The customer rules. Customers are gold in every business and no business succeeds without customers patronizing it.

A lot of us get very excited when we receive testimonials and praise from clients, but when it is a complaint, we tend to play the blame game.

Whether justifiable or not, a customer has the right to be angry when he/she is not pleased with a service.

Customers are the key players in every field, and they help to promote your business, especially when they are treated like the gold they are. Therefore, avoid a customer leaving dissatisfied or angry.

No matter how complicated their needs are, they must be met directly or indirectly. Just like the saying goes,

Every contact we have with a customer influences whether or not they’ll come back. We have to be great every time or we’ll lose them. ~ Kevin Stirtz.

There are several ways to pacify an angry or dissatisfied customer, here are a few:

1. Listen, listen and listen

Never argue with a customer no matter who is at fault. Dissatisfied customers tend to take out their frustration on you. Do not take it personally.

Take your time to listen and understand what the customer is dissatisfied with, and then find a way to help.

2. Let them know you are truly sorry

If dissatisfied customers refuse to calm down, show empathy.

Be sincere, respectful, tell them you understand, smile at them, tell them you are truly sorry for whatever the issue is, and let them know you are there to help them.

Respect and understanding will help reduce the tension and ease the angry customer.

3. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes

Imagine being in the dissatisfied customer’s shoes. What would you want to hear?

You’ll be able to turn the situation around if you can think of what you’d want if you were the angry customer.

The customer needs to know you are on his/her side and that you’re sincerely trying to solve the problem.

4. Remain cool, calm and collected

At some point in the discussion, you might get on the verge of exploding with anger, but you have to keep your emotions in check and remain calm.

You should be gentle with your customers and pass your point across without offending your customer’s feelings.

5. Never justify your wrongs

Do not give flimsy excuses for mistakes or wrong doings. Customer doesn’t want to hear excuses but solutions.

Whether the complaint is justifiable or not, do not give excuses. It is only by suggesting a reasonable solution that you’d be able to calm the customer and make them go away happily.

6. Solve the problem in a way that is fair to both parties

While trying to solve the problem, do not make the mistake of promising unrealistic solutions.

Do not bite off more than you can chew. Promise what you can deliver so that you don’t go back to where you started.

7. Always end on a good note

Your last few moments of interaction is what your customer will remember. Make sure you give your meeting a happy ending.  When you end with a positive conclusion, the customer starts to forget the problem they had earlier.

What do you think of the tips above? What method works best for you? As a customer, have you had a bad experience recently?