How to Deal With Angry Customers – 8 Tips and Examples

Customers get angry for many reasons, like when they’re facing unexpected costs or when their product breaks within a week.

If you’re working in customer service, you’ll probably cross paths with an angry customer at some point in your career. But if you’re not prepared for this situation, it can be costly in several ways.

Dealing with angry customers, however, is actually healthier for your business because it gives you a chance to learn and make things right.

Here are our 8 tips for handling angry customers.

0:00 How to deal with angry customers
1:11 #1 Keep your cool
1:52 #2 Calm a customer by asking questions
3:46 #3 Use the “because” justification
4:37 #4 Show compassion
5:09 #5 Apologize
6:05 #6 React with politeness
6:28 #7 Don’t take it personally
7:13 #8 Beware ambiguity

---
Are you looking for a way to get closer to your customers? Userlike is one of the top rated live chat solutions trusted by more than 20,000 users. Companies like BMW, Nivea and Lufthansa are already using Userlike to build better customer relationships.

Userlike looks good, works great, offers lots of features, and is either free or highly affordable.

[leigh-anne]

Iv woked in the mobile phone customer service care for 21 yrs. I learned that speaking to them like your friend and really be truthful really works. And alot can feel you being gunine with them can help. Let them know you have the tools to help. At the end of the day your a customer as well and understand. Teach them what you know and show them how it will help them in future. Loved my job. Hope this helps.

[ayush]

Trust me when I say that American customers are the most angry, passive aggressive and kinda racist customers and I have worked with many customers of different countries.

[avril.]

This should be entitled “how to let people shit all over you and still be nice about it “.

[nicki]

I work at a ghetto Walmart in Florida so Im trying to improve my customer service skills because that job stresses the hell out of me but I can’t look for another one

[RealMexFoodShouldntGiveUDrrhea]

The Art of Letting Go is something I should learn. I had a bad interaction today and it left me kind of disheartened with this new job. I have noticed that there is a point when a customer is just beyond help and just looking for a place to vent their anger. Some situations I’ve been in have been helped by the fact that I just give them an apology, acknowledging their issue, and offering them someone else higher up to contact. They usually just thank me and leave a little calmer.

[jayviensam]

It's crazy how retail companies accept customers to act hostile and getting what they want. Yet retail doesn't give a shit if an employee is in danger!! We want the same respect man. I don't have to deal with them i can just quit.

[Kalahbur]

Calm a customer by asking questions sometimes does the exact opposite 😂

[ThePlantGuy]

I start my cashier job tomorrow. I wanna be prepared lol 😂

[Marjopolo]

Best thing is to be silent. Leave them let off there steam. Any way the problem is solved is a good way.

[celestialknight]

I keep a professional demeanor and have always been complimented by customers and staff alike for my phenomenal customer service, knowledge, and patient attitude. But retail (especially mobile retail) is literally on the verge of turning me into a bitter, anxious, tired person because I just can’t take some customers anymore. They are not only upset, but extremely angry; not only angry, but aggressive and on the verge of violence. During only 6 months of working, I’ve already had to kick out over 3 customers, and called the police on one. And just today, I had a mentally unstable customer threaten our customer service rep over the phone that she would be KILLED if she didn’t do what he asked. But frankly I didn’t have the guts to kick him out, because I was working alone and the guy was a 6’5 dude with a backpack that had only God knows what inside of it (a gun? A large knife?). So I just ignored the situation until he left. I’m thinking of quitting my job soon, because it’s taking a toll on my mental health. I’ve realized that most customers are angry, ignorant, arrogant thick-skulled buffoons who act like children when they don’t get their way. But yet it’s not them who gets time-out. It’s ME who desperately needs TIME OFF. I’m about to get full-blown anxiety by dealing with these disgusting human beings who can’t act normal or treat an employee like a person.

[PeakFilmClipz]

My boss made me watch this and I quit because a customer was being racist and my boss got mad at me for insulting the customer back lol I’m not kissing no ones ass I quit

[kristindonaldson]

Thanks for the advice, this is good for a bank teller to do too since most of our upset customers are because of policy demands from our corporate heads that put us in sticky scenarios. Many times burnout is all too real, feeling that today

[mptaki]

Today's customer service ethos is if you are entitled and make a ruckus, even if the issue is no fault of the company's, then the company must give into crazy demands. This only breeds more entitlement. I blame large corporation's ridiculous return policies for enforcing these bad behaviors.

[kylie]

I think I’m going to quit my job as a receptionist for a rental company because I am not kept up to date with information on the properties so when I answer the phone I don’t know how to answer their questions and can’t follow these steps with angry tenants, applicants, or contractors because I don’t know anything so there is no way to calm my anxiety and try to help them I can’t help them all I can say is “let me get your number and name and I’ll have someone else call you back” which works sometimes but the people still degrade me and I hate it

[tinbustarga]

How to Deal With Angry Customers
1. Keep cool.
2. Calm a customer by asking questions.
3. Use the "because" justification.
4. Show compassion.
5. Apologize.
6. React with politeness.
7. Don't take it personally.
8. Beware ambiguity.

[TSF]

I’ve done this shit for 3 months over the phone this job is not worth the mental damage it does

[matthewsmith]

Great video! It gave me a lot of practical advice I can take action with. Thanks guys.

[melissad]

Yeaaaahhhh, no. The greatest thing about owning my own non corporate chain business is the ability to "fire" customers who are unreasonable and illogical and abusive. We try to help if they made a mistake but are nice in asking for help. When they become verbally abusive, that's an attempt to make us afraid of their negative reviews. We're not Walmart. We're not going to enable crappy behaviors. The customer is NOT always right, and rewarding them for being horrible is what has created so many Karens in our society today. It's okay to politely but firmly restate your business policies, remind them they agreed to those policies in choosing to do business with you, and then hold firm in spite of their unreasonable demands. If we sold non waterproof phones and had a customer complain that their phone died after being washed, we'd point out that they bought a non waterproof phone and all non waterproof phones will die if they are washed in a washing machine. Sometimes people need to be flat out told common sense if their families never bothered to educate them while they were growing up. If a five year old screams at an adult, you don't give them whatever they want. Some adults are just like children and need to be politely but firmly treated as such.

[Bigsupreme]

To tackle angry customers, is to show them more frustration and helplessness if they do not cooperate, eventually leading to calm down and coming back to the actual business. That really the real point and the right way to address those who like to create situations for others. Get them in the situation, there is always a way, you must find it out in your case.

[TheRaiden]

Please make a video highlighting the differences between a genuine customer complaint and a con artist trying to score favors from management. Beleive me, it's an issue.