WORKING WITH

ANGRY CUSTOMERS
   

Facilitator’s Guide

Customer Service
Training Guide

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS
Target Audience: Experienced Customer Account Specialists in the
Water Bureau‟s Service Center and Call Center

Length: Two hours

Recommended Class Size: Up to 20 per class

Training Materials:

 Participant handouts
a) Learning Objectives Difference
b) What Makes People Angry f) Strategies for the Call
c) Step-by-Step Approach for Center and Service Center
De-Escalating Anger g) Case Problems
d) Things that Can Make h) Your Success Story
Matters Worse i) Summary Card
e) Methods that Make a Huge j) Course Feedback
 Flipchart (Things that Really Help)
 Post-It pads

 Attendance sheet

Learning Objectives: After completing this training module, Customer

Account Specialists will be able to…

1. Recognize situations that can cause frustration for customers, and seek
ways to minimize the issues.
2. Avoid using words and behaviors that contribute to stressful situations.
3. Use techniques to help defuse emotions, and take control of the
customer interaction in order to achieve a positive outcome.
4. Recognize how our own beliefs and expectations can add stress to
working with upset or angry customers.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 2 of 31

Course Outline:
I. Introduction
a. Opening
b. How angry customer
situations can make you
feel
c. How most people respond
d. What happens if dealt with
effectively
e. “Working with” vs.
“handling”
f. What we‟ll cover today
g. Flipchart: “Things that
Really Help”
II. What Makes Customers Angry
a. Our own experience as
customers
b. What makes people angry
(general)
c. Specific things that may
upset Water Bureau
customers
III. A Step-by-Step Process for
De-Escalating Anger
a. Four positive steps
b. Overall benefit
IV. Things that Can Make Matters
Worse
a. Not listening
b. Excuses
c. Defensiveness
d. Quoting policy
e. Jargon, abbreviations
f. Words to avoid
g. Rudeness and sarcasm
V. Methods that Make a Huge
Difference
a. Apologize
b. Soothe
c. Listen
d. Assure you can help
WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS
e. Set stage for taking control
f. Two tips for taking control
g. How to give bad news
h. Flipchart: “Things that
Really Help”
VI. Specific Situations You May
Encounter
a. First, some good news!
b. Threats
c. Insults, yelling, swearing
d. When to get help
e. About hanging up
VII. Call Center and Service
Center-Specific Issues
a. Strategies for the Call
Center and Service Center
b. Service Center
c. Call Center
VIII. Case Problems
a. Assign problems
b. Read out
IX. Noting the Customer Record
a. What to include in Memo
b. What NOT to include
X. Stress Management Tips and
Techniques
a. Our own expectations
b. Stress management
techniques
XI. Success Stories
a. Your best story
b. Lessons
XII. Conclusion
a. Recovery
b. Future interactions
c. Review flipchart
d. Summary cards
e. Closing
October 2008, Page 3 of 31
INTRODUCTION

Opening Welcome & introductions.

In July 2008, we attended “Managing Difficult Customers.”

Discussed several types of difficult customers—

 Psychologically Challenged
 Chemically Impaired
 Upset for a Reason
 Angry at the World

Today we‟ll drill deeper into how to work with upset and
angry customers.

In some ways, both are similar: Can be emotional,

irate.

In some ways, different: “Upset for a Reason,” by

definition, has a reason, which we can work to
identify and resolve.

Both upset and angry customers can be hard to work with,

because have the potential to upset you, impact your own
emotions, ruin your day.

MDC course made some valid recommendations about

what needs to happen in an irate customer situation:
“Defuse, take control, don‟t escalate with the customer.”

All of these recommendations are correct. But how do

you do these things? What techniques work and what
makes matters worse?

In this course you‟ll learn some tools and skills that will
help you, in many cases, to work more effectively with
irate customers.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 4 of 31

How angry Working with an upset or angry customer can be one of
customer the hardest, most stressful parts of your job. Since we
situations can provide water services for all citizens of the city, we‟re
make you feel exposed to a wide variety of people and personalities.
While we‟re required to be professional and courteous,
some customers‟ behavior can be downright hostile and
abusive.

In your experience, when you‟ve had these kinds of

interactions, how has it made you feel?

