Comments on: How to deal with abusive customers http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/ The Web Practitioner's Blog Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:33:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Generalmunambea http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-42303 Generalmunambea Wed, 06 Apr 2011 01:13:00 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-42303 f#k that, i will not take sh$t from another human being, yes they are pissed but to come and raise hell and start acting out is out of line. i had an abusive customer at my last job and he began attacking me as a person, yet i was a new hire with no prior contact with him. so i took off my tie, clocked out and waited outside for him to come out. the long and short of it is that he apologized with tears in his eyes and a swollen lower lip. of course, moved on and all is good! f#k that, i will not take sh$t from another human being, yes they are pissed but to come and raise hell and start acting out is out of line. i had an abusive customer at my last job and he began attacking me as a person, yet i was a new hire with no prior contact with him. so i took off my tie, clocked out and waited outside for him to come out. the long and short of it is that he apologized with tears in his eyes and a swollen lower lip. of course, moved on and all is good!

]]> By: Blue http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-42022 Blue Sun, 27 Mar 2011 23:10:00 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-42022 Did you state clearly before she placed her order that this would be how her photos would turn out? I know a few photographers who do family portraits and they give their customers a choice. In your case, it sounds like you don't and you'd just prefer to lie to your customer to make your job easier instead of replacing her photos and perhaps having a return customer. Your customer service skills sound like they're lacking. That's too bad. Did you state clearly before she placed her order that this would be how her photos would turn out? I know a few photographers who do family portraits and they give their customers a choice. In your case, it sounds like you don’t and you’d just prefer to lie to your customer to make your job easier instead of replacing her photos and perhaps having a return customer.

Your customer service skills sound like they’re lacking. That’s too bad.

]]> By: Allen http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-41981 Allen Thu, 24 Mar 2011 21:40:00 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-41981 You obviously don't have to deal with customers. Anyway someone trying to get something for nothing is not a paying customer anyway so your not loosing anything if they are not paying. You obviously don’t have to deal with customers. Anyway someone trying to get something for nothing is not a paying customer anyway so your not loosing anything if they are not paying.

]]> By: Allen http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-41980 Allen Thu, 24 Mar 2011 21:38:00 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-41980 What a bunch of crap. the person got what he had coming to him. What a bunch of crap. the person got what he had coming to him.

]]> By: Beatricemoonbeam http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-41147 Beatricemoonbeam Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:10:00 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-41147 Actually I tend to ignore the rude customers, I will do whatever I can for someone who is nice and not swearing, screaming talking to me like I just crawled out of a swamp somewhere. So if you want help don't call screaming, accept that there are some people in other parts of the company that cannot resolve your issue and give what you expect in return. You can't demand respect especially with abuse. Actually I tend to ignore the rude customers, I will do whatever I can for someone who is nice and not swearing, screaming talking to me like I just crawled out of a swamp somewhere. So if you want help don’t call screaming, accept that there are some people in other parts of the company that cannot resolve your issue and give what you expect in return. You can’t demand respect especially with abuse.

]]> By: jason6g http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-39868 jason6g Thu, 27 Jan 2011 22:25:00 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-39868 i know im bringing back the dead, but i stumbled upon this write up and agree with the writer. in my opnion, golden rule to T when it comes to service. if someone is a complete d*ck, throw it right back at them. if they are nice, they go well out of your way to help them out. get rid of the demmanding pricks of the world, just because you raise your voice and force yourself upon people doesnt give you the right to always get your way i know im bringing back the dead, but i stumbled upon this write up and agree with the writer. in my opnion, golden rule to T when it comes to service. if someone is a complete d*ck, throw it right back at them. if they are nice, they go well out of your way to help them out. get rid of the demmanding pricks of the world, just because you raise your voice and force yourself upon people doesnt give you the right to always get your way

]]> By: christine derrit http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-18861 christine derrit Wed, 24 Feb 2010 22:54:11 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-18861 I think the main reason people are rude when they ask for a refund is that--at least in my experience--being polite tends to get you ignored. And based on this guy's emails, he already felt ignored. So he was rude, because rudeness gets people's attention. DO you ignore people who ask politely for a refund, or do you just tell them, no, it's against my policy? You say you don't, but my basic customer service experience with any company has been, if you are polite they tell you it's against policy. If you are rude, then sometimes you get a refund and sometimes you don't, depending on whether the service rep interprets your actions as assertive or rude, which you have no control over. I think the main reason people are rude when they ask for a refund is that–at least in my experience–being polite tends to get you ignored. And based on this guy’s emails, he already felt ignored. So he was rude, because rudeness gets people’s attention. DO you ignore people who ask politely for a refund, or do you just tell them, no, it’s against my policy? You say you don’t, but my basic customer service experience with any company has been, if you are polite they tell you it’s against policy. If you are rude, then sometimes you get a refund and sometimes you don’t, depending on whether the service rep interprets your actions as assertive or rude, which you have no control over.

