{"id":42506,"date":"2020-04-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/how-to-deal-with-difficult-customers\/"},"modified":"2025-03-13T06:28:25","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T13:28:25","slug":"how-to-deal-with-difficult-customers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/us\/en\/blog\/how-to-deal-with-difficult-customers\/","title":{"rendered":"How to deal with 6 common types of difficult customers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>No matter where you work, difficult customers come with the territory of doing business.<\/p>\n<p>And they often make their presence known when you\u2019re least expecting it. Loudly, too.<\/p>\n<p>We get it. Getting chewed out or dealing with a particularly demanding customer can be draining.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately for you, those unruly, high-stress customers aren\u2019t just going to go away.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than dread your next angry call, now\u2019s the time to take action and learn how to deal with difficult customers once and for all.<\/p>\n<p>By the end of this guide, you\u2019ll know:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"table-of-content\">\n<li><a href=\"#What the most common types of difficult customers are\">What the most common types of difficult customers are<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#17 tips for dealing with these difficult customers\">17 tips for dealing with these difficult customers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#3 strategies for reducing the likelihood of encountering difficult customers in the future\">3 strategies for reducing the likelihood of encountering difficult customers in the future<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"p1\">\ud83c\udf1f How customer-obsessed is your business? Take this <strong>free quiz<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"download-form-widget standart-download-form\" data-url=\"https:\/\/netstorage.ringcentral.com\/documents\/quiz_how_customer_obsessed_your_business.pdf\" data-id=\"69d2eff235a7e\" id=\"69d2eff235a7e\">\n\t\t<button tabindex=\"on\"  on=\"tap:69d2eff235a7e.toggleClass(class='open')\" class=\"open-modal-download-action download-form-button\" type=\"submit\">\ud83d\udcdd Take the quiz<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"download-form-modal\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-body\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-content\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-title\">\ud83d\udc40 Get started on the customer-obsessed quiz <\/div>\n<form class=\"download-form SMB\" method=\"post\">\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"download-form-input\" aria-label=\"Full Name\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" type=\"text\" name=\"fullname\" placeholder=\"Full Name\" data-dl-events-hover=\"true\" data-dl-element=\"text\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"download-form-input\" aria-label=\"Email (please enter a work email address)\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" type=\"email\" autocomplete=\"on\" name=\"email\" placeholder=\"Email (please enter a work email address)\" data-dl-events-hover=\"true\" data-dl-element=\"email\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"popup_form\" value=\"1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"Lead_Entry_Source__c\" value=\"RC Blog\" class=\"download-form-input\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"download-form-submit\" type=\"submit\" data-dl-element=\"button\" data-no-auto-dl=\"true\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\" data-dl-name=\"Take the quiz\">Take the quiz<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<button on=\"tap:69d2eff235a7e.toggleClass(class='open')\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\"  class=\"download-form-modal-close\"><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-thank\">Enjoy the quiz! <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a name=\"What the most common types of difficult customers are\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>What are the most common types of difficult customers?<\/h2>\n<p>Below we\u2019ve broken down six of the most common types of difficult customers and general strategies for dealing with them. We\u2019ll really dig into the meat of these tips in the next section.<\/p>\n<p>Recognize any of these folks?<\/p>\n<h3>1. Angry customers<\/h3>\n<p>No surprises here: plenty of customer service calls are rooted in anger and frustration. Whether or not the anger is because of your company or something else entirely is irrelevant:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7034\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image7-73.png\" alt=\"Most common types of difficult customers: Angry customers\" width=\"646\" height=\"226\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>How to deal with them:<\/b> For starters, stay calm. Remember that their anger isn\u2019t directed at you personally.<\/p>\n<p>Also, don\u2019t assume that their demands or anger is unreasonable. The reason for their call could be legitimately upsetting. Your priority should be to reassure them that you can help and you\u2019re willing to hear them out. Once they realize that you\u2019re on their side, they\u2019re more likely to ease up.<\/p>\n<p><i>\u200b<\/i>[ebook-download title=&#8221;How customer-obsessed is your business?&#8221; link=&#8221;https:\/\/netstorage.ringcentral.com\/documents\/quiz_how_customer_obsessed_your_business.pdf&#8221; cta-text=&#8221;Take the quiz&#8221; src=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>2. Entitled customers<\/h3>\n<p>You know the ones. They demand special treatment and think your company will die without them.