 Upset; stressed for a few minutes, hours, or longer

 Wiped out, exhausted
 Physical signs may be faster breathing, tense feeling
in stomach
 Feel a lack of control
 Takes the fun out of the job
 Feel a loss of confidence in your ability to do your job
 In extreme cases: may feel disgusted, dread coming
into work the next day. In some organizations, leads
to increased absenteeism and turnover.

How most people Common (negative) reactions of service providers:

respond
 Getting angry back: Raising voice, interrupting,
speaking disrespectfully.
 Feeling intimidated: Overly apologetic, letting
customer take over the interaction.
 Escaping: Trying to end (or refer) the conversation as
fast as possible to make the customer go away.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 5 of 31

What happens if If we work with the customer effectively, lots of benefits:
dealt with
effectively For Customer: Can decrease or eliminate anger. Feels
like you‟re listening to them. Increased customer
satisfaction. Less likely to follow through on threats to
notify media or mayor or commissioner‟s office. Less
likely to tell their friends and family about their negative
experience (negative stories often get exaggerated).

For Water Bureau: Increases customer goodwill. Likely

to have positive interactions with that customer in the
future. Avoids lawsuits and bad publicity. Improves
morale among customer service team. Can help retain
good customer service reps.

For You: Less stress. Feel good, feel confident. More

job satisfaction. Feel like you can help others. You
become more valuable to the Water Bureau.

“Working with” We named this course “Working with Angry Customers”

vs. “handling” instead of handling angry customers. What is the
difference?

(Handling implies we‟re trying to dominate. Sounds like

we consider the customer a nuisance that has to be dealt
with. What we want to do is work together, and work as
partners to solve issues or concerns together.)

What we’ll cover Bad News: Working with angry customers is almost
today always difficult, and there are no simple answers, no
recipe or formula you can follow in every case. Have to
read situations and use judgment to decide how to
respond.

Good News: There are some skills and techniques,

which we can learn and use, that will help in 90% of
situations.

Will also learn some things about ourselves—how we

react, how our own expectations can set ourselves up for
disappointment—and some methods for managing
stressful situations.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 6 of 31

Flipchart: “Things You probably have some good techniques that help you
that Really Help” when you work with an angry customer. We have a
flipchart for those techniques that help you the most.

If you hear a technique today that you really like, or if you

have a favorite technique that we didn‟t discuss in class,
write it on a Post-It note and post it on the flipchart.

We‟ll save time at the end of class to go over your favorite

techniques.

WHAT MAKES CUSTOMERS ANGRY

Our own One of the best ways to deal with angry customer
experience as situations is before they happen—
customers
Think about how you feel when you’re a customer and
something has upset or frustrated you. Maybe a long line,
rude waiter or apathetic salesperson.

If you can remember how you felt in those situations, you

can relate to the feelings our customers might have.
It‟s not excusable for a customer to harass you, but it
helps to realize that they‟re human. And humans can
have bad days and can be on their worst behavior.

What makes Lots of things can make a customer angry. Most of the
people angry time, the customer will be pretty vocal about letting you
(general) know what‟s upsetting them. We need to pay attention
and respond based on what is upsetting them.

What would you do to help manage, in each of the

following situations?

[Refer to handout. Have participants work in groups of

four. Assign each group one of the situations. Have
groups read out how they would handle the situation.

The following table shows both the situations and some

recommended methods.]

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 7 of 31

 1. Customer is  Show empathy, listen.
having personal  Show appreciation that customer
problems or just came in (or called).
having a bad day.  Be positive and indicate that you
can help.
2. Customer is  Indicate you‟re glad customer has
frustrated by a brought the matter to your
lack of attention.
information; they  Provide clear, concise
don‟t understand explanations.
something or
think we‟re trying
to take advantage
of them.
3. Customer has  Apologize, go out of your way to
gotten “the be helpful.
runaround” or  Be sure to be honest about what
has gotten you can (or cannot) do for the
conflicting stories. customer.
 Provide clear explanations.
 Check facts to make sure your
information is accurate.
4. Customer  Apologize, and make sure any
perceives we follow up actions are arranged
didn’t do what correctly, so that we keep the
we said we would commitments we make to the
do. customer.
5. Customer is in  Apologize, briefly explain how
a rush and long transaction will take.
system is running  Assure customer you realize
slow. Might be on they‟re pressed for time and that
lunch hour or you‟ll help as quickly as you can.
parked at a meter  Keep explanations brief.
that‟s about to  Focus on business; don‟t chitchat
expire. with customer or other people.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 8 of 31

