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How to Handle an Angry Customer on the Phone

infographic - how to handle an angry customer on the phone

No one likes dealing with an angry customer. Handling them over the phone means that you won’t be able to use your body language, which means you’ll have to be even more mindful and tactful with your responses.

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Don’t Say Do Say
“It’s not my fault”  “I’m sorry”
It may not be your fault, but starting with an apology is a good way to calm a customer. Remember that over the phone your customer can’t see your sympathetic body language, so you need to use a comforting, empathetic tone of voice.
“Calm down”  “Is X Your Problem?”
Angry customers don’t typically communicate clearly, but telling them to calm down will only make it worse. Ask short, specific questions. When you think you understand them, repeat their concerns back to them to make sure you get it.
 “How would I know?” or “That’s not my job” “I need more information”
Chances are, your customers don’t understand how your product or service works. They may blame you for a problem that you didn’t cause. Don’t dismiss their questions. Find out if what they are asking about could be the problem.
 “I don’t have time right now” “When is a good time for me to get back to you?”
When you can’t deal with a complaint right away, don’t tell the customer you don’t have time, or they may feel like you don’t care about them. Skip saying you’re busy and reschedule.
“My employee wouldn’t do that.” “We’ll get to the bottom of this”
If you’re dealing with a complaint about your employee, don’t dismiss it before you talk to your staff. Even if you know your employee didn’t do anything wrong, your customer needs to know you investigated and took them seriously.

 

  • Smile. Even they can’t see you, smiling affects your voice more than you realize. Use your face as if you were talking to the customer in person.
  • Don’t take it personally. Angry customers tend to lash out. If they do attack you, remember that they’re attacking your role at the company, not you as a person.
  • Repeat their concerns. Repeating their issues, using their own words, is an easy way to demonstrate that you’re actively listening.
  • Don’t rush. Customers can sense when you want to get off the phone as quickly as possible, but taking steps to slow down the call can de-escalate the situation.

By: Front Office Solutions

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