The Fine Art of Dealing with an Angry Customer

In many ways, an angry customer making a complaint is the mirror image of a prospect making an enquiry. In both cases, the way that you handle the situation will dictate whether or not they’ll be making use of your services, either again or for the first time. Let’s look at a few strategies for putting out the fire of an angry customer.

Listen, listen, listen

If you’ve ever been in an argument (and who hasn’t?), you’ll know how frustrating it can be when the other person just doesn’t seem to listen. This can be doubly so when a customer feels like they’ve been hard done-by or lost out somehow (particularly financially). For this reason, it’s vital that you actively listen to the complaint the customer is reporting. Nodding the head and saying ‘uh-huh’ simply won’t cut it! If the complaining party is a long-term client or customer, try to appeal to their better nature if you can – but never stop listening to their concerns, and treat them with respect.

Stay emotionally detached

We’ve all lost our cool from time to time, but in a business scenario – especially when dealing with your own customers – this should never, ever, happen. In order to remain calm throughout what could be an experience fraught with tension, you need to not become emotionally invested in the conversation. You can show compassion, but don’t allow yourself to become angry – and never raise your voice. As soon as you start to talk over your customer, you’ve most likely lost their business forever. Even if it takes every ounce of your self-control, don’t forget: the customer is always right.

Don’t stop communicating, even after the fact

In order to deal with an angry customer, you must prove that you’ve done everything within your power to solve this issue. This can mean everything from issuing full refunds to disciplining team members. But once that’s out of the way and the fire of your customer’s complaint seems to be out, the story doesn’t end there. As a business owner, the responsibility falls to you to ensure that this customer returns to the fold, so to speak, and is loyal to your company once again. The key to doing that? Communication. It’s a good idea to check in with the client, personally if possible, a few days after the incident, just to make sure that they’re happy and that the problem is solved. It doesn’t cost you anything other than five minutes of time, and it can do a huge amount for your credibility.

If you’re looking for a way to stay on top of your customer relationships, and potentially avoid an encounter with an angry client, why not check out the AutoVu platform? With powerful CRM features built right in, your tally of complaints is sure to nose-dive.