<\/p>\n<p>Entitled customers typically have poor attitudes and unrealistic expectations. To manage these customers, you\u2019ll need patience and finesse.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7035\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image6-90.png\" alt=\"Most common types of difficult customers: Entitled customers\" width=\"698\" height=\"826\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>How to deal with them:<\/b> Entitled customers can be tough to please. Short of doing everything they want, the next best thing you can do is try to make them feel special. Let them know that they\u2019re your top priority right now. Refer to them by name and thank them for both their patience and being a customer.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Indecisive and cautious customers<\/h3>\n<p>Indecisive customers might be frustrating, but they\u2019re preferable to (and less stressful to manage then) rude ones. For example, let\u2019s say you have a customer who can\u2019t decide on a product or is wary about continuing their contract. If you push them too hard or don\u2019t treat them with care, you run the risk of seeing them bounce.<\/p>\n<p><b>How to deal with them:<\/b> Your goal here should be to take the reins. For example, suggest solutions and recommend next steps rather than hope for them to draw their own conclusions. This is where \u201cyes\u201d or \u201cno\u201d questions (this is <i>not <\/i>the time for open-ended questions) can be useful. Also, reassure them of your product or service (\u201cThis is our most well-reviewed product\u2026\u201d or \u201cI actually use this myself, you know!\u201d).<\/p>\n<h3>4. Penny-pinching customers<\/h3>\n<p>Sure, everyone loves a good deal.<\/p>\n<p>But some customers try to take things too far by demanding freebies or accusing you of nickel-and-diming them. Although these customers might present your price tag as make-or-break, this isn\u2019t necessarily the case.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7037\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image4-133.png\" alt=\"Most common types of difficult customers: Penny-pinching customers\" width=\"696\" height=\"138\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>How to deal with them:<\/b> Emphasize the benefits of your product and the good deal that they\u2019re already getting simply by being a customer. Rather than talk about money, focus on feelings (think: security, happiness) associated with your product. Reiterate the problem your product solves rather than the price tag.<\/p>\n<h3>5. Talkative customers<\/h3>\n<p>We\u2019d all rather have someone talk our ears off than flat-out scream at us. That said, talkative customers can have a negative impact on your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/average-handle-time-call-center\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">average handle time<\/a>\u2014and keep you from helping other customers in your queue.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7036\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image5-110.png\" alt=\"Most common types of difficult customers: Talkative customers\" width=\"658\" height=\"226\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>How to deal with them:<\/b> Redirect the conversation wherever you have a chance to speak up (think: \u201cIs that all I can help you with today?\u201d) and use close-ended questions. Be polite but firm.<\/p>\n<h3>6. Know-it-all customers<\/h3>\n<p>Condescending customers who think they can do your job better than yourself might be the most frustrating of all. The good news? Dealing with them is fairly straightforward with the right attitude and mindset.<\/p>\n<p><b>How to deal with them:<\/b> Honestly, these are the situations where you just have to grin and bear it. Let them know when they\u2019re right and thank them for being a customer. Don\u2019t be snarky or kill \u2018em with kindness, but focus on the reason for their call and ignore condescending remarks.<br \/>\n<a name=\"17 tips for dealing with these difficult customers\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>17 tips for dealing with difficult customers<\/h2>\n<p>Now, let\u2019s talk about some strategies that apply to just about every interaction with a difficult customer.<\/p>\n<p>Here are 17(!) specific tips and principles to stick to no matter which type of customer you\u2019re dealing with.<\/p>\n<h3>1. Practice empathy by putting yourself in your customers\u2019 shoes<\/h3>\n<p>Perhaps one of the best ways to deal with a difficult customer is to put yourself in their shoes.<\/p>\n<p>Nobody <i>wants<\/i> to hop on a service call. You likewise don\u2019t know what\u2019s going on in their personal lives that could be upsetting them.<\/p>\n<p>What if you were frustrated with a company and then got stuck on a seemingly hopeless call yourself?<\/p>\n<p>Not fun.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s important to immediately signal to your customer that you\u2019re going to hear them out and help them. The sooner you show empathy and your customer realizes that you aren\u2019t just going to brush them off, the better.<\/p>\n<p>Reassurance is a great way to turn difficult customers into satisfied ones. There\u2019s a reason why empathy is one of the top <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-service-skills\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer service skills<\/a> for agents to master.