How do you deal with mean customers?

Question

This has been my fifteenth day at my first job in the airport. Today, I finally got my first rude customer. My boss and my other coworkers told me my first few days that there will occasionally be customers who are very mean. They all said not to take it at heart because it really doesn't matter. I get that but today, with that customer, I really just wanted to say something. He was SO rude. I didn't want to curse at him or yell but I did want to give him a "Why are you so miserable, I pity you" look. I wanted to say "Relax sir, we all have our problems. Take it all out on me but you should know that would be very immature" but I controlled myself. The guy was in his sixties. I couldn't even look at him afterwards or I would've gone off. I gave him his receipt and I didn't smile.

Anyway, how have you dealt with such customers? What should I do in the future?

lol Atheist Dee, I happen to be right next to the Dept. of Homeland Security. haha

Very good advice zaeli22! :)

Answer 1

LOL I have seen people like that reduced to a mess by the person they are insulting and screaming at just being sooooo sweet!!! It seems the nicer you are to someone like that, the less they can scream at you! Become incredibly polite!

Answer 2

Mean Customers

Answer 3

Whenever you are dealing with a customer, you should try as much as possible to help them with their request. If you aren't sure about how to help them, you should be the one to ask them to be patient while you look into the problem with the product. Then you should go and ask for help and once you have the answer, return to the customer, thank them for being patient and proceed to help them. If it's a case where you need to escalate things to a manager, then do so quickly but don't let things get to a point where they say something like that to you. Unfortunately, there are people who will have already walked into your establishment with a chip on their shoulder about something that is going on in their life.

Answer 4

It is difficult. Try to keep in mind that stubborn people are not affected by anyone anyway. There is nothing you can say or do that will change a customer who is just being their unpleasant self. Be an actor in part; have ready professional courtesy for the worst, and let yourself relax with those that are real human beings. You have to develop a mindset that dealing with all kinds of people is part of the job for which you are being paid.

Answer 5

In your shoes I most probably would've tried to kill him with kindness. Be extra nice, smile, wish him a nice day than go behind closed doors and punch the crap out of a soft chair or something. Unfortunately in a profession where ones actions & words can be misconstrued & used against ones company, one has to remain professional at all times & remember that "the customer is always right".

Answer 6

Misery loves company


alot of people do and say things they normally dont because they know they can get away with it....typical mean old man.
me I am anti-social and would have gave him nothing and ignored him .....making him find somebody else to drag down to his level.
you ll get used to it. my old boss loved upset customers and
talking them down...he was a pro.
me I snap and say something right back...usually very stupid things.
get used to it life is full of good and bad everywhere.
Just be glad you aint like him. the quicker you can dismiss it from your mind the less it will bother you. If you see a fight coming put them on hold ....like say "ok I understand but a need to do this one thing first ...stay here.... and i promise I'll be right back" and leave for 5 minutes.

Answer 7

I had a great boss, .. when I was eight months pregnant I encounted a most aggressive nasty customer .. My boss saw what was going on ... she walked over to me .. put her arm around my shoulder .. looked at the customer .. and said

"This woman is eight months Pregnant, does it make you feel good to be upsetting her as you are ?"

she then turned to me and told me to go out the back and sit down... ( which I did ) ...

she let the customer rant and rave till he could rant and rave no more ..
she looked at him, paused.. and then she said
"BREEDING" as she looked him up and down, turned on her heels and walked away ....

But the best way I find .. is to remain everso polite .. then they look like the ar$eholes

Answer 8

Give the customer your full attention and be extremely nice and sweet. Most of all disarm them with a smile.

Answer 9

I think you handled it well. I usually just try to ignore them and not let them get to me. If they see you are getting mad, sometimes that will make them even more rude/mad.

If the situation gets too elevated you should say something like
"please don't talk to me like that"-but if that doesn't work, get away. Don't compromise your safety for some stupid job.

There are some truly dangerous, psychotic people out there that can't be reasoned with so don't even try.

Answer 10

I worked in customer service for a long time and for me I just try to let it go. I just think to my self why am I letting this asshole ruin my day? Like right now your still thinking about him and still pretty upset about it. the asshole is still ruining your day even though its probity been awhile since the incident happened. i know its hard to let it go but if you don't it'll bother you for a long time. And for those assholes who are just tiring to get a rise out of you just keep smiling, it ruins there day.