]]> By: András http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-17249 András Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:23:59 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-17249 Oh boy. So many things wrong with this story. First. Basically, you admit that there was no reason for your first reply other than getting the customer to repeat the same thing, only more nicely. So it has nothing to do with professionalism or learning about the customer's point of view... and everything to do with your hurt ego and trying to teach a lesson and somehow coming out on top. So you send him twenty questions, the single most certain way to piss him off. Then the customer replies. If you cared one tiny bit, you'd have picked up on the important clues: he's frustrated, and he's E-MAILED YOU SEVERAL TIMES. Bingo! YOU had screwed up. YOU had ignored his previous e-mails. YOU made him mad. YOU made his original e-mail so terse and rude. Now would have been the time to search for records, and either find his alleged e-mails, lament on your lack of timely response, and word a grovelling apology; or fail to find his e-mails, decide that you believe him (lying about such stuff and pretending to be angry just in order to get a $5 refund would be unlikely), and, again, word your apology. Nope, you blabber about "tolerating abuse," using the royal we at that; blame the customer and draw his attention to a flawed and probably illegal policy; and top it all off by obnoxiously repeating some completely unrelated crap. Then he reacted as any frustrated, angry customer having to deal with abysmal service would have. And finally, you reacted by being judgmental, patronizing, childish and rude. You were criticising the manners of a justifiably angry customer (really, WTF?), and wrote all this crap that I will keep using as a counterexample. Really, this should be taught at customer service schools, as in, how never ever ever to treat any customer for any reason ever at all. If you provide a service, people expect you to be impersonal and professional. By no means judgmental. Ever. You absolutely need to ignore the swearwords. Pretend they're not there. You're not a court of law, the customer cannot be held in contempt of you. If the customer is right and his complaint is justified, solve his problem. Be polite. Ignore his cursing. Especially if it's your poor service that pissed him off. I think people confuse two things: a prospective customer with a bad attitude, and a customer with a complaint who has a bad attitude. The former you can ignore, even tell him to go to hell, if you don't mind the consequences. As for the second: his attitude is much less important than the contractual relationship that already exists between the two of you. Now you have obligations. If he has a complaint, you are legally required to investigate it. And while you may think that there's no obligation for you to refund (based on your crappy terms of service), I think this particular customer did actually have grounds for the refund, based on your ignoring his repeated complaints. I think the main problem here has been taking a very egocentrical view of the situation. It requires effort to try to put yourself into someone else's place, especially if you feel attacked by his point of view. But in dealing with customers, it's obligatory. Your overly defensive attitude made you completely blind to this user's problem and needs. As far as the dangers of being too nice and having every asshole keep asking for refunds: come on now. If you feel abused, i.e. someone cancels on the last day and still wants a refund; or someone keeps asking for refunds on questionable grounds, repeatedly: if the problem is really costing you, then do something about it. Don't let customers pull the same unreasonable shit repeatedly. Or something. Write a nice formula for firing a customer. Write it when you're calm. Not when you have an actual situation. But better still: don't. Just live with it. Firing customers is bad and makes you look weird. Someone will always side with them. If someone is really trying to take advantage of you by asking for unreasonable things (that go beyond what your service level agreement states), just politely decline. Oh wait, maybe you don't have an SLE either. Oh boy. So many things wrong with this story.

First. Basically, you admit that there was no reason for your first reply other than getting the customer to repeat the same thing, only more nicely.

So it has nothing to do with professionalism or learning about the customer’s point of view… and everything to do with your hurt ego and trying to teach a lesson and somehow coming out on top. So you send him twenty questions, the single most certain way to piss him off.

Then the customer replies. If you cared one tiny bit, you’d have picked up on the important clues: he’s frustrated, and he’s E-MAILED YOU SEVERAL TIMES. Bingo! YOU had screwed up. YOU had ignored his previous e-mails. YOU made him mad. YOU made his original e-mail so terse and rude.

Now would have been the time to search for records, and either find his alleged e-mails, lament on your lack of timely response, and word a grovelling apology; or fail to find his e-mails, decide that you believe him (lying about such stuff and pretending to be angry just in order to get a $5 refund would be unlikely), and, again, word your apology.

