How to Deal with Angry Customers: A Step-By-Step Guide

70% of the customer journey depends on how the customer feels and is treated by the brand. 

Angry Customers are common even if you try, still, you will end up getting few. It’s an unavoidable situation for any business. 

The basic point is to understand how to deal with them. 

Often customers do not express their frustration until it hits the roof. Using the right way of communication, you can deal with and resolve their problem without making it worse. 

Why Does Your Business Have More Angry Customers?

According to Conversocial, 88% of customers don’t buy from the brand who leave the complaint without attending it. 

Not every customer you have is going to complain. Lots of people just quietly move to some other brands. As a result, you lose your important customers. 

To prevent that, it’s important to attend the angry customers and solve their problem. 

Well, you have more angry customers, there might be reasons like – 

• You are not keeping your promise 
• You have bad customer service 
• You have rude staff 
• You don’t have omnichannel 
• You are not listening to your customer
• Your product quality is low
• You didn’t solve the issues
• You are not easy to contact with 

Reasons Why Angry Customer Is Actually A Good thing 

No business wants to deal with angry customers. But it’s one of the most important parts too. 

Angry customers are good for the brand. Especially for those who are focusing on making their services more customer-oriented. 

Here are some best reasons why having an angry customer can do good for you. 

You Get Better Understanding 

One of the best ways that angry customers can help your brand is to be straightforward and honest about what they liked or what they didn’t. 

An angry customer can tell you about the pain point that your customers might be facing when dealing with your services and products. 

It can help in understanding what are the points that displease your customers. By this, you can improve your services too.

It gives you much more insight into what you are doing wrong to make your customer unsatisfied. 

You Get Solutions Faster 

For small businesses who are looking for solutions to improving the customer satisfaction rate. Angry customers can tell you about the options. 

However, it’s not really representing your whole customer but they are an important voice of the minority that plays an important part. 

Listening to their problems can help in finding effective ways and more solutions that can improve your business overall. 

You can get an idea of how to satisfy your customers. 

You Know Who Cares

While angry customers can be frustrating sometimes and they usually yell over calls. But surprisingly, these people are the passionate about what you 

Such people generally appreciate your products and they feel angry when you don’t show your potential. 

It’s important to get more information and details about what causes their disappointment so much. 

Don’t ignore these customers saying you can’t please everyone. They are an important part who can give you important insight for improving your business. 

You Connect With Customers 

Avoiding angry customers can lead you to disconnect with your customers too. 

Avoiding the customer who is disappointed and angry with your services is not going to help. At some point in time, most of your customers will go through this phase. 

It’s not good for you to make them feel that they are not treated well and needed. 

You Keep On Your Toes 

Angry customers are helpful in showing you reality. It will keep you on your toes and make you humble toward your customers. 

Reacting to negative situations also makes you more patient and feels nimble to satisfy the customers. 

Handling angry customers on social media and other channels can help in avoiding getting bad reviews and reputation in the market. 

You Gain Outer Perspective 

Sometimes you create the walls that keep you away from your potential.

Having too much of knowing everything can make your business grow less and sometimes you don’t even try to do something new. 

Angry customers can give you an outer perspective about what others are thinking. It can work as a tunnel vision of your brand.

Also, you can find the limitations of your own product, services, and brands. 

You Know More About Product

Sometimes it happens that you don’t know more about your product. And how it’s affecting the customers and what the ins and out. 

Angry customers reveal more about your products and sometimes you get specifics that you don’t even consider earlier. 

The more you get the viewpoint, the better you will know about your product and how it’s performing. 

You Know When To Apologize 

Angry customers help you in knowing when to apologize and what to say to improve your relationship. 

It gives you an opportunity to know how to treat your customers right, Also you can improve your customer relationship by apologizing and helping them when they are feeling upset.

You Turn More Happy Customers 

One of the biggest reasons why angry customers are good for your business is you get the opportunity to make them happy customers. 

The chances of getting loyal customers from your angry and upset ones are always high. 

When a customer gets the solution even when they are in a bad mood. They feel respected and happy about the brand.

How To Deal With Angry Customers?

Even after being not satisfied and complained, consumers continue to do business with the brand. 

According to the Service recovery paradox, Complaints for business should be considered as an  opportunity that can change the view toward the brand. 

After handling and solving it on time, you can give a much more positive view to your customers. 

But addressing their problem and solving is a complete process itself. Handling it properly can benefit you, and there are steps to follow. 