Specific things that Certain events are upsetting by definition and have the
may upset Water potential to make a customer angry. Some things that
Bureau customers can happen:

 Customer receives Final Notice card

 Water is shut off
 Customer perceives there is an error on bill
 Perceives bill as too high
 Payment not posted, or posted as wrong amount
 Cannot pay (embarrassment, frustration and worry
can convert into anger)
 Customer is denied opportunity to make another
payment arrangement
 Customer‟s car was towed for covering meter
 Other situations you‟ve experienced?

What do all of these situations have in common?

What does the customer want?

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 9 of 31

A STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS FOR DE-ESCALATING ANGER

Four positive steps [Review the following, and have participants complete the
“Benefits” column of their handout, “Step-by-Step Process
for De-Escalating Anger.”]

STEP 1: Let the customer vent. Listen and encourage

them to talk without interrupting. Use words like “I see,”
or “Go ahead.” Don‟t try to cut them off. (Benefit: Begins
the rapport, shows that you respect the customer. Later
on, we‟ll talk about some techniques that will help you
steer the conversation so that the venting won‟t go on
forever.)

STEP 2: When the customer pauses (you‟ll hear a break

or a change in tone), recap and ask for confirmation:

“As I understand it, your concern is XYZ, is that

correct?” (Benefit: Shows customer you listened and
that you understand the issue. Gives customer
chance to clarify.)

STEP 3: Ask if there is anything else they wanted to

add. (Benefit: Shows you‟re not rushing them. Enables
you to get more information. Positions you as the one
controlling the interaction.)

STEP 4: Begin to problem solve together with the

customer. (Benefit: Mutual striving to solve the problem;
not adversarial.)

Overall benefit It‟s natural to want to rush through a transaction with an

irate customer so you can get it over with.

Using this four-step process may take extra time. But it

will enable you to help the customer better, because…

 You‟ve bought time to think about causes of problems

and possible solutions.
 You now thoroughly understand the situation and the
customer‟s viewpoint.
 The customer is more inclined to work with you as a
partner to solve the problem.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 10 of 31

THINGS THAT CAN MAKE MATTERS WORSE

Not listening Think about how you feel when you‟re telling someone
about a problem and they seem to be not listening. They
interrupt, they look bored, you get the impression they‟re
paying attention to something else.

Even a polite customer can be pushed into anger when

they feel they‟re not being heard. Makes them feel
disrespected. Makes them think we won’t help them.

We may have a good reason to not listen. May have

already heard about the same problem from several other
customers today. So we try to save time and aggravation
by “gently” pushing the customer to get to the point.

But this customer may have some new, additional facts.

If we cut them off, may miss some relevant information.
And we‟ll make the customer mad!

Listening will make the customer feel valued and help

you get all the information you need. Good listening
includes:

 Not interrupting.
 Encouraging person to continue by saying things like
“I see” and “Yes.” (And in Service Center: nodding
and making eye contact.)
 Paraphrasing what the customer said so they can
confirm your understanding.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 11 of 31

Excuses Suppose a customer calls about an error on a bill.
Let‟s say the customer is right; it is an error. You know
why the error occurred, and you want to explain the
reason to the customer.

But to the customer, it sounds like we‟re making excuses.

Customers perceive that as us saying we‟re not going to
help.

A better technique is to get right to problem solving.

Use action-oriented words that suggest you‟re going to
help. For example,

“Let me see what I can do to help you…” or

“May I have the address so I can look at the
account?”

Defensiveness It‟s natural to try to explain why you think we‟re right and
the customer is wrong—especially when you‟re sure you
are right!

Unfortunately, even if you‟re right, the customer perceives

it as being argumentative on your part. In most cases,
defending doesn‟t help solve the problem, and it doesn‟t
help set the stage for partnering. It comes across as
stubborn or confrontational.