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some examples of empathetic statements that can help reassure customers and make them feel heard:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cYou\u2019re definitely right to get in touch. Let\u2019s see what we can do\u2026\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cI understand where you\u2019re coming from and I can definitely help\u2026\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cLet me make sure I\u2019m understanding you so we can get to the bottom of this\u2026\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>2. Offer to walk them through the problem yourself<\/h3>\n<p>Piggybacking on the last tip, getting hands-on with your difficult customers allows you to avoid awkward conversations that go nowhere. If they\u2019re at the point where they\u2019re frustrated and just want to give up, they\u2019ll be glad to let you take the reins.<\/p>\n<p>With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/screen-sharing-software\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">screen sharing software<\/a> (or you might have screen sharing built into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/best-video-conferencing-for-small-businesses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">video conferencing software<\/a> like RingCentral), you can have screen-sharing sessions to provide a super-customized level of support and walk customers through their technical issues step by step.<\/p>\n<p>This speeds up the problem-solving process and shows that you\u2019re <i>really <\/i>willing to go the extra mile on their behalf:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/video\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7038 size-large\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image2-173-1024x656.png\" alt=\"RingCentral online conference and video meetings\" width=\"840\" height=\"538\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>3. When in doubt, let them vent<\/h3>\n<p>Patience is a virtue in customer service.<\/p>\n<p>Especially in situations where someone is clearly letting off steam, sometimes it\u2019s best just to let it happen. Doing so might actually make them realize they\u2019re being unreasonable once they hear themselves out loud.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s all a matter of perspective. If just listening to someone vent for 30 seconds means getting down to business faster and retaining that customer for the long-haul, it\u2019s probably worth it. Right?<\/p>\n<h3>4. Use customer names and \u201cyou\u201d to create a connection<\/h3>\n<p>To quote Dale Carnegie\u2019s <i>How to Win Friends and Influence People<\/i>: \u201cA person&#8217;s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The same logic applies to difficult customers. Mentioning customers by name and frequently emphasizing \u201cyou\u201d (rather than yourself or your company) ensures that your customer feels attended to and you are actively working to solve their problem.<\/p>\n<p>This strategy is a subtle way to show someone you\u2019re paying attention to them on a personal level. Here are some examples:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cAlright <b>[customer name]<\/b>, let me take care of this for <b>you<\/b>.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cThanks for your patience <b>[customer name]<\/b>, I\u2019m looking at <b>your<\/b> account right now\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201c<b>You\u2019re<\/b> absolutely right, <b>[customer name]<\/b>. I\u2019d be glad to make that change for <b>you<\/b>.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>5. Never argue back<\/h3>\n<p>Debates are fine for politicians and lawyers, but not so much for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-support\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer support<\/a> agents.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re not saying the customer is necessarily always right, either. However, the likelihood that you\u2019re going to magically change an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/how-to-deal-with-angry-customers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">angry customer\u2019s<\/a> mind through an argument is slim to none.<\/p>\n<p>So much of figuring out how to deal with irate customers is a combination of keeping calm and reframing the conversation so your customer feels like they\u2019re being taken care of. Telling someone they\u2019re wrong is the exact opposite of that.<\/p>\n<h3>6. Don\u2019t be afraid to say \u201cno\u201d (but do so without actually saying \u201cno\u201d)<\/h3>\n<p>Sometimes you have to say \u201cno,\u201d but some agents might be convinced that they can\u2019t actually say it to customers.<\/p>\n<p>There are ways to say \u201cno\u201d without shutting someone down. Rather than focus on what you can\u2019t do for your customers, try to move the conversation toward an alternative resolution. For example:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cLet me tell you what: here\u2019s what we <i>can<\/i> do\u2026\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cWe don\u2019t offer that at this time, but there are a few alternative options I can recommend\u2026\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cI appreciate your question and totally understand, but here\u2019s why we don\u2019t\u2026\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>7. Approach all of your calls with a positive attitude (even the bad ones)<\/h3>\n<p>This might sound cliche, but a positive attitude can transform your approach to dealing with customers.<\/p>\n<p>Consider that 68% of customers<sup>1<\/sup> say politeness is the key to what they perceive as \u201cgood\u201d service.