Five Steps on How To Help an Angry Customer

Whether you sell online, locally, or both, customer service is a component of every business that cannot be overlooked. Good customer service is often something taken for granted, but bad customer service is immediately noted and remembered for life. Although this post is geared towards eCommerce customer service, it can very well apply to conventional retail. Regardless of what type of company or online store you’re running, if you don’t have good service, you will be remembered for that for the rest of your existence. We have interviewd our customers who sell online and have put together the following list on how to help an angry customer.

Managing expectations is one of the most important parts of customer service. A customer wants to be served, they want to be given exactly what they came to your business for. By virtue of being the person to answer the phone, being the first person physically available, or being the one standing behind the counter under the big “Customer Service” sign, you’re going to be the one that needs to manage all of those expectations and more.

Your job is to make your customers happy, which can be particularly difficult if they come to you already unhappy. Perhaps a product they purchased isn’t correct or doesn’t work, perhaps the work your company provided wasn’t to their standards. Working with your client is not always easy, but working with your client when they’re furious makes things much harder. There’s a few steps that you can take that can help you manage the situation, but keep in mind that sometimes, no matter what you do, if your client is determined to bite off your leg- they will.

1. 1. Take a deep breath, and keep breathing. Your client is upset, and there’s a good chance they have a reason for it. It could be something business related, or it could very well be something external that has nothing to do with you or your company. The main thing is that your client is angry and they’re taking it out on you because you’re there. So take a deep breath and let it out. Most people, when they feel attacked, have a tendency to lock up and stop breathing. They hold their breath in hopes the storm will pass. By doing this, you deprive your brain of much needed oxygen that it’s using to formulate logical and thoughtful responses. Instead of keeping calm, holding your breath will only increase your own anxiety and frustration, making your responses shorter and potentially less helpful. Keep breathing throughout the whole discussion, and don’t stop.
   2. Show your customer that you’re listening. No matter what your customer is approaching you with, they want a resolution to their problem. This means that they want to know they’re appreciated and they are getting the attention they deserve. If you’re speaking to your customer in person, nod your head and, if necessary, take notes. Maintain eye-contact, and don’t become distracted by other things happening in the store. Don’t answer the phone unless it is absolutely necessary, and don’t maintain an extended conversation if you have to pick up the phone. Give your customer the courtesy of knowing that they’re your priority at that moment, no one else.If the customer called you initially, they can’t see you nod your head. Whenever there is a break, let them know you’re listening. Saying words like “okay” or “go on,” helps the customer know you’re still on the line and you’re still paying attention. You’ll find whichever filler phrase works for you, but giving them the benefit of knowing you’re there will help.If you’re responding to an email, make sure that your email response is well thought out and thorough. If the problem isn’t something that can be handled at that moment, send a reply to let the customer know that you will be looking into their issue and will get back to them as soon as you can. Do not just let the email linger for days (weeks) on end and hope it will take care of itself. You’ll only make the customer more upset and potentially have the conflict escalate to a much larger scale.
   3. Sympathize with your customer.If your customer is particularly upset, one of the easiest ways to calm them down is to sympathize with them. Agree that their situation is unfortunate, tell them you are sorry it happened, and let them know you’ll see what you can do. Sometimes all they need to hear is that you understand they’re upset, and the anger portion of the interaction dies down. They’ve vented, and now they want to get a result. They’ll be more willing to work with you if they believe you care about them. Always be sincere. Do not give them false platitudes, because they don’t want to hear it. Honestly tell them that you’re sorry, and that you’ll see what you can do.