Nope, you blabber about “tolerating abuse,” using the royal we at that; blame the customer and draw his attention to a flawed and probably illegal policy; and top it all off by obnoxiously repeating some completely unrelated crap.

Then he reacted as any frustrated, angry customer having to deal with abysmal service would have. And finally, you reacted by being judgmental, patronizing, childish and rude. You were criticising the manners of a justifiably angry customer (really, WTF?), and wrote all this crap that I will keep using as a counterexample. Really, this should be taught at customer service schools, as in, how never ever ever to treat any customer for any reason ever at all.

If you provide a service, people expect you to be impersonal and professional. By no means judgmental. Ever. You absolutely need to ignore the swearwords. Pretend they’re not there. You’re not a court of law, the customer cannot be held in contempt of you. If the customer is right and his complaint is justified, solve his problem. Be polite. Ignore his cursing. Especially if it’s your poor service that pissed him off.

I think people confuse two things: a prospective customer with a bad attitude, and a customer with a complaint who has a bad attitude. The former you can ignore, even tell him to go to hell, if you don’t mind the consequences. As for the second: his attitude is much less important than the contractual relationship that already exists between the two of you. Now you have obligations. If he has a complaint, you are legally required to investigate it. And while you may think that there’s no obligation for you to refund (based on your crappy terms of service), I think this particular customer did actually have grounds for the refund, based on your ignoring his repeated complaints.

I think the main problem here has been taking a very egocentrical view of the situation. It requires effort to try to put yourself into someone else’s place, especially if you feel attacked by his point of view. But in dealing with customers, it’s obligatory. Your overly defensive attitude made you completely blind to this user’s problem and needs.

As far as the dangers of being too nice and having every asshole keep asking for refunds: come on now. If you feel abused, i.e. someone cancels on the last day and still wants a refund; or someone keeps asking for refunds on questionable grounds, repeatedly: if the problem is really costing you, then do something about it. Don’t let customers pull the same unreasonable shit repeatedly. Or something. Write a nice formula for firing a customer. Write it when you’re calm. Not when you have an actual situation.

But better still: don’t. Just live with it. Firing customers is bad and makes you look weird. Someone will always side with them. If someone is really trying to take advantage of you by asking for unreasonable things (that go beyond what your service level agreement states), just politely decline. Oh wait, maybe you don’t have an SLE either.

]]> By: me http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-16824 me Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:51:51 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-16824 You article made me feel much better about myself today. I normally am a very patient person and always deal with angry/rude/cruel with lots of patience. However, there was one customer that i've been unhappily dealing with her for 2 years now. She's a very very demading customer. Everytime, we extra-charged her with something that's supposed to be charged, she had called me bloody or stingy. And whatever we charged her never exceeded $1(we work at the restaurant). The one-sided shit talking about me has been going on for 2 years. However, today -->i lost it. I went up to her and talk to her based on the most possible reasonable reasons. I said, we are not even a franchise. The business has been owned by a family.To cover costs, sometimes we do charge for extra things. Then, she said " i have the right to say whatever i want to say blah blah blah". Finally, i told her "If you are not happy with us, you do not have to come back". Ahd she said she will not return. I think, everybody's patience is very limited. Thanks for the article! You article made me feel much better about myself today. I normally am a very patient person and always deal with angry/rude/cruel with lots of patience. However, there was one customer that i’ve been unhappily dealing with her for 2 years now. She’s a very very demading customer. Everytime, we extra-charged her with something that’s supposed to be charged, she had called me bloody or stingy. And whatever we charged her never exceeded $1(we work at the restaurant). The one-sided shit talking about me has been going on for 2 years. However, today –>i lost it. I went up to her and talk to her based on the most possible reasonable reasons. I said, we are not even a franchise. The business has been owned by a family.To cover costs, sometimes we do charge for extra things. Then, she said ” i have the right to say whatever i want to say blah blah blah”. Finally, i told her “If you are not happy with us, you do not have to come back”. Ahd she said she will not return.

I think, everybody’s patience is very limited. Thanks for the article!

]]> By: Winston http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-16297 Winston Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:51:08 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-16297 Irt sounds like you're being the dick not refunding him. People are casual online, deal with it. Irt sounds like you’re being the dick not refunding him. People are casual online, deal with it.

