Service Industry: How to Handle Angry Customers Part One

Ever came across this? “This is ridiculous! I can’t believe I’m actually paying for something like this!” Statements such as these are all too familiar by personnel who work in the front line. Angry customers are often difficult to deal with because of the spontaneous behavior which tends to be explosive in nature, and this causes a high amount of stress and tension onto personnel handling the situation.

Knowing that incidents like these are uncalled for and at most times, not related to the personnel bearing the brunt of it, it is good to identify the characteristics of these customers to further understand them.

Who are angry customers?

In most cases they are people who perceive a certain aspect of injustice upon them in a transaction process. However, they tend to be least concerned about genuine mistakes, as long as there is a recovery process (and it is not on their expense!).

How do angry customers behave?

These customers tend to project a behavior that reflects, as psychologist calls it: ‘transference’. Notable behavior during the lashing out process encapsulates:

• Stating a grieve injustice done upon them based on the staff’s attitude, behavior and work ethics. This is a behavior projected usually by a customer in a same working class level, and have probably been on the same receiving end of such a similar situation.
• Stating a grieve injustice done upon them despite paying so much for it. Usual case of businessman or high level execs that so often measure their success by financial wealth and have been through the same process.
• Stating a grieve injustice done upon them and being rude and temperamental about it. This is sometimes a behavior shown by younger clients who may intend to project a more rebellious attitude against authority stemming from a probable strained relationship or the need to be heard.