1. Make sure that you understand what the issue is.When a customer is upset, it’s entirely possible that they don’t convey their frustration properly. Once they’ve run out of steam, and it’s your turn to talk, gently repeat what their concern is. “Okay, I just want to make sure I’ve understood you correctly. You’re calling today because you haven’t received your package and it is three weeks late, is this correct?” Once you know exactly what the issue is, you can work towards resolving it, but you don’t want to spend your time trying to solve a problem that doesn’t exist. It’s only going to frustrate the both of you more.
2. Calm them down.If you’ve been calm from the get go, most likely your customer will have already calmed down. Like a fizzy drink, most customer service interactions with an angry customer start very explosive and then settle as time passes. The customer is furious to start with, but if you continue to remain calm and professional, they’ll settle. The important thing is to not match their level. If they’re yelling, do not yell back. If they’re cursing, do not curse back. After a while, most customers will slowly calm down on their own. They’ll see you’re trying to help, and they’ll stop attacking you.
   That being said, there are times when the customer is not calming down. You, and your staff, do not deserve to be abused. If you’ve done what you could passively, and the customer is still shouting, cursing, or acting in an aggressive manner, you will need to do something. The important thing here, is to not get upset. You cannot yell at the customer or it will only make things worse. Instead, politely tell the customer that you need them to settle. “Sir/Ma’am, I understand you’re upset, and I’m going to do everything I can to help you. What I need from you now, is if you could please take a deep breath and stop yelling, it will help me do my job. I want to help you, but I can’t do that if you’re yelling at me. The hardest part about doing this, is handling the reaction. If you’ve been calm from the get go, there is every chance in the world they’ll realize that they’re acting over the top. Most people will do as you say. Others will not. This method can help settle someone, but it can also make them more upset.

   If they do become more irate, you’ll need to press further. “Sir/Ma’am, I’m working to help you right now, what specifically can I do to help you feel better at this moment?” If the customer is in front of you, it’s rare they’ll continue to shout. They’ll be able to see a physical result of your efforts, and you’ll be able to use filler sentences and sympathy to show you’re still on their side. You’ll be able to help them fill out forms, show them that you’re working on the computer (potentially even showing them the screen so they can see what you’re doing), and show them how you intend to help them.

   If the customer is on the phone, or another electronic device, there is a variety of methods you can use. Depending on the nature of your business, you could tell the customer that you will call them back as soon as you have an answer. This allows them to cool down while you work to fix the problem, but it can also put you in the position to face more wrath if your fix isn’t acceptable to them. If you cannot get off the phone, you’ll need to make sure your remain present with them. Tell them what you’re doing. “I’m searching for your issue right now, I’m sorry it’s taking so long.” If you have a ‘hold’ option, be wary: everyone hates being put on hold. If you put someone on hold, all you’ve done is given them a mute button mid rant. They’ll have recouped, most likely, and be ready for part two of their attack. Apologize for the length of time, and work to calm them down again if they’re ready to thrash you again. Managing the phone is difficult because they can’t see how you’re reacting, they tend to doubt your sincerity. It makes it far easier for them to feel empowered about attacking you. Your job is to continue to soothe their ruffled feathers. They’re upset, and you’re the one they’ve come to to help fix their problems. As more time passes, sometimes the only thing that will satisfy them is a physical result. Your job then: make sure they get the result they need.

On good days, you’ll have customers and clients who treat you with respect, politely make inquiries, and understand that you’re trying to help them. On bad days, you’ll have customers and clients who want to tear you limb from limb. It will happen, and it’s not going to be fun. The best you and your staff can do is to just keep breathing through the whole process. Know your limitations, and know if you can help the person with what they need. Know who to pass them to if you can’t help them, and keep them informed from the get go. Understand that sometimes, you’ll never be able to keep them calm, and other times – they’ll relax and potentially even apologize for coming on to hard to begin with.

How you handle yourself in that difficult moment is what’s going to set your business apart. If you accept responsibility in some capacity for your client’s woes, and you sympathize with them and work to help them from the start – they will remember that you did so. If you provide compensation for their grievances in either a refund or a credit, they’ll remember. If you help them make sure they get exactly what they want, they’ll tell others about it. Your products may be fantastic, but your service will define your business. If at the end of the day your customer leaves with nothing more than what they came in with, but you’ve managed to make them feel better by how you’ve handled the situation – they will tell others about it.

Your products and work might attract the customers, but you’re the one that’s going to keep them.

Alyssa Schaad

Support Operations Manager