Don’t let a furious caller stop you from doing the very best job you can. The next time you’re on the receiving end of an angry customer’s rant, try these tips to calm him down and resolve the issue effectively, from Gemma Gibson’s article titled How Best To Deal With Angry Customers.

• Be straightforward. Explain your company’s policies and processes clearly.
• Be flexible. You don’t always have to follow policies strictly no matter what. Each situation is different and may require you to bend “the rules” a little to satisfy your customer. Look at the situation from the customer’s point of view, says Gibson. Also, discuss these rule-bending options with your manager regularly so you’ll be prepared and know what to do when an angry caller strikes.
• Demonstrate action. Show your customer that you are going to solve his problem by using language like, “I can,” “Definitely,” and “I’m going to take care of this,” Gibson suggests.
• Give your customer choices. If there are different ways to resolve the issue, give your customer all of the options to choose from. This allows him to feel like he has some control over his problem.
• Offer a timeline. Once you and the customer choose a course of action, describe the steps you will take to correct the problem. This will help your customer understand the time it will take to resolve the issue, as well as all of the work involved.
• Provide updates. Call your customer to let him know how you’re progressing with his problem. For example, if you had to reorder an item, give the customer a call and tell him that you’ve placed the order. Tell him when he can expect to receive the order. He’ll feel more comfortable if you let him know how things are going instead of leaving him in the dark.

Another thing to keep in mind is don’t rely on your manager to fix the problem. Even if you need to get a manager involved, remember that you still have an obligation to see the problem through until the end, says Gibson.

Filed under: Customer Service Corner