How do you deal with difficult customers?

Reacting to an irate consumer is a surefire suicide call.

Listen carefully, Understand the grievance, Identify the issue, OFFER a solution within the limitations of the ethics and policy guidlines and then JUST DO IT!

Thanks for the rererral Mohit :)

1 - Be grateful you have a customer, angry or not.

2 - Be grateful the customer is expressing their dissatisfaction instead of just writing you and your company off of their list of service providers.

3 - Mentally embrace the situation with both arms and pull it close against your chest, asking God to give you the power to deal effectively with the situation. (This removes the impulse to run from the situation and to get angry and impatient yourself).

4 - See the situation as an opportunity to be a blessing in the life of the customer. How cool it is to be a blessing in another persons life.

5 - Give the customer everything they ask for (legal, ethical and within company policy) and then give them one thing more than what they as for.

Sometimes it's useful to add another phrase to the empathy response, including yourself in the picture. - "I can understand how you feel, I don't like it either when I'm kept waiting". This has the effect of getting on the customer's side and builds rapport. Some customer service people get concerned with this response as they believe it'll lead to - "Why don't you do something about it then". The majority of people won't respond this way if they realise that you're a reasonable and caring person.

If they do, then continue empathising and tell the customer what you'll do about the situation. "I'll report this to my manager" or "I'll do my best to ensure it doesn't happen in the future".

To deal with angry & furious customers takes the real test of mettle to build customer relationship.

Such customers may affect even other customers present there if not taken care more prudently.

I think, such customers should be given extra attention & care & if possible, their grievances should immediately be resolved & afterwards such matters should be properly investigated & corrections should be made accordingly to avoid such circumstances happen again.

Ignoring difficult customers can often solve the problem provided one can afford to ignore them. Otherwise treat them like queens or kings.

Consider yourself sitting on the other side of the table (ie consider yourself as the customer) then analyze why the customer is sounding difficult to us....

If you cant think of the same line what customer is thinking, have the power to convince him on your end or else....accept his view point and do as he (customer) says within the boundary limits of your own (representative) company...n build a healthy relationship for future business.......

In business.....either you can be right or the customer...not both of them at the same time...only in the time of crisis...that makes the customer difficult...

Stay out of it emotionally and concentrate on listening non-defensively and actively. Customers may make disparaging and emotional remarks. Don't rise to the bait.

It is true. let us also analyse why they behaive? definitely they have pain which they wd like to show.( I do not agree that they should show to others!! any way). first of all, if is a misatke by us, learnt to accept and apologise. do not argue and spoil further. Listening is an excellent way and note down his points ina pc of paper. calmly think what we sould have done better to avoid repeated call or similar complaint from others. Get trained in a calss room by others/experts and workshop /simulation technique. get others opinion, how otehrs handled? in short, Listen, acceptand apologise if it is true, note down and work on improvement slef or by external training...........

Such customers are the nightmare for them who are in direct contact with customers. They are to be tackled very carefully and co-operation of the whole team, where possible,  is a must.

First isolate him/her, offer a chair to seat. Then pacify and ask him/her whether s/he may be offered a cup of tea or light drinks. Listen to his/her complaints or grievances. Explain him/her your procedure and how/where lies the difficulties.

Lastly, try to deliver. Yes ... deliver ... give ur best efforts to deliver. Ask him/her 2visit again. Say good-bye and escort him/her upto the door.

And there after, take some rest and have a hot cup of coffee ...U reached the MOT ( Moment of Truth ) ...ur next promotion is not far away .. !!

THERE WILL BE HARDLY LESS THAN 1% OF THE CUSTOMER BASE,WHEREIN YOU KNOW THE CUSTOMER WAS WRONG,BUT SOLVING THE CUSTOMER'S COMPLAINT REGARDING PRODUCT AND SERVICE,EVEN IF IT MEANT TO REPLACE THE PRODUCT,WITH THE APPROVAL OF MANAGER'S OR HIGHER AUTHORITIES.THIS WILL PAVE WAY FOR CEMENTING THE RELATIONSHIP FOR THE BETTER IN FUTURE.

In my opinion the best way to deal with difficult customers is to adhere to the time lines in regard to delivery and commit what is possible.

Keep the the customer engaged in a discussion which would eventually lead to a solution based on a consensus. Never ever let the customer feel that he is not heard, if you are tired of dealing with him, call a colleague to mediate, but solve the problem once and for all. If the problem remains unsolved for the moment take it up with the customer once again when the opportune moment is available. Sometimes you can back off for the time being regroup and re-engage with a different outlook or a different approach to sort out the problem