Anger Solutions at Work: Why Customers Get Angry

There is a host of reasons why customers get angry. Basic customer service principles state that customers are people who need the help of a service provider or a product. These customers could be “internal” – the people you need or who need you to get a job done; or they could be “external” – the people who wish to purchase or use your product or service. Customers see the frontline representative as the company, and they will perceive service to be exceptional if they are given options and made to feel in control as the consumer. Customers will typically experience anger under the following circumstances:

• They didn’t get what was promised: If you purchase a “whatzit” that promises to revolutionize the way you experience at-home theatre, and all the “whatzit” does is create static on your television set, you might be upset about that. The anger displayed by the customer in this type of situation stems from the frustration of unmet expectations. What to do: Clarify the customer’s expectations before the customer leaves your place of business. Follow up to see if the product or service is meeting his/her expectations, and then intervene if necessary. Adhere to the customer service standard to “under promise and over deliver”, so the customer perceives that his/her expectations have been exceeded rather than ripped off.

• They were lied to: Customer service providers should never gloss over the details of a sale, or “forget to mention” that one important detail. If a customer believes that s/he has been lied to, the customer service relationship will not only die, but the repercussions of such a monumental blunder will haunt the offending company for years to come by way of poor reputation and dwindling profits. Better to risk losing a customer by being honest than to risk the company’s reputation by bending the truth.

• Nobody listens to them: If customers feel as though they are being ignored, they will resort to behaviours that will get their attention. Service delivery standards exist to prevent this from happening. For example, simple actions at the first point of contact with the customer such as making eye contact, smiling, and acknowledging the customer will immediately enable the customer’s perception that the company is attentive. Listening carefully to customers’ complaints and requests, clarifying through questions and feedback, and following through on their requests will increase the likelihood of overall customer satisfaction.

• They get a bad surprise: Imagine taking your car in for an oil change, and returning to find out they have retrofitted your engine without your consent, and the bill is astronomical! Talk about a bad surprise. This is an extreme and highly unlikely example; however, customers often get bad surprises, and as you might expect, may react poorly to them. Customers need to be well informed, and always presented with alternatives and options. When a customer is dissatisfied, s/he often knows how s/he wants the situation resolved – ask the customer what they want and then do your best to satisfy their request. By doing this you will not only solve the customer’s immediate problem, but you will engender that customer’s loyalty for going the extra mile.



Anger Solutions at Work: Why Customers Get Angry - To learn more about this author, visit Julie Christiansen's Website.

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