5 Tips To Effectively Handle An Irate Customer

No business runs without customers and there is no business in which you will not find irate customers.  Each person has his own way of looking at the same thing in a different way.  Similarly, each person has a different way of behaving with other person and hence there is a different way to handle each person when he is angry.  We have mentioned a few points which are key to handle your irate customers.

Greeting The Customer

Greet the customer very calmly and pleasantly.  Your pleasant words falling in the customer’s ears can make him little calm.  Always use polite and soft words with very soft voice.  Always keep your tone little low and polite.

Listening Is Key

Your first job is to listen and listen very meekly.  Listen to him completely and allow him to speak.  Apologise if required in between.  Let all his anger peter out, just keep quiet and keep listening.  This will help you to understand his queries, what issues he is facing and also he will calm down as he has busted his agony.

Once you keep listening to him patiently, he will feel that you are willing to understand him.  Just do not listen blankly, keep on acknowledging in between, if you do not acknowledge then he will feel that he has been ignored and he will get more irate.

If you want to be a good speaker you ought to be a good listener.

Understand The Customer’s Queries and Requirements

Now after listening to him patiently, you need to explain to him what you have understood and get his consent about your understanding of his issue.  Once you receive his consent about his issue, you have won half of your battle.  Assure the customer that you will look into the matter keenly and will follow with the concerned department/person if required and will update the customer within stipulated time frame.  Assuring him in this manner will make him patient.

Comment On Irrelevant Topic If Possible

After assuring the customer, just talk on another topic such as movies or sports or on things that the customer likes.  This will divert his anger and again jump back to the main topic and assure him that his problem will be addressed on priority basis.

Seeing Off

Just saying goodbye to the customer abruptly is absolute wrong practice, this will leave a bad impact on the customer particularly when he is not happy with the services or the product. Seeing the customer off or hanging the call up is as important as the greeting.  Always make a practice of seeing off your each customer with good wishes.