Coping with difficult conversations with customers
How to look after yourself when tensions are high.
Dealing with angry or difficult customers is a hard task.
When faced with a venting customer, it’s good to remember that such disproportionate anger is unlikely to be about you.
What’s more likely is that something else is going on in their lives which is contributing to the outburst.
Whatever the reason, it’s still tough to find yourself on the receiving end.
Even when you know it’s not personal it can be a confronting and overwhelming experience.
Try to keep your cool. When someone is directing anger toward you, it’s natural for your fight or flight response to be activated.
You might feel a surge of adrenaline and your instinct may be to get defensive or go on the attack.
Instead take deep breaths, slow down your speech and try not to raise your voice. If you can, be ultra polite. This can diffuse the situation.
It's harder for a person to maintain anger or be unreasonable in the face of a calm, level, courteous response.
From a practical point of view, it can help to have a prepared exit strategy you can use in these situations if it gets too much.
Once you’ve stepped away from the conversation the most important thing is to take care of yourself. Just as the customers emotions are valid - so are yours.
Make sure you have some self-care strategies in place. Tune in the things that uplift you and make them a priority.
Having a daily mental wellbeing plan will help you to look after yourself and put you in a good space to cope when life gets challenging.
Use Mentemia’s six pillars of wellbeing to create small daily habits that will have a positive impact on how you feel.
Finally, when you get home why not try to BOB?
That’s Breathe, Observe and Boogie.
Deep belly breathing will help you feel more calm.
Then take a moment to observe what’s around you - really tune in to the present the sights, sounds and smells.
Next, put on some music and shake it all about. These simple physical actions can transform your mood and help to centre you after a difficult day.