by Kris Koments

Created on: August 25, 2009   Last Updated: September 15, 2009

The wisdom to understand that not every day is a good day for the customer can give you the knowledge and clarity on how to best approach any situation that involves a rude, unhappy customer, or rather, a dissatisfied customer.

The all-too-familiar motto 'the customer is always right' is not always right. However, the meaning behind that statement is made clear when approaching the customer with the willingness to help them in any way possible.

Dealing with a rude customer is taxing, but with a few deep breaths and the right attitude, the most irate of customers can be subdued. There is not always a resolution to every dissatisfied customers problem; nevertheless, you must deal with every instance as if it can be resolved.

*Listen to your customer

This should be the first step you take. Forget the rules and policies for a moment and honestly listen to the consumer's complaint. Not every day is a good day. (We all have our ups and downs.) Remembering this will help you to be empathetic with your rude customers complaint/problem and possibly help to ease unwanted tension.

* "What can ( I ) do to make it better?"

Asking this question or a number of others that focuses on the problem, while at the same time offering your customer a chance for their vital input, can quickly turn frustration into honest problem solving.

*Engage the customer

Respecting others and their opinions (whether we agree or not,) is an asset that some are born with but is a skilled technique which some (me,) refer to as diplomacy. Granted, oft times we don't have the luxury of chatting with our customers for hours, but learning ways to tame an angry beast can greatly reduce the time it will take to convert them in to satisfied, happy costumers.

*Never show bias

We need to remain objective at all times. If the customer has a complaint about one of the employees; listen. Offer appropriate apologies for the employees behavior and ask for suggestions to resolve the misunderstanding.

*When the rude (unhappy) customer can't get satisfaction

Now and again, you might run in to a patron that is just not happy no matter how much you try to help them. This is the one that tries our patience and most likely everyone that comes in to contact with them is tried as well. Nothing we say or do can quite this irrational behavior that is directed at us.

If and when you come upon this type behavior/personality you will do good to remember it is nothing personal. Remain calm, let them have their say and move on. Don't let one grumpy, chronic complainer put a damper on the rest of your day.

*Be courteous, Stay focused and Smile

Doing this when all else fails will give you the peace of mind in knowing you did everything you could possibly do. Your patron can't fault your behavior and you will sleep easy at night.

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