Regardless of the type of business you own, brick and mortar, internet based or a combination of the two there is one thing for certain – you’ll eventually have the pleasure of dealing with a rude customer.
It’s a fact of life. We all have bad days and occasionally people forget and take it out on the wrong people -you.
So what do you do? How do you handle the rude customer?
Step #1 Understand where their anger is coming from. Quite often, it’s not about you. There’s something else going on and while you don’t have to empathize with a rude customer, communicating with them in a calm manner is the best reaction. A defensive reaction only fuels their fire.
If that means taking a wealth of deep calming breaths then take them. If that means you need to take some time before you get back with them then take that time. However, if you’re able to nip the issue in the bud and deal with it quickly then by all means resolve the issue and move on.
Step #2. An apology goes a long way. Whether you did something to anger the customer or their anger is completely unjustified a simple, “I’m sorry” goes a long way to resolving the situation. It can be something as simple as “I’m sorry this has been so frustrating for you.” Or “I’m sorry things didn’t work out like you hoped.” The two words, “I’m sorry” show your customer that you’re on their side and it helps to diffuse their anger.
Step #3 Offer a solution and leave the ball in their court. Whenever possible offer a solution to the situation. For example, someone purchases a gift basket from you and calls to complain that the basket wasn’t at all what they’d hoped. A possible resolution might be to offer them 50% off their next order or to compensate them for the shipping costs.
Once you make an offer to amend the situation zip your lip and let them respond. Their response will tell you if they are really interested in reaching a resolution or if they’re just venting and taking their frustration out on you. Hopefully it’s the former!
Step #4 If the solution is accepted, be sure to follow through on your promise. An unhappy customer can easily become your biggest fan telling the world about your wonderful business. The opposite is also true. Follow through and be sure to thank the customer for their patience and understanding (even if they haven’t been patient and understanding)
Step #5 If the solution is countered, or the rudeness continues despite your efforts to appease or compromise, be prepared to walk away. Some customers are just not worth keeping. If you’ve done your best to resolve the situation and you’ve been completely reasonable then that’s all you can do.
Rude customers happen, it’s a fact of being in business, however it doesn’t have to end in a disaster. A rude customer can often be appeased with a little kindness and understanding. A rude customer can often become your best customer. If they don’t – no worries. Let them know you’re sorry you couldn’t help them and let them go on their way.
Pingback: When the Customer Isn’t Right |