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You can’t please all the people all the time. This is a known fact in business. No matter how hard you try to provide the best possible services or products – you are bound to have an angry customer along the way. They might be upset at one of your employees or simply having a bad day – regardless, it’s what you do and don’t do that leads to a successful outcome or complete failure. Here are the steps to take when dealing with an otherwise unhappy customer or client:

1. Respond immediately (or as soon as humanly possible).
2. Stay calm and professional. Don’t be patronizing, rude or hostile.
3. Acknowledge the customer’s specific concerns.
4. Either offer an immediate solution or explain that you need a little time to look into the issue. Tell them when you will respond and follow-through.
5. Pick up the phone. If you have received an e-mail from an angry customer, ask if you can call them to discuss the situation. E-mail is often a very ineffective way of communicating.
6. After the problem has been resolved, do a series of follow-ups to check in with the customer (even if they are not presently doing business with you). A simple “hello” is worth the effort.

Use some common sense: Make sure the solution fits the bill. What I mean by that, is don’t offer a solution that seems ill-spirited or downright stupid. Here’s an example. My sister and I stopped for breakfast one morning at McDonald’s about 15 years ago. We both ordered pancakes – traditional pancakes. So there we were eating away when all of a sudden, it dawned on me that I was chewing on Wrigley’s Doublemint gum. The problem? It wasn’t mine. Somehow it found its way into my pancakes and into my mouth. Disgusted and irate, we asked to see the manager. She obviously wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. Instead of offering a refund (or an apology of any type), she offered to replace the pancakes with a new batch. My sister’s response was classic and has stuck with me to this day. She said, “We’ve already enjoyed Wrigley’s Doublemint on the house. Do you really think we want to try Big Red next?” And we left. No refund. Empty stomachs. Unhappy. It was years and many manager changes later before either of us returned to that establishment. So my words of advice are stop to think for a moment before offering a solution to an angry customer. Would you be satisfied? Does the peace offer make sense or does it have Doublemint written all over it?

Warning: Sometimes an angry customer is angry for all the wrong reasons. You know what I’m talking about. Something happens that causes a customer to become irate either by e-mail, on the phone or in person. But no matter how you try to fix the situation, it seems helpless. The customer remains angry and hostile. The truth of the matter is that they probably have something else going on in their personal or professional lives fueling the negative emotional outburst. Unfortunately, you’re caught in the middle. The absolute worst thing you can do in a situation like this is react or fall into their trap. Don’t allow yourself to get angry, fired-up or otherwise emotionally involved in the situation. Remain calm and professional, and respond to their feelings – not the so-called problem. Show some sympathy and understanding. One of the following power phrases can help you get things under control or at least calmed down a bit:

• I understand that you are upset, and I completely understand. I would be, too. In fact just last week, I found myself in a similar situation as you. But aside from that, is everything else okay?
• You’re clearly frustrated and you have every right to be. Aside from a refund (waiver of a fee, coupon for a discount, etc.), what else can I do to make this up to you?
• I am truly sorry that you are upset and will do everything I can to figure out what is going on.

It is important that you do way more listening than you do talking when dealing with an angry customer. By listening, you allow yourself an opportunity to hear what the issues really are and come up with a plan for rectifying the situation. Also, refrain from making false promises. This will only escalate the situation at another time.

I would add “Don’t take it personally” like a lot of experts cite, but if you are directly to blame for a customer’s frustration – then you should take it through the heart. Learn from your mistakes, rectify the situation, get back on your feet again… And make sure you follow-up with the customer.

Message of the day: Always check your pancakes for foreign items before taking a bite.

Tags: angry customer, customer service, dealing with an angry customer, how to handle an unhappy customer, McDonald's