Difficult Individuals

DIFFICULT INDIVIDUALS

With any customer facing industry, there will inevitably be difficult individuals to deal with. And like any other industry, operators are expected to be respectful and
non-confrontational when dealing with difficult individuals. While every situation is different, the following tips can help when handling a problematic customer:

Remain calm – Being rude, short or confrontational with the customer will not resolve the issue or make the job any easier. Do not take their criticism or anger personally, as they are likely in a state of distress. Calmly addressing the customer’s needs can help relieve their stress and move the process along. Be empathetic and try to imagine yourself in the customer’s shoes.

Ask – and answer – relevant questions – Understanding the customer’s issue(s) are obviously important to resolving them. Listening closely to understand the problem, answering questions and asking what can be done to solve them can help deescalate a contentious issue. Use positive language when explaining and do not ask questions that will make the customer feel inadequate.

Do not blame the customer – While the customer is not always right, it is any customer facing worker’s responsibility to not let them know that. Offering alternative solutions to the problem instead of blaming anyone – especially the customer – will help resolve the problem more quickly and efficiently.

Walk the customer through the plan – Explaining what you will be doing with the casualty should help ease the customer’s mind. Taking the time to explain each step may slow you down but will help prevent any further conflict with the customer.