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t go into a call assuming that it\u2019s going to be a disaster. Instead, assume that you\u2019re equipped to help and will ultimately resolve their issue by the time they hang up.<\/p>\n<p>Fear and doubt are the worst enemies of an agent. By adopting a positive mindset, you might be surprised at how much more smoothly your calls go.<\/p>\n<h3>8. Legitimately listen to what your customers are saying<\/h3>\n<p>Practice active listening. It\u2019s the practice of listening to customers to the point where you can read between the lines and restate their problems back to them in your own words. This is a more meaningful alternative to statements such as \u201cI understand\u201d or \u201cI see.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Not only does doing this make sure that you\u2019re actually paying attention to what your customers are saying, but it also facilitates <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-collaboration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer collaboration<\/a> where the two of you can zero in on a solution together.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s an example scenario:<\/p>\n<p><b>Customer:<\/b> <i>\u201cYou know, all of these outages started after I upgraded my freakin\u2019 plan. It\u2019s like I\u2019m paying more for worse service from you guys. It makes no sense.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n<p>The customer in this case is obviously upset about frequent outages. But when we read between the lines, we can also detect that they almost feel betrayed by the fact that their service has gotten worse despite paying more money. Totally understandable.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a response using active listening that makes the customer feel in the right and likewise restates their problem:<\/p>\n<p><b>You: <\/b><i>\u201cI totally hear you and I agree\u2014that doesn\u2019t sound right at all. Just so I\u2019m clear, this all started two months ago when you upgraded and never prior to that. Is that correct?\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n<h3>9. Don\u2019t lie<\/h3>\n<p>You might be tempted at times to say something, <i>anything<\/i>, to get an irate customer off the phone.<\/p>\n<p>The reality, though? Giving them false hope of a better deal or a service you don\u2019t actually offer is only going to end in disappointment\u2014and potentially even more anger down the road.<\/p>\n<p>Be realistic with your customers in terms of what you can and can\u2019t do for them. If their problem is ultimately out of your hands, so be it.<\/p>\n<h3>10. Move the conversation where it makes sense<\/h3>\n<p>Sometimes angry customers aren\u2019t necessarily the result of a service problem, but rather the format in which the conversation is happening.<\/p>\n<p>Some people absolutely loathe getting on the phone. On the flip side, other customers may be driven crazy by the pace of live chat or email versus a call.<\/p>\n<p>Ideally, you should let your customers choose their own customer support channels to get in touch with you. (This is where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/omnichannel-customer-service\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">omnichannel customer service<\/a> comes in handy.)<\/p>\n<h3>11. Be conscious of your nonverbal language<\/h3>\n<p>Sometimes it\u2019s what you don\u2019t say that matters the most.<\/p>\n<p>Mind how you act and react during a call through your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/body-language-video-call\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">nonverbal cues<\/a> and<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/body-language-video-call\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> body language<\/a>. This rings true even when you\u2019re trying to figure out how to deal with difficult customers on the phone.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019d probably lose your cool if an agent rolled their eyes or yawned at your problems, right? Beyond simply being aware of your nonverbal language, here are some specific tips:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Sit up straight, maintain eye contact, and don\u2019t cross your arms when speaking in-person.<\/li>\n<li>Try to avoid sighing or taking any deep breaths.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>12. Don\u2019t automatically dump difficult customers onto someone else<\/h3>\n<p>Customers hate being transferred during calls.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, it\u2019s one of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/customer-communications-trends-report.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">most annoying things for consumers<\/a> when dealing with customer service:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/customer-communications-trends-report.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7039 size-medium\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image1-12.jpg\" alt=\"Graph: Which of these aspects of calling a company's customer service line would you find &quot;very annoying?&quot;\" width=\"695\" height=\"364\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Yes, dealing with bad customers can suck. That said, your colleagues probably have customers who are giving them headaches as well. It\u2019s not fair to them if you just dump your problems on them.<\/p>\n<p>Unless your customer explicitly asks to be transferred or speak to someone else, they\u2019re your responsibility.