Within customer service, emotions often run high. Whether it’s frustration over a delayed delivery, disappointment with a product, or anger about a perceived injustice, customers bring a myriad of emotions to every interaction. As frontline representatives of your businesses, customer service professionals must have the tools and techniques to navigate these emotional waters with grace and professionalism. Here we consider How to cope with a customer’s emotions.
Related Article: How listening well can resolve customer conflict
“Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions.” Elizabeth Gilbert
Customers, as we all do, have their emotions built in which are activated by their thoughts. In simple terms, customers becoming angry go through this process:
An event has happened: Their parcel is delayed – a parent thinks their child is being bullied – a tenant is advised there is a 5-day turnaround on non-emergency repairs.
Leading to:
Customer thoughts: Why me? – the school is not taking this seriously – it’s an emergency for me!
Leading to:
Physiological response: Adrenaline boost – heart beating faster – fight or flight responses.
Leading to:
Behavioural response: Speaking faster – tone of voice increasing – more animated body language.
This process can happen so fast that it is beyond a customer’s awareness. They are just aware they are annoyed!
So how do we respond to a customer who has gone through this process and is in front of us or on the end of our phone line, becoming annoyed?
Responding to a Customer
Firstly, don’t panic; advising customers of your best information, your policies or procedures, is what you have to do. It is not within your control if a customer experiences negative thoughts, physiological responses or behavioural reactions. Even though you may be getting the blame, does not mean that you have done anything wrong. Easy back on any defensive strategies you might be preparing.
Don’t ignore the customer’s emotions; acknowledge them! Initially, the customer may react adversely to your acknowledgement, if they are annoyed, but their next reaction tends to be an improvement.
As mentioned above, a customer’s reaction is not within your control, but your own reactions and behaviour IS within your control. Here are two simple and easy aspects of your behaviour you can exercise control over:
- Your speed of speech – avoid revving up to match the client’s speed. You will sound less annoyed and more self-assured.
- Avoid talking over the client – when we become a little agitated, we tend to try to defend ourselves by talking over the client.
Managing these two behavioural aspects will give you a greater sense of control. When we feel in control, we are less impacted by customers becoming annoyed and have more personal resources available to manage any emotions coming at us.
Final Words from Conflict Management Training Experts
Mastering the art of coping with customer emotions is not just about diffusing tense situations; it’s about building trust, loyalty, and long-term relationships. By investing in conflict management training, customer service professionals gain invaluable skills that extend far beyond the realm of resolving disputes. They become adept at empathizing with customers, communicating effectively, and finding creative solutions to meet their needs.
We understand the importance of equipping our team with the tools and knowledge needed to excel in customer interactions. That’s why we prioritise conflict management training as a cornerstone of our professional development programs. By embracing these principles, we empower our team to navigate even the most challenging emotions with confidence and compassion.
Are you ready to take your customer service skills to the next level? Explore our conflict management training options today and see how you can transform customer interactions from moments of tension into opportunities for growth and connection. Together, let’s build a culture of empathy, understanding, and excellence in customer service.
For more Conflict Management strategies and tools please do get in touch.