Important to continue using a calm tone of voice (not

condescending) when you explain things, so you won‟t
come across as defensive.

Easier said than done when someone is yelling at you?

A good technique to try:

Take a deep breath. Exhale quietly through

your mouth.

Will give you a moment to regain your composure, think

about what you want to say, and focus on something
(breathing) other than the fact that you feel attacked.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 12 of 31

Quoting policy Toward the beginning of the customer interaction, avoid
words like “policy” or “regulations.” Don‟t read the
customer city codes, laws or practices. It can make
customer think we‟re trying to hide behind bureaucratic
rules, rather than seeking to work together to resolve a
problem.

Keep in mind that less information can be better. Keep

your explanation brief, then get right to actions and
problem solving.

A tip for making your interactions more positive:

When you need to refer to a policy or business practice,
avoid using the words “they” and “their” to refer to
the city or Water Bureau. Using those words sounds
like you are separate from the city/bureau. It implies you
disagree with the policy.

A better way to refer to the city/bureau is “we.” Words like

“we” and “our” sound more positive, more unified.
Sounds like you consider yourself part of the team.

What would be a more positive way to say the following

when making payment arrangements with a customer?

“They’re going to cut your water off if you don’t pay

them $120 by Tuesday.”

(“We‟ll be able to keep your water on if you‟ll make a

payment of $120 by Tuesday.”)

Jargon, A related problem is using technical terms and

abbreviations acronyms when explaining something to the customer.
We know what the words mean, but the customer gets
confused, and confusion can turn into anger.

What are some of the terms we use that would be

unfamiliar to most customers? (One example: LINC)

What might we say instead when we talk to a customer?

(Instead of LINC, financial assistance program)

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 13 of 31

Words to avoid Try to avoid using negative, emotionally charged words.
Certain words can cause a negative reaction. They may
sound accusatory and confrontational.

Example of emotionally charged words:

“You claimed you would pay the bill in full by
September 1, yet you failed to pay anything.”

What might you say instead?

(“Our records show you indicated you‟d pay the bill by
September 1. Unfortunately, as of today, we have not
received a payment.”)

Rudeness and Even if the customer is rude or sarcastic, it‟s never

sarcasm helpful, or permissible, to be condescending and
sarcastic. It may seem tempting—and even natural—
to respond the same way. But it‟s part of being a
professional to stay calm and courteous.

Begin all interactions in a positive way by addressing the

customer with respect: Use Mr. or Ms. together with their
last name, unless they‟ve asked you to call them by their
first name.

Never use words that can be taken as offensive; for

example, don‟t call a customer “Sweetie” or “Hon.”

In addition, try to listen to your own tone of voice to

make sure you‟re not escalating with an angry customer.
It can be hard to know how you come across.
Two techniques to try:

1. Ask to listen to one of your recorded calls where a

customer was being especially challenging. Now that
you‟re listening to the call as an observer, you might
hear something in your voice that you want to work on.

2. Ask a coworker or lead or supervisor for their honest

impression of how your voice sounded during a
challenging interaction. Try to learn from the
experience.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 14 of 31

METHODS THAT MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE

Apologize During the initial part of the interaction, apologize for the
situation. The words should be simple. For example…

“My apologies for your inconvenience,” or

“I‟m sorry you had to take the time to come in

(or call).”

When apologizing, sincere tone of voice is essential.

What you don’t have to do:

 You don‟t have to agree with the customer

(for example: “Yes I agree, it is a dumb policy”).
 You don‟t have to take the blame or say we are wrong.
 You don‟t have to break a policy and give in to
everything the customer asks for.

An apology is usually important to the customer. It shows

the customer that you respect their feelings.

The customer may not be expecting an apology.

So apologizing right up front can help turn a potentially
unpleasant transaction into a positive one.

Soothe Important to convey empathy. Empathy doesn‟t mean

pity. It doesn‟t mean agreeing with the customer or being
disloyal to the Water Bureau. It means showing you
recognize and acknowledge the customer’s feelings.

To help yourself empathize, picture yourself as a

customer when you‟ve been angry or upset in a store or
restaurant or on the phone.

It usually helps to tell the customer you understand that

they feel frustrated. For example, if you say:

“I understand how frustrating this can be.” You might

even say, “I would be frustrated too.”