]]> By: Jason http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-12943 Jason Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:53:52 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-12943 You know I think you handled that about as nicely as you could. I'm in a similar position. In my company our only responsibility is to stay with an account until we get everything up and running, all services are tested, installed, customer and their employees are trained and comfortable and then legally we're done. We have a 24 hour 7 day a week including holidays Customer Support 1-800 number. All CSRs speak English and Spanish very well. They are paid to handle service issues around the clock. To be a nice guy, 99% of the time I will go above and beyond when Customers think that they should call their sales reps cell phone at 11:30 on Friday night instead of the 24 hour Customer Service number. Even though I have no obligation to do so, I really try to go the extra mile and handle issues for our clients so they won't have to. To my amazement, it is these same customers that I go the extra mile for who harrass, abuse, cuss, fuss, cast doubts on my mother and the legitimacy of my birth. After 4 years of this bull shit I have a basic policy. Nice people get nice, extra mile, service. People who are friendly and who can maintain a certain level of civility will find that I will get out of the bed at 11:30pm and get on my computer and do my very best to help them out. If it's something that only Customer Service can handle, I'll look up the prompts and give them shortcuts to get directly to the dept. they need. But by god you let one of these ass holes decide that I'm the guy that should take the brunt of their miserable life and cuss and threaten me. I'll withdraw myself from the situation so fast it will make their head swim. I don't care if its $5, $500 or 5 cents, if somebody is so incredibly stupid that they can't talk to me any other way than this fool talked to you above then I'll wish him the best of luck and be on my way. I say this with all due respect to the ones who posted that they would have just refunded it on the first email. I have learned that chasing my tail trying to appease idiots takes so much time away that I'm unable to effectively serve the customers who appreciate the level of service I render. So, I left a ridiculously long post but it can be summed up in this. Nice people - I'll stop everything I'm doing and work around the clock to assit you. Ass hole idiots who have absolutely no brain and have no skills to deal with anybody without cussing and making threats, best wishes - best of luck, that click you're about to hear will be the last thing you hear from me except my voice mail. Well that's my 2 cents (or 3 or 4). I think you were just as nice as anybody could expect and I would have probably told the guy to screw himself about 1 or 2 emails earlier. Good luck and take care. You know I think you handled that about as nicely as you could. I’m in a similar position. In my company our only responsibility is to stay with an account until we get everything up and running, all services are tested, installed, customer and their employees are trained and comfortable and then legally we’re done. We have a 24 hour 7 day a week including holidays Customer Support 1-800 number. All CSRs speak English and Spanish very well. They are paid to handle service issues around the clock. To be a nice guy, 99% of the time I will go above and beyond when Customers think that they should call their sales reps cell phone at 11:30 on Friday night instead of the 24 hour Customer Service number. Even though I have no obligation to do so, I really try to go the extra mile and handle issues for our clients so they won’t have to. To my amazement, it is these same customers that I go the extra mile for who harrass, abuse, cuss, fuss, cast doubts on my mother and the legitimacy of my birth. After 4 years of this bull shit I have a basic policy. Nice people get nice, extra mile, service. People who are friendly and who can maintain a certain level of civility will find that I will get out of the bed at 11:30pm and get on my computer and do my very best to help them out. If it’s something that only Customer Service can handle, I’ll look up the prompts and give them shortcuts to get directly to the dept. they need. But by god you let one of these ass holes decide that I’m the guy that should take the brunt of their miserable life and cuss and threaten me. I’ll withdraw myself from the situation so fast it will make their head swim. I don’t care if its $5, $500 or 5 cents, if somebody is so incredibly stupid that they can’t talk to me any other way than this fool talked to you above then I’ll wish him the best of luck and be on my way. I say this with all due respect to the ones who posted that they would have just refunded it on the first email. I have learned that chasing my tail trying to appease idiots takes so much time away that I’m unable to effectively serve the customers who appreciate the level of service I render. So, I left a ridiculously long post but it can be summed up in this. Nice people – I’ll stop everything I’m doing and work around the clock to assit you. Ass hole idiots who have absolutely no brain and have no skills to deal with anybody without cussing and making threats, best wishes – best of luck, that click you’re about to hear will be the last thing you hear from me except my voice mail. Well that’s my 2 cents (or 3 or 4). I think you were just as nice as anybody could expect and I would have probably told the guy to screw himself about 1 or 2 emails earlier. Good luck and take care.

]]> By: Alisa http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-11859 Alisa Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:18:26 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-11859 I realize I'm commenting on this 2 years later, but felt I had some 2 cents to give. 'The customer is always right' is such an archaic saying, most of the time they AREN'T right and they are very loud about how not right they are, I have personally experienced people obviously lying in order to get a refund, free stuff, etc. that is definitely not right. I think the customer in this case was a grade a jerk for 1. being so blunt and rude in the very first e-mail and 2. caring so much about 5 dollars that he verbally abused someone in such a fashion. While this maybe could have been handled a bit better I think it was the best route to take with someone like this, they can't think they can treat people like that and get what they want. I realize I’m commenting on this 2 years later, but felt I had some 2 cents to give.

