Customers who scream and sound irrational can be the worst nightmares for a customer service agent. But then, whatever professions you are into you have to face obstacles. Dealing with angry customers is like walking on a tight rope. The balancing act is essential. When under severe attack from the caller, the agent needs to remain calm and strong from inside. Yes, this is easier said than done. Facing angry customers is the most difficult prospect for any outsource customer service agent no matter how experienced he/she might be. When the task is so difficult little help always comes in handy.

The 4 C’s

When you get a call from irrational and angry customers it is important to keep in mind some essentials which are termed as 4 C’s of call handling:

• Calmness: No matter what happens never lose your calm and respond back in anger.
• Compassion: The caller is angry for a reason. It is important to understand the customer’s situation. So, listen to the caller carefully and then respond in an understanding tone.
• Confidence: An angry customer is further angered when the agent at the other end sounds incompetent. This is why you should sound in control of the situation. The confidence in your voice has the power to tame down the angry customer.
• Competence: The agent should have a good idea of the steps to be taken. He/she should either solve the problem or escalate the issue to superiors quickly. Efficient handling makes sure that the situation does not go out of control.

Things to Keep in Mind

No matter how irrational or angry a customer is, as an agent you need to keep in mind certain basics such as:

• Never forget to treat every situation as it comes. When you get a call from angry customer you should forget all about the canned speeches. Every situation is different, so you have to customize the communication. Pre-determined answers will only drive the customer mad.
• Every angry customer does not start a call shouting and cursing. Some callers start off politely and then get angry as they get into explanation of their problem. This is why it is best to be ready for the worse. Best agents are able to read minds of callers from their tone and pattern of speech.
• You are into customer service because you are good at it. When you are good at something, adversities should be treated as opportunities. Answering Service the basic calls is everyday business, but to convince an angry customer on staying with the brand is something challenging. So, take up the challenge.
• You should be ready for failure too. No matter how hard you try and how efficiently you tackle a situation the anger of people varies. Some people just cannot be tamed down. So, expecting to turn the tide every time is enthusiastic but not realistic.
• “Sorry” has become a clichéd phrase that is used by the customer service agents every time something goes wrong. So, sorry does not have the impact it should. Rather you should use the phrase “I apologize for …” The apology should lead to the actual issue and while doing so address the caller by name.
• It is important not to take the harsh words personally. Though the customer is yelling at you, but he/she is actually attacking the brand. This is a good way of calming yourself down.
• Become a partner for the customer. The caller should realize that you are as much worried about the problem as he/she is. You would be trying everything to address the situation.

Angry customers are angry for a cause, when the agent is able to diagnose that and take immediate action, it will pacify the caller. Every time there is a complaint there is something to learn from it. The cases of every angry caller should be noted by the call center outsourcing companies and the system should be adjusted likewise.