Tips On Dealing With A Difficult Customer

Dealing with difficult customers can be a stressful and frustrating experience for any business owner. However, it is important to remember that each customer is an individual and have different expectations from you as a service provider. When dealing with such people, patience and kindness will go a long way in resolving your problem. Here are some things that I have learned over the years:

Listen, listen and listen

Listening is not just about hearing the words. It's about understanding the meaning behind them, understanding their context and what they mean in a broader sense.

The best way to do that? Ask questions! If you find yourself struggling to understand exactly what your customer wants or needs from you, ask them. Try asking open-ended questions instead of yes/no ones: "What else would help?" or "How did this happen?" are great ways to get at some more information without coming across as condescending or offensive (which is hard to do when working with people).

Apologize

Apologizing is a key step in any effective customer service strategy. When you apologize to a customer, they are more likely to accept your apology and move on with their life. Apologizing will also help you feel better about yourself, which can make it easier for you to work with difficult customers in the future.

To apologize effectively:

• Be sincere. Don't fake it! The customer will know if you're not being genuine or sincere about your apology and that can make things worse instead of better.

• Don't make excuses for yourself or others involved (except if there's an emergency situation). For example, if someone was rude first, do not try defending them by saying "they were having a bad day" or "they didn't mean it." Instead, acknowledge that this behavior was inappropriate and should not have occurred at all — even if the person had had an awful day! It's still something that needs addressing because it affected another human being negatively; therefore, we should be concerned about how our actions affect others around us regardless of what happened beforehand."

Repeat what you have heard the customer say in your own words

• Don't just say "I understand" or anything similar. You are not listening to the customer if you are only repeating back things that they said. Remember, you want to listen and show empathy, but also clearly convey what's going on with your company or service.

• Don't interrupt when the customer is talking (even if they are ranting and raving). This will make them feel unheard and like their concerns aren't being taken seriously by you or anyone else at your company/service provider. If someone is speaking loudly or angrily and being disruptive, it's okay to ask them politely to tone it down so that everyone can hear one another respectfully (and without interrupting).

• Don't argue with the person about why something happened or why something isn't possible for whatever reason; instead of arguing with them about why things did happen as they did, focus on helping them figure out how best move forward from where they are now (e.g., if there was a problem with booking an appointment for some kind of service)

Try to understand the root cause of their problem by asking questions and do not start judging them by their words

When someone is upset with you, it can be easy to get defensive and start blaming them for their problems. But this will only make the situation worse. Try to understand the root cause of their problem by asking questions and do not start judging them by their words. For example, ask them whether they are more interested in venting or would they like a solution to their problem? Then move forward from there!

Ask them whether they are more interested in venting or would they like a solution to their problem

When a customer is upset, they may not be thinking clearly. When this happens, it's important to give them space and time to cool off and collect their thoughts before attempting to solve the problem at hand.

When dealing with an angry customer, one of the best ways for you as an employee to keep control of the situation is by asking them what it is that they want to achieve by speaking with you. Asking this question will allow you to determine whether or not your customer simply wants someone who listens patiently while they vent their frustrations or if they actually want a solution from you. If your customer appears more interested in having someone listen than offering up solutions or attempting anything else, let him/her vent. Simply acknowledge that he/she has been through something stressful and offer empathy by empathizing what he/she must be feeling right now (such as "I can only imagine how frustrating this must be."). Then ask if there's anything else; once he/she has calmed down enough and regained composure -- or even if he/she still seems very upset -- offer up as many solutions as possible without directly telling him/her what he should do (for example: "You could try asking for an extension," instead of "You should ask for an extension"). If all else fails and your customer still isn't interested in hearing any advice, then simply thank him/her for his time and assure him that someone will contact them shortly with more information on the issue at hand.

Do not be defensive and do not argue; let them know that you are there to solve their problems

When you are dealing with a customer who is difficult, avoid being defensive. Do not argue or try to prove that you are right and they are wrong. Remember that your goal is to resolve the issue as quickly and amicably as possible, even if that means letting them win a small battle.

Be patient and kind throughout the process; this will keep you from getting angry yourself and help keep the other person calm as well. Be empathetic toward their situation, understanding of why they might be upset (even if it's not something easily understood by anyone else).

Sometimes it helps to remind yourself that no one likes being treated badly in any kind of situation; even though this person may be acting like a jerk because their feelings were hurt or because they're stressed out about something else altogether, there must have been some trigger for them—so try to look past whatever behavior has got them so worked up at the moment and remember that underneath all that frustration lies someone who really just wants to get along with everyone else!

Suggest a solution that is within your power and make sure you state it is within the policy

If you're not able to make a decision right away, tell them  You'll get back to them with an answer. This will buy you some time. If they ask why it's taking so long, say something like: "I'm sorry for the delay, but we have to review the policy on this situation and we have someone who can help me with that."

Once they agree, politely offer an apology; if they continue to be defensive, wait for their outburst to die down on its own and then state what you had already said before offering an unconditional apology

Once they agree, politely offer an apology; if they continue to be defensive, wait for their outburst to die down on its own and then state what you had already said before offering an unconditional apology. This will help them see that you're taking responsibility for your part in the problem while also conveying that it's not all about them.

Being kind and patient will get you far when dealing with a difficult customer

If a customer is being difficult, the first thing to do is to listen. They are already agitated so it is important that you don't make matters worse by jumping in with an immediate solution.

• Repeat what you have heard them say in your own words and ask if that is correct. This shows that you are listening and trying to understand their problem. You can also use this technique as a way of asking for clarification or more information if needed.

• Apologize if appropriate after repeating what has been said because sometimes people can misinterpret what we mean when we speak without fully understanding our tone or body language. This step may help ease some tension at least temporarily until further action needs to be taken in order for both parties involved (the customer and yourself) feel satisfied once again with how things turned out between them both together as well as individually too!

These tips may seem simple, but they can really help you when dealing with a difficult customer. You should always remember that people come first and business comes second. It matters how much money the company loses if your client leaves with a bad taste in their mouth. So, make sure to treat them with respect and patience at all times!