‘The customer is always right’ is such an archaic saying, most of the time they AREN’T right and they are very loud about how not right they are, I have personally experienced people obviously lying in order to get a refund, free stuff, etc. that is definitely not right.

I think the customer in this case was a grade a jerk for 1. being so blunt and rude in the very first e-mail and 2. caring so much about 5 dollars that he verbally abused someone in such a fashion. While this maybe could have been handled a bit better I think it was the best route to take with someone like this, they can’t think they can treat people like that and get what they want.

]]> By: Adam Watts http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-914 Adam Watts Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:27:03 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-914 Angry customers usually have a right to be as this is sometimes confused with frustration. Dont forget the customer is always right for he can take is business elsewhere and remember word of mouth is the most effective mode of marketing. I would have refunded him instead of frustrating the dude and expelling all that energy into a negative globe of frustration and confusion. Your enemy is your friend in reverse think about it ! Angry customers usually have a right to be as this is sometimes confused with frustration. Dont forget the customer is always right for he can take is business elsewhere and remember word of mouth is the most effective mode of marketing.

I would have refunded him instead of frustrating the dude and expelling all that energy into a negative globe of frustration and confusion.

Your enemy is your friend in reverse think about it !

]]> By: jake http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-913 jake Wed, 14 May 2008 14:34:16 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-913 i think u did the right thing. to the person that said the 1st e-mail wasnt that rude, i'm sorry, but if u dont make any attempt at being courteous or respectful, that's rude. anyone that would bow down and submit to someone like that is a moron. good for u for not giving him his 5 dollars back! i think u did the right thing. to the person that said the 1st e-mail wasnt that rude, i’m sorry, but if u dont make any attempt at being courteous or respectful, that’s rude. anyone that would bow down and submit to someone like that is a moron. good for u for not giving him his 5 dollars back!

]]> By: Roger http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-912 Roger Fri, 15 Feb 2008 04:07:13 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-912 Ryan, could you change the $5 to $5000? That should make this discussion even more interesting. Ryan, could you change the $5 to $5000? That should make this discussion even more interesting.

]]> By: Eva http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-911 Eva Mon, 07 Jan 2008 09:55:05 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-911 Well, something positive did come out of you putting your story on the web. It made me feel better. Thank you! I'm a photographer and rarly have any complaints, but there are plenty of unhappy people in the world, it's just a matter of time before we run into one, or one runs into us. I had a verbally abusive customer that informed me the pictures I took looked like "Crap" because they were printed with a white boarder (for matting the photo if you want to) she wanted them reprinted. I lied to her and said I don't have them on file anymore seeing the shoot was a month ago and all orders had been completed. But since they were such "crap" I'd refund her $44 when she returned the 1 8x10, 4 5x7's, 4 3x5's, and 12 full wallets, even though I clearly state on my order forms that all sales are final. She wanted her money back and to keep the pictures and when she couldnt have both, she told me she wanted the photographs destroyed in front of her, so I couldnt use them for my portfolio! I still don't have the pictures back and I'm sure if I do get them she will have scanned them into her computer first. Well, something positive did come out of you putting your story on the web. It made me feel better. Thank you! I’m a photographer and rarly have any complaints, but there are plenty of unhappy people in the world, it’s just a matter of time before we run into one, or one runs into us.
I had a verbally abusive customer that informed me the pictures I took looked like “Crap” because they were printed with a white boarder (for matting the photo if you want to) she wanted them reprinted. I lied to her and said I don’t have them on file anymore seeing the shoot was a month ago and all orders had been completed. But since they were such “crap” I’d refund her $44 when she returned the 1 8×10, 4 5×7′s, 4 3×5′s, and 12 full wallets, even though I clearly state on my order forms that all sales are final. She wanted her money back and to keep the pictures and when she couldnt have both, she told me she wanted the photographs destroyed in front of her, so I couldnt use them for my portfolio! I still don’t have the pictures back and I’m sure if I do get them she will have scanned them into her computer first.

