Dealing With Disgruntled Customers

No matter how hard you try, it isn't possible to please your customers all the time. Whether they are dissatisfied with the quality of your product or the service they received, dealing with unhappy clients can definitely be stressful. However, instead of letting yourself get all worked up, it's important to stay calm and face every customer complaint head-on. Here is some helpful advice for dealing with disgruntled customers:

Don't Immediately Jump to a Resolution
When a customer complains about something, it's natural to want to come up with a solution right away. However, doing this may backfire and anger the customer even more, according to Kissmetrics. Before you attempt to fix the problem, take time to actually listen to the client's complaint so that he or she feels like you truly understand the issue. In addition to acknowledging the facts the customer presents to you, recognize how the situation made the person feel. For example, you could say something like, "I understand how frustrated you must have felt after finding out our product didn't meet your needs."

Admit There Has Been Miscommunication
If you know a customer is wrong, you should never try to convince the person that he or she made a mistake. According to Customer Experience Insight, a better approach to this situation is to suggest there has been miscommunication. If you do this, you avoid placing blame on the customer. You could tell the client, "I believe we have miscommunicated in some way. I'd like to sit down with you and talk about it." If you think you will have trouble remembering everything, write down the information your customer tells you on Post-It notes.

Speak Softly
Even if a customer is shouting, you should never raise your voice. According to John Mehrmann, president of Executive Blueprints Inc., trying to yell over the client may provoke a verbal battle. 

"If you want your message to be heard, wait for a pause in the customer tirade," Mehrmann said in Business Know-How. "Silence is your golden cue that it is time to speak your important message in a soft voice. Eventually the customer will have to lower his or her voice to hear what you are saying."

Fix the Problem
Once you've heard everything the customer has had to say, do your best to correct the issue. Inform the client that your company will take steps to make sure the same issue doesn't arise in the future. If the customer sees that you are making an effort to fix things, he or she will be more likely to continue doing business with you in the future.