There’s no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic brought along a shift in society. One of the most notable changes in our industry is how much extra pressure is placed on employees and their customers, which can make people quick to snap.
If your employees don’t handle negative customer interactions properly, it could bring about consequences regarding stress and emotional exhaustion. This could also be bad for business, as it increases absenteeism and reduces performance. The entire reputation of your service station could be damaged if you get your reaction to poor customer interactions wrong.
In this article, we’ll go over five ways to deal with aggressive customers so you can feel confident in handling any difficult situations you may face at your service station.
Strategies for Handling Aggressive Customers
If you’re on the receiving end of abuse, here are five ways that you can handle it:
1. Remain Calm
The last thing you want to do is fight fire with fire. Instead, take a few deep breaths and stay calm. This will also make you more aware of how the customer is behaving, and you will be able to recognise when it’s time to step away and get help.
2. Remember It’s Not Personal
If a customer is rude to you, it’s likely they’re angry about an unfulfilled promise, a bad product, or they’re simply in a foul mood, and you’re the one receiving the effects of their frustration. Especially during COVID, feelings of fear, anxiety, and restlessness have built up in people around the world, and they might just explode on you.
Don’t take the rudeness to heart. Instead, try to empathise so the customer knows you’re listening and that you will do your best to fix their problem.
3. Listen and Apologise When Necessary
Many aggressive customers just need to vent. If this is the case, actively listen – even if they sound unreasonable. Reflect their words back to them. In some cases, when a customer hears their expectations from another person’s mouth, they will realise how potentially unrealistic those expectations are.
If you’ve gotten an earful from a customer, the last thing you probably want to do is apologise. But if a customer’s complaint is genuine, an apology may dissuade their rudeness and make for a better outcome.
4. Stand Your Ground
While some situations require you to listen, others require you to stand firm and be assertive. If a customer is preventing you from getting a word in, figure out a way to respond clearly and confidently. If a customer is wrong or asking you to break the rules, address the details and remember that you’re enforcing the responsibilities of your job.
5. Find A Solution
Involve the customer in finding a solution. Simple solutions are the best bet, but in some cases, there are no easy answers. If there isn’t an answer, explain the difficulty of the situation and stick to your position.
Aggressive Customers at Your Service Station
If a customer’s behavior is unacceptable, as a service station manager or owner, it’s important to step in and let them know.
Over anything, after an encounter with an aggressive customer, check in with your employees to make sure they’re okay and that they feel equipped to deal with similar situations in the future. Because while you have a responsibility to your business, you have a responsibility to your people first.