Dedicated to promoting the highest levels of customer service for our customers - the citizens of the City of Hampton.
Customer Service Spotlight
Dear Dee,
I am a new employee (less than 6 months) with the city and my job is to answer the phone and greet visitors to the office. I love people and realize that I am the “face” of the city to those who call and come into the office. The other day I had a call that really threw me for a loop. The caller was very irate as soon as I answered the phone, would not let me get a word in the conversation and cursed me three different times! It really upset me. I eventually got his contact information and promised to have my department head contact him the next day. I felt like I was abused badly by the resident. I am a little scared to talk to my supervisor about it because I am so new and I don’t want to be thought of as a trouble maker or someone who can’t take it from the public. It has bothered me so much that when the phone rings I hesitate to answer it sometimes. Can you give me some advice on abusive telephone callers and whether I should speak to my supervisor about the incident?
Thanks, Cussed and Confused
Dear C.C.,
I want to respond to your problem in two parts – the abusive customer you had and then the angry/irate customers we encounter on occasion.
No employee should endure abusive or offensive language – over the phone or in person. If a customer is cursing at you, politely and firmly ask the customer to stop using offensive language. Tell the customer that you want to help, but you can’t help him/her unless they calm down so you can understand the problem. If they continue to be abusive, you absolutely should contact your supervisor immediately for assistance. With the caller that you had and the fact that you promised to have your department head call them back, you should tell your supervisor of the circumstances of the call. Your supervisor and department head both need to be aware that the caller was abusive before they call him or her back.
Never feel uncomfortable going to your supervisor when you have a problem! That’s what they are paid for! Don’t feel like you’re alone when dealing with an abusive customer – supervisors are there to support you when you have a problem.
Secondly, irate customers are not easy and take a lot of practice to become adept at handling them. First and foremost, never take a customer’s anger as a personal attack on you! They are angry at a situation or problem – not you! I know that is hard, but most likely they have a lot more going on then just what they are complaining about. They may have had a bad day, a fight with a family member, an argument with their boss or any number of unfortunate problems. You just happen to be there when it was the “last straw” for the customer. Second, always let them talk it through. They need to vent and you won’t get in a word edgewise until they do. So let them get it off their chest first and be sure to let the customer know you are listening! Next, you need to get an understanding of the issue they are really upset about. Ask a few questions to clarify that you understand their concerns. You can’t fix something if you don’t know what is broken. Once you understand the problem, then you can work your customer delight magic to help resolve the issue. At the end of the encounter be sure you reiterate to your customer what you will be doing. Be sure to follow up on anything that you need to.
Many of us have had the unfortunate experience of having an abusive customer. But the abusive customer is not the norm. We all deal with the angry/irate customer on occasion and it takes a lot of care and concern to win them over. Some of us just get better at handling them as we gain experience working with the public. You will too!