This acknowledges that you recognize the customer‟s

feelings, and that you‟re not trying to argue with them.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 15 of 31

Listen Before you can start to solve the problem, you need to
understand the problem.

Those of you who like books about personal growth are

probably familiar with Stephen Covey‟s Seven Habits of
Highly Effective People. One of the seven habits is:

“Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”

In other words, don‟t start making your point until you‟ve

really listened, heard and understood the customer‟s point
of view. Because you‟ll probably learn some things that
are relevant and that will influence your response.

So let the customer know you want to listen and

understand. This will help you gain their cooperation, plus
you‟ll gain control of the visit (or call).

Assure you can Assure customer you can help (if you can). Accept the
help responsibility, and let them know they came to—
or called—the right place.

Set stage for taking Tell customer:

control
“I‟m glad you called to let us know about the situation, and
for giving me the chance to help.”

This has at least three benefits:

 It‟s positive (something the customer may not have

expected).
 It establishes that you want to help.
 It indicates that you will be in charge of the next
steps in resolving the problem.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 16 of 31

Two tips for taking 1. It‟s reasonable and helpful to let the customer vent.
control But if customer is repeating himself/herself, or bringing
up problems unrelated to Water Bureau, you can take
control of the conversation by asking:

“Is there anything else I can do for you?”

Why is this question helpful?

(Brings customer back to reality, helps them focus on
the key things they want, indicates you are willing and
ready to help.)

2. Another technique to take control: Ask closed-ended

questions. Closed-ended questions will:

 Help you direct and focus the discussion. Puts you

in charge instead of letting the customer repeat
or ramble.
 Help you find out facts/information you need.
 Help you determine what the customer wants.

What is an example of a closed-ended question you

might use with a customer?
(“Are you receiving your bills at that address?”)

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 17 of 31

How to give a Sometimes you have to tell a customer something they
customer bad don‟t want to hear.
news
Two methods to give bad news that can keep the
conversation positive:

1. Instead of saying what you can’t do, say what you

can do. Tell the customer what is within your scope
of authority.

For example, customer has not paid, and came in

today because they received a Final Notice Card:

“Yes, I see that your water is scheduled to be turned

off on Tuesday. Here‟s what I can do… (Explain
options for payment arrangements and assistance
programs).”

Makes the customer feel you are working with them

and trying to help.

2. When you have to give bad news, ease it by

making some positive statements. For example,
if a customer believes their bill is incorrect because it‟s
higher than usual:

“I appreciate your concern. I‟m looking at your

account and I see you use Budget Billing. I see this is
the month that your billing „trues up,‟ which means
(explain). So the amount on the bill is correct. But I‟m
glad you brought it to my attention so I could have a
chance to clarify.”

Words like appreciate, glad and clarify are positive and

help keep the situation positive. (As opposed to
saying “Let me see what‟s wrong,” or “I see the
problem” or “You misunderstood.”)

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 18 of 31

Flipchart: “Things Remind participants to write their best techniques or
that Really Help” advice on Post-It notes. Have them add their initials and
post on flipchart. Will discuss toward the end of this class.

If can‟t think of a technique, ask yourself:

 When you’ve been angry with a store or other

business, what did the salesperson or customer
service person do that helped make you feel better?
 Or, what did a customer service person do that made
you more satisfied with the interaction and earned your
future business?

SPECIFIC SITUATIONS YOU MAY ENCOUNTER

First, some good Angry customer situations will not happen often! Call
news! Center reps may get a couple a week, per Carrie.
In Service Center, even less—maybe one difficult
interaction a month, per Corbett.

Threats If the customer says they want to speak to the Mayor or

Water Bureau Commissioner, or threatens to contact a TV
station or send a letter to the editor of The Oregonian,
don‟t panic. It‟s not unusual for a customer to question a
policy or a rate increase. Customers have the right to talk
to the Mayor‟s office or Commissioner‟s office about
policies, codes or rates.

If a customer threatens to call the media or the Mayor or

Commissioner, use your best problem solving skills to try
to assist the customer. If that doesn‟t suffice, involve a
lead or supervisor.

What we don’t want to happen is for a customer to

contact the media or the Mayor/Commissioner because
they got poor service.

