of their anger. Which brings me nicely to point four:

#4. Don't take it personally when a customer gets mad.

It's not usually you that Mr. Jones is mad at, it's your company in some shape or form or the actions of someone within your company. ( If it is your mistake, it's actually easier to deal with because you'll know exactly what went wrong. Hold your hands up, explain what went wrong honestly, apologize sincerely, and get it sorted out ASAP.) To him, you ARE the company and therefore deserve to be the focus of his wrath. Keep your cool and an emotional distance from it all to avoid either losing your temper or crying your eyes out right there and then. The more professional and polished an outward appearance you have, the more likely the customer is to feel that you will deal with his complaint in a similar vein.

If you resort to Cardinal Sin #1 : shouting back at him, or Cardinal Sin #2 : rol

#3. Do give the customer your full name and contact number if your company policy allows you to do so.

This will help you establish a connection with the customer and reinforces the sentiment that you really do want to help. If you can give them a business card with your details on it, so much the better. In these days of faceless call centers, it's just too easy for an employee to say whatever they like and not be held accountable for any promises or claims that they have made because no one knows who said it in the first place.

Many times, I found myself on the receiving end of an irate customer who had been told complete rubbish by one of the aforementioned faceless employees, only to speak to me next and be given the bad news. Of course, as I was in front of them, I got the brunt of their anger. Which brings me nicely to point four:

#4. Don't take it personally when a customer gets mad.

It's not usually you that Mr. Jones is mad at, it's your company in some shape or form or the actions of someone within your company. ( If it is your mistake, it's actually easier to deal with because you'll know exactly what went wrong. Hold your hands up, explain what went wrong honestly, apologize sincerely, and get it sorted out ASAP.) To him, you ARE the company and therefore deserve to be the focus of his wrath. Keep your cool and an emotional distance from it all to avoid either losing your temper or crying your eyes out right there and then. The more professional and polished an outward appearance you have, the more likely the customer is to feel that you will deal with his complaint in a similar vein.

If you resort to Cardinal Sin #1 : shouting back at him, or Cardinal Sin #2 : rol

#4. Don't take it personally when a customer gets mad.

It's not usually you that Mr. Jones is mad at, it's your company in some shape or form or the actions of someone within your company. ( If it is your mistake, it's actually easier to deal with because you'll know exactly what went wrong. Hold your hands up, explain what went wrong honestly, apologize sincerely, and get it sorted out ASAP.) To him, you ARE the company and therefore deserve to be the focus of his wrath. Keep your cool and an emotional distance from it all to avoid either losing your temper or crying your eyes out right there and then. The more professional and polished an outward appearance you have, the more likely the customer is to feel that you will deal with his complaint in a similar vein.

If you resort to Cardinal Sin #1 : shouting back at him, or Cardinal Sin #2 : roll your eyes at your co-worker when you think the customer's not looking, (trust me, they'll see it - congratulations, you just inflamed the situation a hundred times over), don't expect to keep your job long. Your superiors will probably hear of it and you'll quite possibly be reprimanded, fired or asked to resign without a reference, none of which are good options.

Customer Service is a key component of good industrial practices and one that no company can afford to underestimate the importance of. As an employee, neither should you. Always be well mannered and polite. Show Mr. Jones the respect that you would like him to be showing you by the time he leaves.

If you feel that you're getting to the point where you're ready to lose it, then say "Excuse me one moment, please, Mr Jones," and go get another staff member or your boss to take over. It's better to be kicking boxes or bawling your eyes out in the stationery cupboard than losing your job. To work in Customer Service, you need to develop the patience of a saint and the hide of a rhino. If you find yourself lacking in either attribute, then you may want to consider asking for either a transfer to another department or additional training from Personnel on handling these very circumstances.

#5. Do make some kind of affirmation that shows that you're listening throughout.

Even if it's only a nod and an occasional 'uh huh' or 'yes' in a positive tone, it's better than staring blankly at him like a rabbit caught in the headlights. The idea is to convey an air of approachability, interest and concern. Maintain good eye contact-again, no staring- and keep your body language open, not closed. This means sitting with either your hands on your lap or standing with your arms at your side, rather than crossing them tightly across your chest. That action just screams defensiveness before you even open your mouth. Another example of positive body language that shows you're being attentive is to lean slightly towards rather than away from the customer.

When you do speak, use a calm, clear and measured tone. If you find that the customer simply will not let you speak, then wait until he does. Silence can be a powerful tool. It doesn't normally take long for it to register that you are no longer responding vocally to what is being said. When asked why, that's your chance to respond. Resist the temptation to say " Because you won't shut up!" for the reasons given in point #4. A more neutral answer would be, " Because I was allowing you to finish what you were saying. May I say something now?" Inevitably, the customer will say yes. If, by the remotest of chances, they say no, be aware that you may be dealing with someone that falls into the 'escorted off the premises' category. Which brings me to an important point:

You may think that this scenario is unlikely to happen, but it has already in workplaces up and down the country. If you feel that there is the chance that the customer may become violent, ensure that you are not alone with our fictional Mr. Jones. It's not a good idea to take him into an interview room for a private discussion because you're trying to avoid the stares of other customers if it might result in being physically attacked. Have some sort of barrier between you, even if it's only a desk.

Ideally, there would be another member of staff alongside you or very close by that you can send a covert prearranged signal to if you feel that there is a real danger present. The advantage of this is that they can intervene before or if the situation turns ugly and you have a witness to the event. There are times when you may not be able to do anything apart from call Security to remove the customer because of their threatening behavior. Even though it should probably be a last resort, it's still an option that's there to protect staff and other customers to be utilized when necessary.

Check with your manager or Personnel what rou