Ever have a customer tear into you for a seemingly minor infraction? How when it wasn't even your fault? Most people are tempted to yell right back and use a few choice words when replying to this harsh and unwarranted criticism. Only you can't.
Shelley Ryan of the Daily Fix has a great post entitled "When Your Customer is a Big Fat Jerk". I imagine the post was written more as a form of therapy than anything else, but she's got some great recommendations for dealing with an unreasonable customer complaint.
"My three rules are
- Say nothing at first. Take a few minutes to calm down.
- Never respond with anger or sarcasm. Jerks expect that, and they'll escalate the situation.
- Send a brief, clear, civil reply. This doesn't mean you're a wimp, it means you're a professional.
Funny thing is, when I follow these rules, the customer almost always apologizes for being a jerk. Go figure!"
She notes that the customer service department is on the front line of customer satisfaction. Blow that relationship and you are going to have alot of trouble.
The post is well worth a read, if just to see therapy through writing, and there's some additional good advice in the comments section.
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