Be sure to document what you covered with the customer

in the account Memo.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 19 of 31

Insults, yelling, True or False:
swearing If you work in a customer service job, you‟re required to
periodically put up with abusive language or swearing.

False. Giving good customer service does not mean

having to be a door mat.

When someone is yelling at you, it‟s human nature to take

it personally and yell back or respond sarcastically.
It may be temping to say,

“Would you shut up! What is your problem??” or

“Do you mind if I get a word in edgewise?” or
“You need to calm down and listen!”

More likely that the person is angry at a situation or at the

City than at you personally. Direct the conversation by
telling the customer you want to help them if they would
calm down. Here are two options that work well:

“I understand you are frustrated. I‟d like to help

you resolve this issue. To do that, we need to be
able to have a calm conversation together.”

Or,

“I‟d certainly like to help you, but the profanity is

making it impossible. Would you like me to give
you a few minutes to gather your thoughts?
Or if you like, I‟d be glad to call you back.”

What advantages would these statements have?

(Acknowledges their feelings. Gives person a chance to
realize what they‟re doing and calm down.
Allows them to save face because you‟re not screaming
back. Sounds like you sincerely want to help.)

Above all: Don‟t let yourself be confrontational to match

the customer; it makes the customer more argumentative
and more agitated. If you stay professional, calm and
composed, they will calm down.

As Corbett White has said, “It‟s hard to have an argument

by yourself.”

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 20 of 31

When to get help Handle the interaction yourself if possible. Benefits:

 Customer doesn‟t get passed around and have to tell

their story again.
 Customer realizes you are empowered to help. Next
time they have a problem, they don‟t immediately ask
for a supervisor.

If you feel the situation is extreme, or if you get to the

point where you can’t help the customer, you can ask
for help from a lead or supervisor—they are here to
support you.

Before you decide to get help, make sure you‟ve done

everything within your power to work with the customer.
Use good judgment to decide if you need to get help.

If you ever feel Incidents when you might be in danger will be extremely
you’re in danger rare. Nonetheless, if you work in the Service Center, it‟s
important to know what to do in case you should ever feel
threatened.

Since our office is open, if volume starts to raise, your

lead will realize that emotions are starting to escalate and
will step in to assist. If your lead isn‟t nearby, you should
call the lead over and ask for assistance. The lead will
probably ask the customer to step over to the third station
and handle the transaction from there.

Your lead and your manager have remote controls they

can use to summon Security. Security will ask the person
to leave the premises, although they cannot force them.

If you should ever feel that a situation is physically

dangerous to you, or you perceive that the person is
attempting a robbery, there is a Police buzzer under the
cashier station.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 21 of 31

About Some people have been taught that you can never hang
hanging up up on a customer. But remember, you are not paid to
take abuse. You‟re paid to use your best skills and
judgment to solve problems.

If you‟ve done everything you can and the customer is still

screaming, cursing, or insulting you, don‟t just hang up on
them. First issue a warning:

“I really do want to assist you, however, I‟m

unable to do so if you continue to use profanity (or
shout at me).”

If the customer continues the behavior, say, “I am sorry,

I am terminating this call now,” and hang up. Immediately
tell your supervisor about the call and the reason you
hung up. Make a note in the account Memo.

If the customer calls back, they‟ll know we‟re serious

about how we are willing to interact with them. That
should minimize the likelihood of them continuing the
abuse—with you or with other service reps.

Service Center: You can‟t hang up, but what technique

could you use in such an interaction?

(Similarly, state you will not continue this discussion if

they continue to use profanity. Use words we reviewed
earlier:

“I‟d like to be able to help you, but the profanity is making

it impossible. Would you like a few minutes to gather your
thoughts?”)

If the situation is still extreme, get support from your lead

or supervisor.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 22 of 31

CALL CENTER AND SERVICE CENTER-SPECIFIC ISSUES

Strategies for the Most of the skills and techniques for working with angry
Call Center and customers apply equally to the Service Center and Call
Service Center Center. But there are some differences in physical
circumstances and in how we can respond.

[Refer participants to worksheet titled “Strategies for the

Call Center and Service Center.” As we go through the
next sections, have them fill out the column titled
“Implications for Working with Angry or Upset
Customers.”]