Step 1: Dig Deeper & Ask Questions

Complaints are insightful. You can know a lot about what you are missing if you know what your customer is trying to say in their complaints. 

To find the insight, use Socratic questions as it can help in finding the source that is causing friction. 

Often the complaints are the pent-up problems that needed to be solved earlier.

Asking the questions can help in understanding the problem from its root level. 

Pro Tip: In a situation when you are not the right person, transfer the call. So your customer and you don’t waste time and find a solution much easier. 

Step 2: Find Out Your Customer Type 

Customers are different and they are motivated by their attitude, 

needs and beliefs. 

A study from The University of Florida reported that different personalities will have interacted when you deal with customer complaints. 

Here are some types you might encounter- 

• Customers who are not shy 

These kinds of customers are more vocal about their issues. They show and tell when they are upset.

Also, they are sensitive and less fileted in telling what they didn’t like.

How to deal – When you deal with them, try not to mirror their actions. It will irritate them more. 

Be firm, polite, and handle with gentleness. 

• Customers who don’t complaint  

These customers are completely opposite and they don’t let you know if they are upset about your services. 

Instead of confronting, they will take their business to someone else. They don’t complain or even let you know if there is some kind of problem. 

How to deal – To understand and solve their problem, you have to be more active. 

More connections have to be made so you can resolve whatever their complaints are. 

In case you don’t do it, they will quietly move to another brand without giving feedback. 

• Customers who contact a lot 

These kinds of customers do a lot of communications via email, phone calls, etc. 

They share what they are feeling or facing. And contact again and again. 

They are more frequent and more focused on details. 

How to deal- Dealing with such customers need to learn patience. 

The frequent calls can be frustrating and sometimes without any major issue. 

Instead of showing your frustration, respond professionally. 

Such customers can be brand advocates when they are satisfied. 

• Customers who pay and demand 

These customers are those who are willing to pay extra for services and products. But in return, they want premium support. 

They might have needed faster delivery or something which is not for everyone. 

How to deal – For such customers, it’s better to create a VIP section. Also, you can offer premium services to those who need extra service and have more demand. 

Identifying such clusters is helpful to get more sales and also loyalty for your brand. 

Step 3: Respond Fast 

45% of US consumers abandon doing business if their complaints are not addressed quickly. 

When you want your customers to be happy, speed is one of the must-have things. 

Solving complaints on time can resolve lots of negative effects.

It’s important to set the priority. Not all your customer’s minds if you take a day to respond to them back. 

However, customers who are pulling one’s hair out of the situation, will not that long. 

To solve their problem, create a folder separately and add their issues. Filter the less ecstatic messages, so you know whom to contact first. 

Step 4: Repeat Back What They Said 

Once you know what’s bothering them, make sure to repeat it back. Highlight the points that you feel like it’s the big issue here.

Maybe your customer was angry because they didn’t get the product and now the refunds are late. Or maybe the previous employee they talked about was rude to them and didn’t help either. 

Make sure to use the words they can understand. Also, be accurate when you are rephrasing your customer complaint. 

Ask the customer if he agrees or is there something else you are missing. 

It will eliminate the future hassle and also repeating back the problem cools down the temperature as they will feel you heard their problem. 

Pro Tip: to not forget what customers said to you, keep a notepad or something to write. 

Jolt down the keywords they used, so you can refer to understand the key problems while talking. 

Step 5: Offer Solution And Verify 

When you both agree and now on the same page, it’s important to find the solution. 

Also if it takes time, then ask them to wait. Send the problems and ask for verifying if it helped or not. 

Here are a few ways you can use to know if a customer’s problem is solved or not – 

When you are unable to verify it at work. Make sure to add a line like “ Please, let me know if I can do anything else”. It’s positive and shows you are eager to solve their problem. 

If you can verify it on your own, reply to them by saying you tested and it works. Add proof to show that you are telling the truth. But also add the line like “ If it’s still facing any issue, please let me know”

You can communicate with them after a few days to check if everything is going fine with them or not. 

Step 6: Explain Steps To Them 

If the solution is a bit longer and it includes steps. Make sure your customer knows it too. 

For this, assure them that you have to address the concern. Whatever you can do right now, you are doing it and other steps might take time to follow. 

Make sure you are not putting your customer in the dark or else they will think you are trying to make excuses. 

Pro Tip: List your important steps to them. It will let them know the process and time when they will get the solution. 

