Being a call center representative we have to focus on Customer Engagement Solutions, you might receive phone calls from different types of customers. While some might politely ask about their queries, others might not be so civil. On a daily basis, people working at the call centers test their patience and deal with difficult people. However, not all of them have the stamina for it.
Patience is key to dealing with such consumers. To deal with angry customers that push your buttons to the limit is not that difficult. You need to learn to not lose your cool no matter how aggravating the phone call might be. This will not only make the customers realize they were rude, but also retain them because you handled the situation well. Here are a few tips to help you handle such customers.
Listen Carefully
An angry customer always calls because they have lots to talk or complain about. Hence, they need to be listened to. The best way to not provoke them more is to listen carefully to what they have to say without interrupting. Before trying to diffuse the situation, you need to sense the tone of the customer and see if they called to only vent out. Sometimes, if you simply keep listening, the caller may feel they are being too hard and may even apologize.
While the caller complains away, it is essential that you note down all the problems they mention during the call. This will allow you to efficiently find solutions and reply to them timely about the issues they face. Moreover, taking notes might even help you maintain focus on the resolving stance.
In case the caller starts threatening you or starts swearing you should follow your company’s policy for such situations. If the policy allows you to end the call in such scenarios, then do not hesitate to do so.
Stay Calm
Getting angry along with the angry caller will never lead to a solution. Instead, it might make things even worse. Staying calm is the key to dealing with such customers, hence it is one of the most essential tips. You should keep in mind that whatever the angry customer is saying is not personal and they’re just frustrated. It gets annoying, but keep in mind that the customer didn’t mean to specifically speak to you. Rather they just vented out to the first person to answer the call.
Hence, it is essential that you keep your call and listen with patience. Your calm and collected customer service might calm them down in exchange. You should learn to put yourself in the customer’s shoes and feel what might have provoked them to talk in such a way. But whatever you do, never take their words to heart.
Repeat the Information
After the customer is done venting out, try to make them feel like you fully heard and understood them. Make them realize that you empathize with them and you’re on their side. Additionally, apologize to them for facing inconvenience and summarize their main points. This will allow them to calm done and feel heard.
Choose Your Words Wisely
When it’s your turn to answer, remember to talk in a tone that feels reassuring and apologetic. You may want to choose your words very carefully so that you don’t aggravate the customer further. Think of the assuring words you would like to hear and how you would want to be spoken to in such situations. You should try to judge the personality of the consumer and use suitable language. Irrespective of whether your company is in the wrong or if it’s just a misunderstanding by the customer, you should refrain from using accusing words.
The words you use and the tone you choose help to distinguish the fire inside the customer. So, choose them wisely.
Avoid Putting Them on Hold
Putting an angry customer on hold is never a good idea. You might think it gives them time off to calm down, but instead, it just adds to their frustration. Customers usually feel that they are put on hold because the representative is trying to avoid them. Although this may not be true, but angry callers may think of only negative reasons for being put on hold.
Make the Customer Happy
When it is time to give solutions to the customer, make sure you provide them with options that satisfy them. Think of all the possible ways you could help the customer and resolve their issue timely. You could give them a refund or discount voucher as an apologetic gesture or ask them if they need assistance with anything else apart from their current issue. Lastly, you could try cracking a joke so the customer no longer frowns when they end the call.
Conclusion
Keeping things from escalating during such phone calls might seem impossible at times. But just by following a few steps or creating and an idea doodle, you can take control of the situation like a pro. Always remember to firmly hold onto patience.
