Following Up With an Angry Client or Customer

“The customer is always right.”
How does that statement make you feel? Do you believe it to be true for your business? What if that customer is berating you or your staff unnecessarily? There is a fine line, and if the customer chooses to cross that line, it may be a customer you could do better without. Alternatively, sometimes a simple response letting the angry customer know that you hear them and you understand is all it takes to take the fire out of their mood, and get to the bottom of their frustration.
We live in a world where customer service is generally severely lacking. As consumers, we’ve gotten so used to bad customer service that we experience a kind of blindness when faced with it. It’s simply expected, so doing the opposite – being a caring and concerned business-owner – will turn heads in your favor!
Still, you will get that occasional client or customer that is experiencing anger or frustration and directs that towards you and your business, and following up with this particular client is especially important.
The best way to get to the bottom of a problem is to address it directly, without procrastination or assuming guilt. Follow up with the angry party, let them know that, as the businesses owner, you are concerned about their issue and that you’d like to address it immediately.
Usually, just the act of feeling listened to will quell the frustration, and you’ll much more easily be able to decipher the real issues.
And keep in mind that angry customers are an excellent opportunity to really shine where your businesses customer service is concerned. We, as consumers, will always remember and recommend the business that addressed our issues quickly, fairly, and with a positive outcome.
Having said that, there are times when a customer or client should be “fired”. Some people are simply not in the right headspace to be good clients, and a client that sucks all of your mental energy doesn’t do your business (or you, as the owner) any good at all. Weigh the time, energy and resources you put into following up with and satisfying a high-maintenance customer against the relief of simply letting that customer go, and you may find that letting the customer go is better for your business, and for you personally, in the long run.
Simply because you are a business owner doesn’t mean that your customer must have all control. Institute balance in your follow up responses, and your businesses will run more smoothly, and you’ll be a happier owner.

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