Step 7: Set Timer To Follow Up 

Some issues need more attention from other people in the business. It can be asking the manager or talking to the product team etc. 

Such a solution can be done over one call. In such conditions, let your customer know that the process is going to take time and it’s not possible to do it over the phone.

You can offer a timeline to them, so they can know you are looking for a solution too. 

Also if it’s taking more days, keep following up and stay in contact. 

Pro tip: Some customers can get angry and to cool them off, you can add some benefits like an exclusive discount or offer so they can relax too. 

Step 8: Highlight The Priority 

Lots of customers believe that their problem is not a big concern for the business. It is frustrating and gives a feeling of not being appreciated. 

It’s important to make your customers don’t feel like that. For solving this, make sure to highlight the priority of the case. 

Say thank you to them for taking the effort and addressing the problem to you. And also how it would help you and your team. 

Step 9: Log Compliment For Tracking 

If you have this customer who keeps reporting about one particular issue over a long period, maybe it’s not worth addressing.

But if more of your costumes keep reporting the same complaints, then it’s an important issue that should be your concern. 

Keep tracking the complaints which have a high volume. Monitor how often you are getting messages and calls for addressing the same issue.

Also, follow up to find if customers are now happy and their problem is solved or not. 

Ways To Manage When Your Customer Is Angry 

Dealing with an angry customer is not easy. It takes a lot of patience to not say something that can end up making your customer fire up. 

Also focusing on what to do and how to do, so you can provide a solution is important too. 

Here are some ways you can try to manage angry customers and find solutions. 

Work On Your Reflective Listening 

“ I Understand” is not the line that ever made anyone feel better when they are upset about something. 

A conversation where customers are complaining and showing their frustrations and you are using similar likes like “ I understand” is something you know not going to end well. 

In such a situation, you are going to need reflective listening. The skill helps you in finding the right approach without interpreting your customer’s body language and words.

For example – If your customer says that they are frustrated because they have a limited budget and the discount you are providing is too low.

The reflective listening skill can be used and you can reply by repeating the same line and focusing on points that are causing problems such as limited budget, and discounts are not helping them. 

If you didn’t understand well, ask them to tell you more so you can find a solution. 

Pro tip: Never promise to your customer that you will fix it when it’s not in your hand. 

The prime goal is to make your customer feel valued and heard. 

Look For Affect Heuristic 

Affect heuristic is a mental technique that helps in finding the solution in a limited time. 

It includes all factors like the feeling toward the person. Situation, place, etc. It’s a judgment you take based on your worldview and experiences. 

However, The techniques add weight to you as the decision is based on what you believe and the opinion you have. 

The effect works better when you can’t delay the process. For example, if the customer is asking why they should believe or what’s the catch for them?

Telling them something like ‘ You already paid for a year subscription, so move forward’’. well, it will make them feel like you trapped them. 

It will not just damage your image but also the customer will not consider your business to continue in the future.

Stop Feeling Sacred 

It’s a normal feeling that you are fearful of receiving a negative outcome. In such a situation, sometimes you react the way you shouldn’t. 

When you feel scared, you might not question or risk the relationship. 

The first thing to remember is to let the feeling of fixing everything go. 

When you are dealing with a difficult customer, your job is to listen, understand, and take the next step. 

For example, When you are stuck in such a situation. Avoid apologizing and offering mediocre solutions. 

You can show your displeasure that your customer has to face such a situation. Understand how it affected their life. 

Also, add that you appreciated their patience and will work to solve it. 

Finding a solution should not be your first action. It will add unnecessary pressure on you and this will show in how you are talking.

Support Resources For Use 

Some tricks can be used for handling your customer. 

These are weapons that can be helpful and interact better when you are dealing with angry customers. 

However when you are using such tricks, make sure to use it when it’s necessary, Not all tricks can help all the time. It depended on a case by case. 

When you are showing them the complex solution, set up the screen share or you can record the troubleshooting to give step by step guidance.

When the situation gets too heated and it’s going to escalate. Hold the call to buy some time. 

Also, it will give you room to breathe and calm your nerves. 

Asking your colleague for confirmation and adding extra to know if your solution will be suitable or not. 

It will help in building trust and give customers a boost of confidence too. 

Break Problems Into Smaller Portions 

Dealing with lots of things at one time can cause tension. Also, it builds a lot of frustration when you don’t get the result. 

