When you think of an angry customer , what scenario do you imagine? Someone who did not receive a product in a timely manner, was charged improperly, or did not receive the service they expected are some examples of an angry customer.
Nothing compared to the situation of thousands of people with flights and hotel stays already booked - and in many cases paid for - in the context of a pandemic. All weddings cancelled and deposits made to catering services, photography, party halls... and minimal chances of receiving the money back.
Have you ever found yourself in that situation, on one side or the other? How did you act as a company? How did you react as a consumer? How would you have liked a company to behave towards you?
According to Zendesk’s 2022 CX Trends report , delivering a great customer experience is 22% more important than it was last year. In fact, 61% of customers would switch to a competitor after just one bad experience . After two negative experiences, the figure rises to 76%.
Do you know which companies made the most profit during the pandemic?
Amazon , because it made essential products available at a time when most stores were out of stock.
Microsoft , because its “Teams” application has been one of the most used to keep workers connected.
Apple , because it launched a new model of computer and smartphone during the pandemic.
These three companies have something in common; they made tools and technology available to the public to meet the needs of a market that was undergoing profound changes . Companies, which had to adapt their teams for remote work; and consumers, whose habits had to adapt to the digital environment.
But what happens when companies are not equipped to respond to angry or critical customers? In this post we give you the answer, because we bring you information and advice so that you learn how to deal with an angry customer .
Shall we begin?
How to deal with an angry customer?
There are situations that cannot be foreseen. The pandemic is one of them. And while the angry customer has his reasons, there are events that are beyond the control of companies. That said, there are a number of mechanisms that you can have in your toolbox for when you need to deal with an angry or critical customer.
Here are 5 tips for dealing with an angry customer.
1. Always offer an answer
You may not be able to resolve the problem right away, but you can offer a prompt and friendly response to let the angry customer know that you're doing everything you can to help and that their problem matters.
Empathy, or putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, plays a crucial role when dealing with an angry customer. In fact, Zendesk’s 2121 customer experience trends report showed that 49% of customers want agents to be empathetic . Interestingly, the same percentage gave Amazon the highest mark for customer service.
Offering a friendly and empathetic treatment brings some benefits that are invaluable for companies:
Improve customer retention: If customers know they will get a response from you and receive excellent service, they will continue to buy from you. Remember, increasing indian number list your retention rate by just 5% increases your revenue by 25% to 95%.
Positive feedback and reviews: As a result of offering a good experience, you get loyal customers who will recommend you to family and friends and provide positive feedback to the company.
By the way, you might be interested in reading:
Empathy phrases for customers: what to say and how to improve the experience of angry customers .
2. Stay calm and don't take anything personally
If you're a customer service agent, you know all too well that customers often take out their anger and frustration on you, when you're not directly responsible for the problem. When this happens, take a breath and stay calm; remember that your interlocutor is going through a bad time and needs your help to solve it.
A good strategy for dealing with an angry customer is personalization. Call the customer by name, show them that you are aware of their problem and have information about it. This will help them stay calm and listen to you as well. Did you know that 97% of customers will spend more with companies that personalize the customer service they offer ? (Zendesk, 2022).
3. Don't make the customer more angry than necessary