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If you work at a contact center, then you’ve probably encountered angry and frustrated customers from time to time.

These customers are even more challenging when they start taking their frustrations out on you. But don’t worry – take this opportunity to transform their negative experience into a positive one! Continue reading to learn what a challenging customer is, why they might be challenging, and 6 effective strategies for handling them.

What is a challenging customer?

A challenging customer is someone who poses some difficulty or problem for you or your organization. They may have different needs, expectations, preferences, or behaviors than your typical or ideal customer. They may also be unhappy or dissatisfied with your product or service and may express their feelings in negative or unconstructive ways. A challenging customer can be a source of stress, frustration, or conflict for you or your colleagues, but they can also be an opportunity to improve your customer service skills, enhance your reputation, and increase customer loyalty.

Understanding challenging customers

Before you can deal with challenging customers, you need to identify what kind of challenge they pose. Different types of customers require different approaches and strategies to handle them effectively.

Some common types of challenging customers are:

• Angry: These customers are upset or dissatisfied with your product or service and may express their feelings in a loud or aggressive way.
• Demanding: These customers have high expectations and may make unreasonable requests or complaints. They may also be impatient or rude with you or your colleagues.
• Uncommunicative: These customers are reluctant or unwilling to share information or feedback with you. They may be shy, distrustful, or indifferent. They may also give vague or short answers.
• Know-it-all: These customers think they know more than you or your colleagues and may challenge your expertise or authority. They may also interrupt you, ignore your advice, or contradict you.
• Indecisive: These customers are unsure about what they want or need and may ask many questions or change their minds frequently. They may also delay making any decisions or purchases.

Understanding the psychology behind challenging customer behaviors can help you deal with them more effectively.

Here are some possible reasons why customers may act in challenging ways:

• Anger: Customers may feel angry when they perceive that they have been treated unfairly, disrespectfully, or dishonestly by your company. They may also feel frustrated when their needs or expectations are not met or when they encounter a problem that they cannot solve. Sometimes customers might be having a bad day that’s unrelated to the company and taking out their anger for something else on an agent.
• Fear: Customers may feel fearful when they face uncertainty, risk, or loss. They may also feel anxious when they lack information, control, or trust in your company. Fear can trigger a fight-or-flight response, which can make customers more defensive or hostile.
• Confusion: Customers may feel confused when they are overwhelmed by too much or too complex information, or when they encounter conflicting or inconsistent messages from your company. They may also feel uncertain when they have to make a difficult or unfamiliar decision or when they do not understand how your product or service works.

Best practices for dealing with challenging customers

Here are some best practices for dealing with challenging customers who may feel fear, confusion, or other negative emotions when interacting with your company. By following these tips, you can calm them down, build rapport, and resolve their issues effectively.

• Engage in active listening: Don't be too quick to present a solution right away. Instead, let them speak while listening carefully to avoid missing out on essential details. Since you can't physically demonstrate your attention, you should respond with "OK," "I see," or "Alright" to signal that you are listening to their concerns. You can also gain a deeper understanding by asking them questions to clarify their issue or concern before offering a solution.
• Remember the details: While listening, note important details to ensure they are not overlooked. You can enter this key information into a tool like a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform or a ticketing platform so you or another agent can refer to these details later. By recording the information, customers won’t need to repeat themselves if they call back or are transferred to another agent, preventing future frustration.
• Express empathy: Try to empathize with your customers' situation and put yourself in their shoes. Simple statements like, "I can see why this can be frustrating. Let's see how we can make things right" or "I understand where you are coming from. Let me take care of this for you" can relieve their frustrations. By expressing empathy, you can demonstrate that you understand what has upset them and that you will take care of the issue.
• Finding a solution: The goal of the conversation is to offer a solution to the problem. Once you have listened to the customers’ concerns, take the necessary steps to resolve their issues. Sometimes, it may not be possible to solve their problems right away. In that case, be sure to communicate the steps you will take to resolve it. You can also provide a timeline so that your customer knows what to expect and when things will be completed. Establishing a timeline provides direction and outlines the steps going forward.
• Avoid taking it personally: When a customer yells at you or vents their frustration, it can be difficult not to take it personally. But try to remember, they are frustrated and upset at the situation, not you. Therefore, strive to resolve the problem instead. A more productive approach is to direct the conversation back to the main issue and explore possible solutions.
• Take time to reflect: To continue improving, one must reflect. Take advantage of call recordings to gain valuable insights by playing back previous interactions. These insights may help you uncover what worked well and what could be done differently. You can then analyze each conversation and determine ways to improve when similar instances happen in the future. Keep in mind that some interactions may not go as planned, but as long as you find ways to improve, providing excellent customer service is within your reach!

One of the most challenging aspects of customer service is handling angry or difficult customers. However, if you handle these situations professionally and productively, you can turn their negative experience into a positive one. As a result, your customers will be more satisfied and happier, resulting in a greater customer experience.

Dealing with difficult customers can leave you feeling exhausted, so check out the Guide to Preventing Agent Burnout in Call Centers for tips and advice on managing stress.