Customer happiness is the top priority for companies, so they are keen to offer each customer an exceptional customer experience, but this is not always easy, especially in the e-commerce world, customer expectations have become high, and for this reason you must encounter during your career quite a few dissatisfied customers, but angry customer is not a bad indicator. If you know how to deal with an angry customer correctly, it will lead to positive results for you and the brand.
In this article, we will give you some tips for dealing with angry customer whether you are trying to face-to-face or over the phone or via e-mail.
1. Listen to the angry customer
"Most people do not listen with the intention of understanding, but with the intention of responding," says Stephen Covey, author of the "Seven Habits of the Most Effective People." You need to listen to the client and understand what he is trying to say and leave the thought of respond for the next phase.
Practice active client listening instead of passive listening. Active listening means focusing on what the client is saying to understand why they are upset, while passive listening will only surround part of the matter and will not get you to the point of empathizing with the client and trying to help him.
Give the client your full attention, if the complaint is written, read it twice before responding to it. Whatever the form of the complaint, focus on the words conveyed by the angry client and not on the anger behind his words to show him that you listen to him with all your arguments. Rephrase his complaint and ask him clarifying questions and do not interrupt his words. These strategies are effective in dealing with the angry client and containing the situation.
2. Apologize
Acknowledging an error and apologizing to the customer can help solve the whole problem, but at the same time make a careful and concise apology. For example, if an angry customer complains about the delay in the arrival of his order, do not say to him: "sorry for the inconvenience", but say to him:" I regret the delay in the delivery of your order, this is not the customer experience that we aim to provide and I can understand the frustration that this problem can cause." This apology shows the client that you care about him and understand his frustration in a concise and adequate manner.
3. Show empathy towards the angry client
Empathy does not necessarily mean agreeing with the angry client, it means that you understand what he feels. Empathy helps guide your response and reaction to the angry client. So, by understanding how the client feels, you will be able to communicate with him on a personal level. Hence, showing empathy will help ease the tension between you and the client and show him that you truly respect and listen to him.
4. Keep you tone calm
When dealing with an angry client, do not let his anger pass to you, you may be tempted to talk to him in the same angry tone that he uses but you should avoid it because it will only aggravate the problem.
Pay attention, it is easy to imitate the tone of the angry customer's voice and respond to it immediately after the complaint is finished. However, if you keep calm for just one moment, you can turn the discussion into a productive dialogue in which both parties understand and discuss calmly. If you receive that complaint in writing, try to stay away from it for a few minutes and then review your draft response before sending it. A short break may help you see from a new perspective and erase a word that an angry client may find sarcastic or aggressive.
5. Use customer name
Using the name of the customer helps you to customize the experience offered by him; so the client feels that command attention and treat him with respect. However, use the name of the angry customer recognition because its use often may result in an awkward position and do not forget to use the official titles in your words.
6. Build and maintain confidence
It is important to rebuild the trust of the angry client with your company. It is okay to make mistakes sometimes, but you have to work to fix them right away. The first step is to show your interest and your understanding of the client; make sure that you have all the basic information for the customer data to its compatibility with the company because this will show him that you are able to help him. If you show the client that the company takes responsibility for what happened by admitting the mistake and trying to help him, you are on the right path to rebuild trust and preserve the client.
7. Do not take it personally
Remember that this is business, not your personal life. In other words, do not take the customer's anger personally, coz the angry client is not angry at you but mad at the product or service. He had a certain perception when he bought the product and then had a problem. Therefore, if you take it personally, you risk angering the customer even more and making the situation worse for you and the company.
8. Avoid negative language
When dealing with an angry client, you must be proficient in language. Negative language will only pour oil on the fire and fuel it. Positive language is an element of support and assistance in extinguishing the burning flames. Avoid using tone of voice or words that indicate that the client is wrong, even if he is, use positive language instead to instill confidence in the client and start turning a negative attitude into a positive one.
9. Solve the problem
The main goal of dealing with an angry client is to solve the problem, isn't it?
Are there solutions to the problem? Is there a procedure that you or the client can do to solve the problem? Tell him what you both can do. However, if you discover that you are unable to resolve the problem immediately, be honest with the client and try to tell him the expected time to solve the problem and make sure to meet these expectations; not to spend on trust completely. Also if necessary, referral the problem to the team leader or department manager.
10. Knowledge sharing
In fact, the angry client teaches us a lot because the cause of his anger can lead to changes in the customer experience and improve it, which the company would not have reached without his complaint.
Last but not least, dealing with an angry client is a difficult but not impossible job. Leave him to vent a little bit of his frustration and then treat him with patience, compassion and respect. Who knows, you may discover you have latent talents in dealing with angry customers and turn their negative experience into a great customer experience that enhances brand confidence and earns you more customers.
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