]]> By: Kelvin http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-910 Kelvin Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:55:46 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-910 Cool writeup. I know I had to deal with a lot of annoying or crazy customers. specially those who wanted to cancel tickets, get a refund, or request a change to the scheduled to the booking (hey they chose their schedule in the first place), or check the price of the airplane tickets (I feel that making price quotes over the phone is unprofessional, it can be dangerous as it could easily lead to misunderstanding between both parties in the worse case scenario: arbitration) but it seems our company doesn't understand this. Believe me a few even like to drag me and the other co-workers around in circles..bombarded with silly questions such as I don't know this co-workers name, I have booked a ticket with him/her, can you help me out (how am I supposed to know everything).. oh well Cool writeup. I know I had to deal with a lot of annoying or crazy customers.
specially those who wanted to cancel tickets, get a refund, or request a change to the scheduled to the booking (hey they chose their schedule in the first place), or check the price of the airplane tickets (I feel that making price quotes over the phone is unprofessional, it can be dangerous as it could easily lead to misunderstanding between both parties in the worse case scenario: arbitration) but it seems our company doesn’t understand this. Believe me a few even like to drag me and the other co-workers around in circles..bombarded with silly questions such as I don’t know this co-workers name, I have booked a ticket with him/her, can you help me out (how am I supposed to know everything).. oh well

]]> By: Lulu http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-908 Lulu Fri, 21 Sep 2007 23:20:09 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-908 I think you did great, Ryan. Like some people have been saying, it'd probably have been easier just to refund, but I don't think it's right. You have to let the guy know rudeness or abusiveness is not acceptable, no matter what happened and no matter who they are. Otherwise, he'll think he has every right to be rude and verbally abusive just because he couldn't get what he wants, and he'll be rude and inpolite again to rest of the world. Maybe, he was mistreated by someone else in your company, but still nobody should treat others like the guy did. I think you did great. You let him know what he was doing was not acceptable, but still remained professional and tried to help. We have to respect ourselves, too, you know? Also, we should be responsible for the rest of the world when we make choices. But I also understand it's still stressful and upsetting to deal with these kinds of people. So for your sake, I agree with Farrell. So you wouldn't have had to deal with the guy as long as you did. I think you did great, Ryan.

Like some people have been saying, it’d probably have been easier just to refund, but I don’t think it’s right. You have to let the guy know rudeness or abusiveness is not acceptable, no matter what happened and no matter who they are. Otherwise, he’ll think he has every right to be rude and verbally abusive just because he couldn’t get what he wants, and he’ll be rude and inpolite again to rest of the world.
Maybe, he was mistreated by someone else in your company, but still nobody should treat others like the guy did.
I think you did great. You let him know what he was doing was not acceptable, but still remained professional and tried to help. We have to respect ourselves, too, you know? Also, we should be responsible for the rest of the world when we make choices.

But I also understand it’s still stressful and upsetting to deal with these kinds of people. So for your sake, I agree with Farrell. So you wouldn’t have had to deal with the guy as long as you did.

]]> By: cms http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-909 cms Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:18:09 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-909 Nothing a smile or laughter can't change! Nothing a smile or laughter can’t change!

]]> By: Cas http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-907 Cas Tue, 04 Sep 2007 18:30:41 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-907 Customer service has sure changed from promoting a product's reputation to hospital triage. You seem to place importance on authority, rather than negotiation. Let's face it. Technology has exceeded performance requirements of most products. The only thing left to sell is your smiling face, and you failed. The best thing to do would have been to let the guy give up on you, unless you are the only game in town. Customer service has sure changed from promoting a product’s reputation to hospital triage. You seem to place importance on authority, rather than negotiation. Let’s face it. Technology has exceeded performance requirements of most products. The only thing left to sell is your smiling face, and you failed.

The best thing to do would have been to let the guy give up on you, unless you are the only game in town.

]]> By: SY http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-904 SY Thu, 23 Aug 2007 17:51:32 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-904 It is ridiculous to advocate a culture of customer abuse as a requirement of doing business, when customer abuse and beratement can transcend the most remedial rules of social interaction. Forcing businesses to tolerate abuse and beratement never enhances the customer experience; nor does it EVER make businesses more profitable. All the above suggestions are right, and we typically follow the 3 strikes rule. The most important thing though, in our view, is to support the growing discontent with routinely disrespectful and/or cruel treatment of other people and take a stand for basic manners and self-respect. It is ridiculous to advocate a culture of customer abuse as a requirement of doing business, when customer abuse and beratement can transcend the most remedial rules of social interaction. Forcing businesses to tolerate abuse and beratement never enhances the customer experience; nor does it EVER make businesses more profitable.

All the above suggestions are right, and we typically follow the 3 strikes rule. The most important thing though, in our view, is to support the growing discontent with routinely disrespectful and/or cruel treatment of other people and take a stand for basic manners and self-respect.

