9 Secrets for Retailers to Deal with Angry Customers

Assume That The Customer Has Right to Be Angry

If you are working behind the desk of your store, it is more common that you will find angry customers now and then. The first thing that you have to do when an angry customer approaches you is to assume that the customer has the right to be angry with your store about any product or service that you offer.

The reason for the angriness of customer is something that you have to know about later, but getting your mind into the right place to bear with the rude customers is essential. So do not get offended by the customer before even knowing what their problem is. Just go with the flow and make your mind accept that there is nothing wrong from the customer side.

Listen to the Customer and Calm Them Down With Your Questions

The customers who are angry need to be heard first. If you start interrupting them at the start with your questions, there is a high chance that they get more outraged than they are and this will do no good for your store. So give an opportunity for the customer to explain their issue. You should listen to their point actively first and then after they explain the complete issue, first tell them that you understood their problem clearly and now you can start asking the questions. Make sure to maintain certain politeness while posing the questions. Do not get judgmental at any point in time.

Maintenance of Eye Contact

Your customers should be aware of the fact that you are taking them very seriously. It is essential when you are dealing with angry customers. You should maintain eye contact with them all the time when they are telling their concerns and also should maintain certain non-verbal behaviors which will help them in understanding that you are serious about their issue and are ready to provide a solution for whatsoever problem that they are facing.

Empathy is Important

The first thing that every person do when someone shouts at them angrily is to respond politely. The anger isn't going to do any good in this situation. The problem may sound small to you, and it won't matter for your business but for the customer, the problem is real and you are standing behind the desk to provide a solution for the challenge. So make sure that you should not lose your cool when dealing with demanding customers.

Apologize as You Mean It

Most of the stores offer some credit when a customer gets angry with the service or their product. This will compensate the financial loss that the customer faced due to your store but it is essential to make a long-lasting positive impression on the customer and apologizing to them is one of the best ways to get that. This technique is highly beneficial when you are dealing with angry customers.
Make sure that you apologize to the customer genuinely from the heart. Just saying “sorry” isn’t going to work out. Ask them sorry for the mistake that has happened in particular.

Compensate for The Discomfort

This is optional but you if the discomfort faced by the customer can be compensated with some store credit or any other privileges, then do not hesitate to provide them with the compensation.
Note: Retailers can use point of sale software to give them gift cards, coupons, extra loyalty points etc.

Resolve the Problem and Reinstate the Customer

Gaining the lost trust of your customer is imperative. It is important for you to give some time for the angry customer to calm down. Ensure your customer that you are going to solve the issue that they have been facing. Please start out stating that we are going to resolve this issue together. This way the customer will start believing in you. You should first ask the customer about the solution that they are expecting from your end. This way you will be able to provide the customer with the answer that they are looking for. If you want some time to solve the issue, then make sure to ask a certain amount of time from the customer. Just using a common phrase like "I will get back to you as soon as possible" isn't going to work. You have to ask them a particular amount of time first.

Provide Solution for the Problem

Once you understand the problem, then it is your responsibility to triage the leading cause of the problem. Analyze the problem and make sure to provide the correct solution for it. It can be a technical issue or administrative issue or even the product issue; you have to make sure that you address the problem within the stipulated time that you have asked for your customer. Make sure to get back to the customer with a solution or with at least an update.
Now, as you have known the issue, you should correct it as soon as possible. It is essential to provide the solution on an immediate basis when the customer raises a problem. This will help in gaining good trust from the customer. The confidence plays an important role here and to make sure that the customer trusts you again, you have to provide them with the required solution as soon as possible.

Conclusion

The first and most important thing that you have to do while dealing with an angry customer is to make them trust you and your retail store again. You should make sure that the customer comes to your retail store again for shopping. Customers are the first priority, and it is vital to provide them with the right service to make them retain customers. Irrespective of your business you have to make sure that the customer service is of top notch and you are providing best in class service for all your customers.