Service Center WHAT’S UNIQUE

IMPLICATIONS FOR WORKING WITH
ABOUT WORKING IN
ANGRY OR UPSET CUSTOMERS
THE SERVICE CENTER

Customer took the

Since any customer who comes
time/trouble/expense
into the Service Center has made
to come in, so they
an effort to be there, important to
may feel more
provide accurate, timely and
entitled to get desired
productive service.
outcome.
 Use the chance to start
positive, with a friendly
greeting, smile and eye
contact. If you‟re assisting
another customer,
acknowledge the new
Since we‟re face to
customer with a glance,
face, we have the
eye contact and smile.
ability to use our
 Nodding and making eye
body language and
contact shows that you‟re
facial expression to
listening to the customer.
communicate.
 Avoid negative body
language. (For example,
crossing arms suggests you‟re
angry or displeased. Looking
away = disinterested. Looking
at watch = impatient).
We can observe if the customer
We can read the
looks stressed, frustrated,
customer’s body
confused, embarrassed, etc. and
language.
respond accordingly.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 23 of 31

 Explain that the behavior is
Can‟t “hang up” if making it impossible to help them,
customer is abusive. and ask them to stop the profanity
or shouting.
Customer may
demand to see Use techniques we just discussed
Mayor or regarding threats.
Commissioner.
Should call for assistance from
If customer is
lead, as discussed previously.
extremely agitated, it
May need to contact Security or
can feel frightening
Police or Advanced Solutions
for us.
Team if appropriate.
Other unique factors:
_______________ [Have participants add other
_______________ factors, and review with group.]

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 24 of 31

Call Center WHAT’S UNIQUE
IMPLICATIONS FOR WORKING WITH
ABOUT WORKING IN
ANGRY OR UPSET CUSTOMERS
THE CALL CENTER

Sometimes customers who are

Customer feels
having a terrible day take it out on
they‟re invisible, so
us. Try not to take it personally.
can be on worst
If they say words like “You are
behavior. Customers
incompetent, you need to get your
are more likely to yell
act together,” remember they
or use abusive
don‟t mean you, they mean the
language by phone
City or the Water Bureau. Use the
than when face to
skills you‟ve learned to improve
face.
the situation to the extent you can.
All you can go by are the
customer‟s words—what they say
There is no way for
and how they say it. To be sure
you to read the
you understand the customer‟s
customer‟s body
issue, ask questions to clarify.
language.
Paraphrase to make sure you
understand.
Use your tone of voice to convey
concern, empathy or authority.

Keeping a calm tone of voice is

essential to keeping control.
Can‟t use your own What does “calm” sound like?
body language to
help you (When people‟s emotions
communicate. escalate, their words usually get
higher pitched, louder, and faster.
To sound calm and in control,
keep your voice at the same
pitch, speed and volume as
normal.)
Other unique factors:
_______________ [Have participants add other
_______________ factors, and review with group.]

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 25 of 31

CASE PROBLEMS

Assign problems [Have participants work in groups of four. Assign a Case

Problem to each group. Tell them they have five minutes
to discuss, and they should choose a note taker and a
speaker.]

Read out [Have each group explain their situation and what
techniques they would use to work with the customer.

Ask other teams:

1. What would be helpful about that method, and
2. What else they might do.]

NOTING THE CUSTOMER RECORD

What to include in Like any customer transaction, this transaction should be

Memo documented.
As always, you will include relevant facts. For example:
 The name of the person you talked to
 What you discussed
 Any arrangements made
 Any relevant dates, etc.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 26 of 31

What NOT to Do not make any statements that would be considered
include offensive if the customer were to read them. Memos in
the system are considered public information, so
anyone can read them.
Consider the “newspaper test:” If you were quoted in the
newspaper, would you be comfortable with what you
had written? If not, leave it out of the Memo.

In all cases:
 No sarcasm
 No character defamation
 No judgment of customer‟s sanity, intelligence or
sobriety
Do not mention customer‟s anger (furious, irate) or
behavior (yelled, screamed, cursed). You might state,
“The customer was concerned about XYZ.”
If customer made threats (said they would call the Mayor
or Water Bureau Commissioner or newspaper), put a note
in the account to document what they said and how you
responded.