]]> By: alice phelps http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-906 alice phelps Tue, 31 Jul 2007 22:26:52 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-906 and he tells his friend he was refunded, and he tells his cousin, who tells her neighbor. And you know what? Then everyone wants a refund. You were good not to back down and refund what was not due to be refunded. It sounds good at the time to simply refund and be done, but that's the easy way out. In time, you will realize that a customer like that, 90% of the time forgets they were even mad. look at this customer's record. they probably called back to upgrade again the month after. and he tells his friend he was refunded, and he tells his cousin, who tells her neighbor. And you know what? Then everyone wants a refund. You were good not to back down and refund what was not due to be refunded. It sounds good at the time to simply refund and be done, but that’s the easy way out. In time, you will realize that a customer like that, 90% of the time forgets they were even mad. look at this customer’s record. they probably called back to upgrade again the month after.

]]> By: Andy http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-905 Andy Tue, 31 Jul 2007 22:23:30 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-905 I would never, never have said such a thing as "I would have.......if you weren't so abrasive and rude." I don't think anyone in Customer Service would be trained to do such a thing and in the company in which I work one would be fired for such a statement. Have you never heard that its rude to tell someone that they're rude? You should have left it at your first reply and included the service agreement that was agreed to. If the customer continued to reply, you should continue to provide a copy/paste of the original answer. And, I don't know what the deal with "say things in email they would never say in person". In my customer service experience, that was never true. I have been threatened to have things placed into openings in my body, that I am evil and the devil and that I will be cursed for life. To which I respond. "I'm sorry you feel that way. However, I will not be able to continue this call unless you discontinue such language...." I would never, never have said such a thing as “I would have…….if you weren’t so abrasive and rude.” I don’t think anyone in Customer Service would be trained to do such a thing and in the company in which I work one would be fired for such a statement. Have you never heard that its rude to tell someone that they’re rude? You should have left it at your first reply and included the service agreement that was agreed to. If the customer continued to reply, you should continue to provide a copy/paste of the original answer. And, I don’t know what the deal with “say things in email they would never say in person”. In my customer service experience, that was never true. I have been threatened to have things placed into openings in my body, that I am evil and the devil and that I will be cursed for life. To which I respond. “I’m sorry you feel that way. However, I will not be able to continue this call unless you discontinue such language….”

]]> By: Arupa http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-903 Arupa Thu, 31 May 2007 08:10:09 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-903 If properly dealt with, at times such customers are the ones who are your best and the most long lasting ones. They are being 'straight' with you from day 1 after all :) If properly dealt with, at times such customers are the ones who are your best and the most long lasting ones. They are being ‘straight’ with you from day 1 after all :)

]]> By: AnyHosting » Blog Archive » customer focus http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-902 AnyHosting » Blog Archive » customer focus Sat, 26 May 2007 19:30:00 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-902 [...] “Practice puppetry” is about how to handle abusive or otherwise offensive customers, and not take it personally. This is absolutely key to running a worthwhile business, in my opinion. There’s nothing to be gained by winning an argument with your customer (that link is a poignant response to this post showing someone taking their customer’s frustration personally). [...] [...] “Practice puppetry” is about how to handle abusive or otherwise offensive customers, and not take it personally. This is absolutely key to running a worthwhile business, in my opinion. There’s nothing to be gained by winning an argument with your customer (that link is a poignant response to this post showing someone taking their customer’s frustration personally). [...]

]]> By: ziggy http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-901 ziggy Tue, 08 May 2007 07:57:21 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-901 >> despite the good advice that people have given you. Said policy as shwon on your website below: “If I cancel will you refund my current months charges? Unfortunately not. We don’t issue refunds for payments that have already been taken. If you want to cancel, make sure to do it before the 1st of the month so you don’t get charged for another month.” Why would he refund that charge??? Very clear and straightforward to me. You're billed monthly. Cancel before the end of the month. >>the customer is always right As others said, no, they’re not, and in fact you want to get rid of your worst customers who are eating up all your time and resources and annoying your already busy staff. You want them to go to your competitors and ruin their business. In fact, the best thing you can do is get rid of the worst 10% of your customers and concentrate on the rest and getting more like them. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t solve/avoid problems, but the customer is not always right and many you don’t want as customers, especially if you are a small overburdened business. >> despite the good advice that people have given you. Said policy as shwon on your website below:
“If I cancel will you refund my current months charges?
Unfortunately not. We don’t issue refunds for payments that have already been taken. If you want to cancel, make sure to do it before the 1st of the month so you don’t get charged for another month.”