Chunking is the ideal option to use when you are in the same situation. It’s a process to divide one big problem into small parts and make it manageable to deal with. 

The smaller portion is more precise and easier to tackle than dealing with the big problem at once. 

Keep Calm And Stay Logical 

Getting into a heated up moment when the customer is all yelling and throwing fit is one of the common situations. 

However, dealing with such scenarios can help you in reducing the damage.  

Understand that their anger is not directed to you. They are frustrated to not get what they paid for and maybe the services are not what they expected. 

In such a situation, you must keep your emotions in control. Instead of replaying the way he is talking, keep your voice gentle and understanding. 

Often people end up mirroring the way of others. It will naturally calm them and you can continue to offer the solution. 

Pinpoint The Beginner’s Mind 

It is also known as The Zen mind, it’s a strategy of approaching you like a beginner. 

When you adopt the mindset, you approach every conversation with a ‘ don’t know’ mind.  

It gives you prejudging the customer and avoiding the ‘ shoulds’. 

The ‘ shoulds’ are those nagging thoughts that keep inside your head when your customer tells you about the situation. 

It puts your mind in a defensive state and makes it jeopardizing it. When this happens, you can have a productive conversation. 

It sounds like – 

• The customer should have read the messages and emails about the expiration of their discounts. 
• The customer should know that they don’t have their budget. 
• The customer should not assume about it already. 

Also, zen mind keep your thoughts expert-free. You might have lots of experience and knowledge but since every customer is different, so does their situation. 

You are not an expert in this matter. It’s new to you and that makes you a beginner.

Mistakes That You Must Avoid For Angry Customers 

When you are dealing with angry customers, you should have thick skin to handle all the conversation. 

Handling such customers who are beyond the point of solving their issue or not trying to make the situation worse than it already is.

Here are some major mistakes that you should avoid at all costs. 

Getting Defensive & Arguing 

Two things you should never do – Getting defensive Or Start Arguing. 

Getting defensive when the customer is hyper about their problems to you. Explaining why it happened is not what they want to know right now. 

Such customers are beyond the listening point and they want you to fix it. 

Here, the priority should be addressing the problem and assuring that you will find the solution. 

Instead of explaining the reasons and why it happened. Focus on solving it faster. 

Pro Tip: Explaining yourself will dig yourself a deeper hole and it should be avoided at any cost. 

Raising Voice 

When you are dealing with a difficult situation. At any level, don’t ever let your voice raise.  

This is the worst thing you can do when your customer is screaming if you scream back at them. The argument will lead to more and there will be a point when you can’t return back. 

Instead of screaming or raising the voice. Keep your voice normal and gentle. 

People feel stupid when they are the only one who is screaming.  

Taking It Personally 

Lots of time you might feel like you have patience is on the test. When your customer is screaming, it’s not easy to compose your thoughts. 

The first thing you should remember in this situation is – it’s not you, it’s not about you. 

The person who is screaming is not mad at you. They are shouting because they had a bad experience with the business.

Pro tip: Empathise in such a situation, hearing the words that the customer is feeling is normal to feel will help in claiming your angry customer. 

Lack Of Empathy 

Empathy is one of the reasons why the satisfaction rate is reported low. 

Dealing with such situations is not always easy. Even if you try to empathize with the customers and put in their situation. 

The very best thing you can do is not let your tolerance slip away. If you can’t find the common ground, stay professional. 

Slow & Lack Of Concern Response 

Speed is important after being empathetic to your customer. Sometimes it can be more important than being empathetic. 

Speed responsive can solve issues or at least cool down your customers who are feeling frustrated. 

Also, it depends on the channel which is used for communication.

If you are using social media, the customer sent you an angry message and tweet, It’s best to answer them quickly. 

It shows the customer that you are available for them. Even if you don’t solve the situation right away, still showing concern quickly can help. 

Acting Unresponsive 

Lack of urgency shows that you are not interested in hearing what they want. For you, it might be simple but it can be really important for your customer. 

No one wants to spend their time talking about the complaints. Their time is important and they want to spend it on important matters rather than spending on you. 

Acting aloof is not going to help in solving the matters. Focus on giving the attention that your customers crave. 

Ignoring To Ask Feedbacks 

When you handle the customer who is on edge when they called, it’s important to ask for the feedback. 

Ask them how they are feeling and what else they would like to see differently. 

Pro tip: Angry customers are the most straightforward and honest. Feedbacks from them can help in finding out major issues. 

Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQs)

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