When in doubt, ask a lead or supervisor to read the Memo

before you finalize it.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 27 of 31

STRESS MANAGEMENT TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

Our own We cannot “fix” other people, but can adjust our own
expectations attitudes. Let‟s look at some common attitudes and what
happens to us as a result of having those attitudes:
1. When we‟re at work, we expect things to go
pleasantly, or at least neutral, most of the time.
When we get a situation that‟s unpleasant, takes us by
surprise and throws us off balance.
2. We’re nice people and we wouldn’t treat someone
else badly. When a customer is abusive, it makes us
indignant because it‟s unfair—after all, we didn‟t do
anything wrong.
3. We tend to take things personally. Hard not to
when the customer is yelling at YOU!

Using the skills in this course will help you work with the
customer. It may also help to remember that part of our
reaction comes from our own expectations. If we can
remind ourselves that people are human and have bad
days, or they may have legitimate reasons to be angry,
it can help us manage our own feelings.

Stress Some techniques that help:

management
techniques  Take a deep breath. Release slowly.
 Pause before you speak.
 Try to not take the customer‟s frustration personally.
Remember in most cases, it‟s not about you—
it‟s about a policy or problem or about the city, or even
about the customer themself.
 After the interaction, stretch or take a walk. Doing
something physical can help.
 Call Center: Place a small mirror near your phone so
you can see your facial expression. Scientific studies
show that smiling can actually make you feel better.
 Talk to another rep or supervisor for “moral support.”

What other techniques help you?

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 28 of 31

SUCCESS STORIES

Your best story Think of a situation where you worked effectively with
a customer who had been upset. Write down:

 What was the situation; what did the customer want?

 How did you handle it?
 What worked/what helped?
 What could you have done better?

[Have several participants read or summarize their story.]

Lessons What do some of these success stories have in common?

[Discuss lessons we can learn from each other.]

CONCLUSION

Recovery When you have a customer interaction that starts out

negative and turns out positive, the customer usually
comes away with a good impression of the Water Bureau.

From the viewpoint of the customer that you helped,

you are the Water Bureau. Chances are that when you
worked effectively with them to solve a problem,
you improved their attitude about the Water Bureau and
maybe even the City.

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 29 of 31

Future interactions Using these techniques doesn‟t mean you‟ll never have to
work with another angry customer. You may not be able
to turn every experience into a happy one, but you will feel
less stressed, and more in control.

It‟s important to remember that we‟re here in Customer

Service to serve customers. Without customers, we don‟t
have a job. Even when you get a customer who‟s angry
or challenging, there‟s usually a way to defuse the anger
and make it a more positive experience.

You now have a few more techniques for being successful

in working with angry customers, plus you‟re more aware
of your ability to manage your own attitudes and
reactions.

Review flipchart [Review items participants posted on “Things that Really

Help” flipchart. Add any final items participants want to
add.

Tell participants we will summarize techniques from all

classes and email everyone the list of techniques.]

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 30 of 31

Summary cards [Hand out “Reminders and Key Phrases” summary cards.
These are laminated cards to post by the phone, with the
following reminders and key phrases:

REMINDERS AND KEY PHRASES

FOR DIFFICULT INTERACTIONS
 Breathe.
 Apologize, soothe, listen, recap; then problem
solve together.
 Focus on the positive:
“Here‟s what I can do for you…”
 If comments become repetitive or unrelated to Water
Bureau: “Is there anything else I can do for you?”
 If swearing or yelling: “I‟d like to be able to help you
resolve this concern, but the profanity is making it
impossible. Would you like me to give you a few
minutes to gather your thoughts?”
 If need to terminate the call:
Issue a warning: “I want to assist you, but I‟m unable
to do so if you continue to use profanity.”
If profanity continues: “I am sorry, I am terminating
this call now.” Tell your supervisor about the call.
Remember, it‟s usually not personal.
You are awesome and you‟re doing a great job!

Closing [Ask for any final comments or questions.

Ask how many picked up some techniques they think

will help.

Have participants fill out Course Feedback form.

Ensure everyone has signed Attendance sheet.]

WORKING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS October 2008, Page 31 of 31