If you are involved in either the retail or service industries, you likely will be called upon or left to deal with customer complaints from time to time. Dealing with an angry, complaining customer can be a less than enjoyable and less than enviable task. However, if you are to succeed in the world in this day and age, you are going to need to develop those skills necessary to deal with a complaining customer. When it comes to undertaking dealing with a complaining customer, there is a simple motto that you should always bear in mind: “Be fair but firm when dealing with a complaining customer.” The first step in the process of being firm but fair with a complaining customer is to hear the customer out. Let the customer tell his or her story -- without interruption -- for a reasonable period of time. You do not want to let a customer get carried away in making a presentation of his or her complaints. However, if the angry, complaining customer at least feels that you are listening to what he or she has to say, you likely will have made a positive step towards calming the customer down. If you are able to diffuse the tension at least to some degree in this manner, you are on your way towards resolving the problem.
Once the customer has had the chance to spell out what he or she perceives the problem to be, take the time to politely and firmly explain what company policy is and what you can and cannot do to assist in resolving the situation. Additionally, if you need to get approval or assistance from a superior in order to assist the customer in resolving the problem, be very clear about that necessity up front. Do not leave the consumer with false hopes or with promises that you cannot keep.