<\/p>\n<h3>13. Ask close-ended questions to move things along<\/h3>\n<p>To avoid wasting everyone\u2019s time with unnecessary back-and-forth or explanations or talking in circles, consider using close-ended questions during tense situations to get yourself from Point A to Point B. Here are some examples:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201c[After repeating the customer\u2019s problem back to them]&#8230;Is that correct?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cBased on your concerns, you want me to\u2026Is that right?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cIs that the only issue I could help you with today?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Open-ended questions are definitely ideal and more personal but sometimes can lead to tangents and opportunities for your customers\u2019 anger to build.<\/p>\n<h3>14. Break their problems into smaller pieces<\/h3>\n<p>Sometimes you have to play the role of Sherlock Holmes to help a difficult customer who isn\u2019t forthcoming with details.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt just doesn\u2019t work\u201d or \u201cI don\u2019t know\u201d are grating to hear over and over. Try to break big problems down into smaller pieces by asking close-ended questions (see above):<\/p>\n<p>For example:<\/p>\n<p><i>\u201cYou said that you never received your order. Is that correct?\u201d \u2192 \u201cIt looks like this was the third time you\u2019ve ordered with us. Did you have any issues with those deliveries?\u201d \u2192 \u201cCan you confirm your address for me?\u201d \u2192 It appears that your most recent order was marked for your previous address.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n<p>And so on.<\/p>\n<p>This creates a sort of trail of breadcrumbs that can lead you to a solution, all the while creating little \u201cvictories\u201d along the way as you talk to your customer.<\/p>\n<h3>15. Develop a thick skin<\/h3>\n<p>Simply put, you have to be able to mentally prepare yourself for difficult customers.<\/p>\n<p>The good news is that it gets easier over time. If it helps, think of every frustrated customer as a sort of learning experience for what you can do better during your next call.<\/p>\n<p>Remember: don\u2019t take comments from difficult customers personally. Just because someone\u2019s angry doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re actually angry at you.<\/p>\n<h3>16. Give yourself a cut-off point for truly unreasonable customers<\/h3>\n<p>There are points where difficult customers can cross the line from \u201cangry\u201d to \u201cunreasonable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Offensive, racist, or sexist remarks obviously shouldn\u2019t be tolerated. If you reach a point where a customer is harassing you over the phone, you reserve the right to drop them.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re concerned about such a call or don\u2019t know how to react, make sure to document the situation and speak to your higher-ups. Your company should have your back.<\/p>\n<h3>17. Avoid as much dead air as you can<\/h3>\n<p>The longer you\u2019re on the phone with an unruly customer without any sort of resolution, the tenser the situation becomes.<\/p>\n<p>As a result, try to avoid dead air and awkward silence. Instead of \u201cI don\u2019t know\u201d or \u201cHold on\u201d or \u201cHmm,\u201d actively let them know what you\u2019re working on (even if you repeat yourself).<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t worry if you don\u2019t excel at small talk or your customer isn\u2019t interested in it. As long as you remind them that you\u2019re on the job, you\u2019re good.<br \/>\n<a name=\"3 strategies for reducing the likelihood of encountering difficult customers in the future\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>3 strategies for reducing the likelihood of encountering difficult customers in the future<\/h2>\n<p>Keep in mind that many situations that result in difficult customers can actually be prevented outright.<\/p>\n<p>And so the more you can do to avoid these uncomfortable situations before they happen, the better.<\/p>\n<p>Below are three tactics to prioritize if you want to curb angry customers in the future.<\/p>\n<h3>1. Avoid keeping customers on hold<\/h3>\n<p>Be honest: when\u2019s the last time <i>you<\/i> jammed out to a company\u2019s hold music?<\/p>\n<p>(The answer is \u201cnever,\u201d right?)<\/p>\n<p>Note that 75% of customers<sup>2<\/sup> considered themselves \u201chighly annoyed\u201d when they can\u2019t get in touch with an agent within a reasonable amount of time.<\/p>\n<p>Simply by getting to your customers\u2019 calls faster, you can keep them from souring on you.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s where a platform like RingCentral can be a game-changer. From monitoring your hold times to assessing the performance of your agents, our platform helps you understand what you need to do to keep customers engaged.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/contact-center\/overview.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">our routing capabilities<\/a> allow you to move customers around to available agents ASAP.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7040\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image3-144.png\" alt=\"RingCentral contact center software\" width=\"817\" height=\"413\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>2. Make sure you\u2019re communicating on your customers\u2019 terms<\/h3>\n<p>Remember what we said earlier about customers having their preferences in terms of how they\u2019d like to communicate with you?