3 Ways to Deal With Rude Customers

By Allie Mitchell on November 19, 2016

Most people like to be honest and say that they cannot work with people. Honestly speaking, I commend those people on being so honest and not doing something they know they will inherently hate.

Although, there are still those people that have to do what they have to do to make money, and they settle into their food service jobs or retail jobs or any job that requires active service with customers and they work. Maybe not so happily, but they work.

Now, we wonder why working in customer service gets such a bad rap. Most times, where you work is a good indicator of how the customer environment will be and sometimes the odds are just up in the air for you to determine yourself.

One of the many factors that make people abhor working in customer service is the customers themselves. Not all of them of course, but the ones that so clearly make you want to quit on the spot and never look back. I, myself, have been in those situations many times, but I have learned that not all customers will treat you like you are beneath them so you just solve the currents ones’ problem and you move on in search of something to make your day any better.

Customers can be rude and verbally abusive sometimes. They can bully and make you seem so insignificantly small that you just can’t take it anymore. First-time customer service workers may not know what they are getting into when they go to work for the first time and a customer demands a refund and you just can’t give it to them.

Not knowing how to help them or even what to do during the situation is quite possibly the most frustrating and irritating thing in the world.

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There are ways to help manage bad customers. No, they are not going away anytime soon, because there will always be one person that will try to ruin your day and you just can’t let them. You have to learn how to work with whatever customer is given to you because in the end all you and the other employees want is to make them at least moderately happy and get them the heck out of your store.

Not all customers will go down so easily but there are ways to help “manage” them in a way to make your life easier.

1. Listen, understand, validate: Just like in any good and healthy relationship, these three key things are what is necessary when communicating or at least trying to communicate with a rude customer. They want you to hear them, just like you want them to hear you when you say things like, “no that’s not in stock” or “no, sir, we cannot accept your return.”

You need to make sure that they feel heard and validate what they are saying, but also have them understand that you can’t do what they are asking. Some customers tend to get hostile when you can’t give them what they want, but just know that if worse comes to worst you can at least say that you had grace under fire.

2. Talk to a manager: This seems like the easy way out, but normally, the customer will ask for a manager regardless so you might as well go get them before something starts up. Usually the manager will tell them exactly what you said, but they may take it better (which is highly annoying), but at least they leave in a smaller huff than they would have.

Managers are like the saving grace when it comes to customer service, but use them wisely.

3. Stay neutral and positive: You don’t want to go into a yelling match with the customer. That will draw way too much attention and could possibly get you fired. You want to remain calm even if the customer is not. You want them to believe that everything is okay with the situation and they don’t have to take it to new heights.

Listen to what they have to say and make your move. If you cannot help them, let them know and give them a smile and tell them you will find someone that can. Customers like to know that you don’t have an attitude and that you are willing to do whatever it takes to make them the happiest they can be. You cater to them when it comes to the customer service business, unfortunately, and you have to learn to keep a smile on your face in all sorts of situations.

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Rude customers will come and go, but you can’t let them get you down and ruin your days at work. Most of the time crazy customers make the best stories and give you a good laugh once they are gone. Think about it like that.

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