Why would he refund that charge??? Very clear and straightforward to me. You’re billed monthly. Cancel before the end of the month.

>>the customer is always right

As others said, no, they’re not, and in fact you want to get rid of your worst customers who are eating up all your time and resources and annoying your already busy staff. You want them to go to your competitors and ruin their business. In fact, the best thing you can do is get rid of the worst 10% of your customers and concentrate on the rest and getting more like them.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t solve/avoid problems, but the customer is not always right and many you don’t want as customers, especially if you are a small overburdened business.

]]> By: Simon http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-900 Simon Tue, 24 Apr 2007 21:45:52 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-900 > In those cases it seems best (to me) to > state the facts to them in a professional > manner, and move on. > "...I am now marking your email address > as spam and your communication will > no longer get through..." I have no idea how you manage to reconcile those two statements. Marking a customer's email address as spam and blocking all further communications from them -- basically the electronic version of sticking your fingers in your ears and humming loudly -- is pretty much the antithesis of a "professional manner". (Not sure it would be right to call the guy a "customer", actually -- from the looks of things, you took his money and refused to relinquish it even though your service didn't work, for whatever reason. I believe there are consumer protection laws about that. Frankly, you should feel lucky you didn't get sued (probably thought it wasn't worth it for $5)). > In those cases it seems best (to me) to
> state the facts to them in a professional
> manner, and move on.

> “…I am now marking your email address
> as spam and your communication will
> no longer get through…”

I have no idea how you manage to reconcile those two statements. Marking a customer’s email address as spam and blocking all further communications from them — basically the electronic version of sticking your fingers in your ears and humming loudly — is pretty much the antithesis of a “professional manner”.

(Not sure it would be right to call the guy a “customer”, actually — from the looks of things, you took his money and refused to relinquish it even though your service didn’t work, for whatever reason. I believe there are consumer protection laws about that. Frankly, you should feel lucky you didn’t get sued (probably thought it wasn’t worth it for $5)).

]]> By: Amazed http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-899 Amazed Thu, 19 Apr 2007 20:26:08 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-899 I find it interesting to see that the ill-advised refund policy that started the highly negative customer interaction remains intact. I for one would never use dropsend service quite simply because you seem to be incapable of learning from your own error in customer service despite the good advice that people have given you. Said policy as shwon on your website below: "If I cancel will you refund my current months charges? Unfortunately not. We don't issue refunds for payments that have already been taken. If you want to cancel, make sure to do it before the 1st of the month so you don't get charged for another month." I find it interesting to see that the ill-advised refund policy that started the highly negative customer interaction remains intact. I for one would never use dropsend service quite simply because you seem to be incapable of learning from your own error in customer service despite the good advice that people have given you. Said policy as shwon on your website below:

“If I cancel will you refund my current months charges?
Unfortunately not. We don’t issue refunds for payments that have already been taken. If you want to cancel, make sure to do it before the 1st of the month so you don’t get charged for another month.”

]]> By: Rob http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-898 Rob Tue, 27 Mar 2007 03:19:00 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-898 You can also try the KeywordDiscovery.com <a href="http://www.keyworddiscovery.com/" rel="nofollow">keyword research tool</a> which offers a free trial and similar (monthly and yearly) subscription options like WordTracker. Key difference is that KeywordDiscovery has a much larger keyword database and provides historical data for the past 12 months for every keyword. Cheers Rob You can also try the KeywordDiscovery.com keyword research tool which offers a free trial and similar (monthly and yearly) subscription options like WordTracker. Key difference is that KeywordDiscovery has a much larger keyword database and provides historical data for the past 12 months for every keyword.

Cheers
Rob

]]> By: Daniel http://thinkvitamin.com/business/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers/#comment-897 Daniel Wed, 21 Mar 2007 00:12:13 +0000 http://carsonified.com/web-apps/how-to-deal-with-abusive-customers#comment-897 I have the right mind for this; I live for fixing problems. That's all I want to do. If you people really are struggling with email support for your customers, outsource it to me, provided the volume is reasonable for one bloke. We can negotiate something that makes everyone happy; drop me a line. Ryan I haven't stuck my address in here; that would be evil, but if you'd like to post it here I'd be happy with that. I have the right mind for this; I live for fixing problems. That’s all I want to do.

If you people really are struggling with email support for your customers, outsource it to me, provided the volume is reasonable for one bloke. We can negotiate something that makes everyone happy; drop me a line.
Ryan I haven’t stuck my address in here; that would be evil, but if you’d like to post it here I’d be happy with that.

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