Customer service question?

Question

In a customer service situation (and it probably depends on the business) but here's the question: If a customer is having an issue and is being unreasonably rude or the employee thinks the customer is not justified in his/her complaint, would the employee EVER have cause to talk back to the customer? Has anyone (from the position of an employee) ever done this (talked back)?

Answer 1

The employee should never talk back to a customer. But that doesn't mean s/he has to put up with rude or insulting behavior.

In situations like that, I think the best solution is to have your manager or supervisor step in. Explain to him/her what you've been dealing with and (very important here) how you've responded. Go on to say that you don't feel you can help this customer.

Now, I have been in a situation where that option was not open to me and the caller was being extremely rude, if not borderline insulting. After trying my best to calm down the man, (who interrupted me every other sentence with a very harsh tone), I finally said "Sir, if you are going to continue to talk to me like this, I am going to have to hang up on you." Naturally he barely registered it. I repeated myself adding a "I'm sorry but" and after that, hung up the phone. I hated it, but there really wasn't any alternative; he simply would NOT allow me to take a message and give it to the person who needed to call him back (this was before voice mail was so prevalent).

I think the closest to "talking back" I ever got was to say "Look, I'm trying to help you here" with a good amount of frustration in my voice.

Answer 2

1st rule of customer service is never interrupt the customer. Let them talk them self out. You would be amassed but this is what most managers due when they take over a call. I found that if I let the customer just talk I got more information to help them and they quite ofter calmed themselves down by knowing they were being listened to (the occasional uh huh helps with this). Also if you can offer to fix this issue and if they want something more ask them what they want. You would be surprised how little some people really want, many don't want money or credit as much as acknowledgment of their complaint and the issue resolved.

Being rude is not necessary. But the customer being right is not true either. Customer Service is a balancing act of the customers needs and the companies needs. It really should never be a low paying job because these are the people that generate repeat business for a company.

Answer 3

You should never "talk back" to the customer in a rude way. It's okay to explain things to the client in a calm amicable way. Although cliche, "the customer is always right", (and at least has the right to be heard). Talking back will just cause more problems and you could be reprimanded by the Supervisor.
Let the customer vent (physiologically people cannot be angry for more than 3 minutes) Each time you interrupt them with your argument, you reset that time back to another 3 minutes. No matter how wrong or rude a customer is, you need to take ownership/control of the call. You've lost control of the call when you start yelling. I'm a Customer Service Supervisor and Company Trainer and deal with these types of issues.

Answer 4

No, we do not have the right or the cause to talk back to the customer. Our job is to acknowledge they have an issue with whatever it is, and try to fix the problem. Once the customer gets unreasonably rude... you call over a manager to better handle the situation. They can then fix whatever they have to to calm down the customer. They can even ask the customer to behave themselves or they can call the cops. The managers are there to take care of the problems you cannot handle by yourself... and sometimes all a customer wants is someone higher up on the chain.

Answer 5

You can respond and defend your position as well as yourself without "talking back" to a customer. As a supervisor, I am often called in on these situations. I will not allow my staff to be abused verbally nor will I tolerate them being abusive or rude to a client. If I feel that the client is wrong, I will ask them what they feel would be an equitable solution. This makes them state what they expect. Sometimes, they then realize that they are way out of line with what they are asking. What would you like us to do? If they are still unreasonable, I give them my "best offer" so to speak.If they are still not satisfied, I simply tell them that it is unfortunate that this situation got out of hand and I wish that I could satisfy them but apparently it isn't possible since my best offer will not appease them. By then, they are usually willing to accept what was tendered in the first place. I will not embarrass either the client or my staff. I will not correct the staff in front of the customer but will do that privately if I feel it is necessary. One trick that I have yet to find fail is that the louder the customer gets, the quieter I become. I let them continue with their tirade and respond quieter and quieter with each answer. I find this embarrasses them and then they are usually more receptive to the "offer" and usually end up apologizing for THEIR rudeness.

Answer 6

NEVER EVER should an employee talk back to a customer. I know it can be frustrating and there are customers out there who are impossible to please but it is totally unacceptable. Try to diffuse the situation as best as you can and remain calm. If you get into a verbal fight with the customer, he will leave unhappy and tell a lot of people about the experience with your business and you will lose customers because of it.

Answer 7

It's never okay to be rude in return. Your job is to reel the customer back in. I have had rude customer service people. I report every one of them. Some times, and this has been proven, you decide the customer does not know what the issue is or you decide it does not really exist. Not your call. Go with it and work to resolve the issue. If this proves too frustrating, call a superior to handle it. Remain calm.

Answer 8

NO the employee should never talk back to the customer no matter how much they deserve it. You can get an even more pissed off customer, if you can't help them hand them up the chain to someone with more experience and higher up than you are. The key is to be as polite as possible. Kill them with kindness!

Answer 9

You must always make the customer think they are right, even though you know they are not. Conduct yourself professionally and make the customer obey you by using your skills to diffuse the situation. No need to talk back just take control and assist the customer. That is your purpose. Always remember that a customer from "hell" is a customer too.

Answer 10

NO NO never!!! The customer is always right.I worked in Retail and that was how it worked.You get the Manager to handle the situation.Arguing or talking back to the customer is bad for businesses.Word of mouth can be the best or worst advertisement.