<\/p>\n<p>Again, you should ideally be able to resolve your customers\u2019 concerns on multiple channels for the sake of <i>their<\/i> convenience, not yours. This not only makes you more accessible, but also gives your customers a sense of control and comfort when they reach out.<\/p>\n<p>Providing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/digital-customer-engagement.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">omnichannel support<\/a> with a platform like RingCentral makes getting in touch with your business way more streamlined. Imagine: all your Twitter DMs, Facebook messages, and Instagram messages in one place, ready for you to respond without toggling between different windows:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7041\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image8-66.png\" alt=\"RingCentral omnichannel support platform\" width=\"606\" height=\"522\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>3. Keep in touch with your customers beyond support queries<\/h3>\n<p>If the only time you talk with customers is when there\u2019s something wrong, those customers are subconsciously going to think poorly of your business.<\/p>\n<p>Improving relationships with your customers means having conversations that go beyond support calls. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-survey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Customer surveys<\/a>, check-in texts, and follow-up calls are all central to making sure that your customers are happy.<\/p>\n<p>The idea here isn\u2019t to spam people to death, but to encourage them to get in touch before their concerns ever snowball out of control.<\/p>\n<h2>How do you handle a difficult customer?<\/h2>\n<p>From angry and rude to entitled and irrational, you need to be prepared for just about anything when it comes to who\u2019s on the other end of the phone.<\/p>\n<p>Hopefully, you have a better idea of how to conquer even the most difficult of customers.<\/p>\n<p>Having the right strategies in the back of your mind (and tools like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">RingCentral<\/a>!) can be a game-changer in terms of making happy customers out of difficult ones.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<div style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\n<p><sup>1<\/sup> about.americanexpress.com\/press-release\/wellactually-americans-say-customer-service-better-ever<\/p>\n<p><sup>2<\/sup> icmi.com\/resources\/2017\/what-do-customers-really-think-about-long-wait-times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>No matter where you work, difficult customers come with the territory of doing business. And they often make their presence known when you\u2019re least expecting it. Loudly, too. We get it. Getting chewed out or dealing with a particularly demanding customer can be draining. Unfortunately for you, those unruly, high-stress customers aren\u2019t just going to &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1145,"featured_media":44651,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17901,4],"tags":[18158,743,18304,18305,18306],"class_list":["post-42506","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-leadership","category-customer-experience","tag-angry-customers","tag-customer-experience","tag-difficult-customers","tag-how-to-deal-with-difficult-customers","tag-how-to-manage-difficult-customers"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v19.3 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to deal with 6 common types of difficult customers | RingCentral Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Don&#039;t know how to deal with difficult customers? 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Additionally, he has extensive telecom experience with Nortel Networks, Ericsson, and GENBAND (now Ribbon Communications), serving in various roles in Technical Documentation, Program Management, and New Product Introduction.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/andy-watson-2a40a011"],"url":"\/us\/en\/blog\/author\/andy-watson\/"}]}},"rc_img_url":"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Untitled-design-13-1.png","rcblog_by_author":"<a href=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/author\/andy-watson\/amp\" data-dl-events-click=\"true\" data-dl-element=\"link\"><span class=\"image\"><img src=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ff71aa8cbe776f98972ac611517c4f6a0c2bde0a97ea2685717ee13fd2dc6838?s=96&d=mm&r=g\" alt=\"\" width=\"30\" height=\"30\" layout=\"fixed\"><\/img><\/span><span class=\"by-author-name\">Andy Watson<\/span><\/a>","rc_author_full_name":"Andy Watson","rc_author_avatar":"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Andy-Watson-1-1.jpg","rc_author_link":"\/us\/en\/blog\/author\/andy-watson\/amp","rc_post_categories":"<a href=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/category\/trending\/business-leadership\/amp\">Business &amp; leadership<\/a><a href=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/category\/trending\/customer-experience\/amp\">, Customer &amp; employee experience<\/a>","amp_link":"\/us\/en\/blog\/how-to-deal-with-difficult-customers\/amp","excerpt_title":"How to deal with 6 common types of difficult customers","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42506","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1145"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42506"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42506\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44651"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42506"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42506"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42506"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}