The Best Way to Deal With an Angry Customer:

Dealing with an angry customer is something we all come across in life. So here is a great way to turn a tough situation into value for yourself and them.

As entrepreneurs, we put ourselves in a vulnerable position every day. Selling products and services to different people with unique expectations is not an easy task. And when things do not go too well, we are often left with angry customers and at a loss.

Recently, I tried getting someone to develop a logo for a product I am currently working on. The logo design came back within a couple of hours, and it was clear no genuine respect for my request was considered.

From my side of things, it appeared the entrepreneur had made no effort to make me a happy customer. So, I refused to pay and left him with the best of luck to develop his skills.

I am not an angry customer often because I tend to buy from the same places. However, experiencing it left me thinking. Maybe the person did put the effort in, or he may have been willing to try again.

Despite all of this, I demanded I would not be paying for it and left the deal. From my perspective, I felt disrespected and undervalued as a customer. However, the entrepreneur more than likely had a different view from me. After all, no one runs a company trying to make people unhappy.

So, with all of that in mind, I considered the steps he could have taken to calm me down. Not only calm me down but make me a genuine supporter of his work.

Here are the three things I believe the entrepreneur did wrong whilst dealing with an angry customer. If he had applied these three things, he may have still had me as a customer for the future.

Integrity Over Money

Once I let the person know I did not like the product, he immediately responded with:

“I have spent so long on the design, so what are we going to do about the money? You agreed to pay.”

Unfortunately, his words only got me more frustrated. I let him know that one good customer could bring 3–4 more customers to your business. However, one bad one can turn hundreds of people away by leaving bad reviews everywhere and giving you a bad reputation.

We often forget that negativity always holds more energy than positivity. When we are happy about something, we may tell a few people and put a smile on our face. But anger causes us to want to hit something, scream, and go the extra mile to get revenge.

Your integrity as an entrepreneur is the most vital thing to your success. Being honest about where you are in your development and your product is critical.

You can not tell customers that your course is the best created if it has never been tested. You can not ask for money if your customer is not happy with your service or product.

Remember, you have more than just money to make. You have a brand to maintain, and that is more than a logo with nice colors. It is a feeling you give your customers when they come across your company.

What would have been better is if he had immediately said,

“That is okay. I am sorry you did not like the product. I am still working on my craft, and I am happy you allowed me to try. I will take your feedback and keep on developing my skills, do not worry about paying.”

Being open and honest in this way allows your customer to be sympathetic towards you. It is rare customers are too angry to listen and not show sympathy. Unless you have done something terrible, people are genuinely willing to sympathize with someone being honest.

So remember, be honest to yourself and show that integrity is worth more than money.

You Can Always Be a Helping Hand

Yes, it is too late to get the customer to buy from you. But you can still offer a helping hand. However, you must understand that it is too late to get the customer back at this stage.

My logo designer continued to press different alternatives like:

• Paying half price
• Getting it redone
• Waiting for longer

When a customer is unimpressed, it is unlikely they want any more help from you, and that is okay. Suggesting someone else you may know or saying you can assist in finding someone makes you more likable.

We have all been to stores that tell us we should try somewhere else because they do not have it.

Instead of being pushy and trying to sell something we do not want, they point us in the right direction.

We tend to appreciate stores that do this, and I have found I tend to go back in at some point because I build trust.

The customer may become a loyal consumer of your competitor, but that is not the point.

By helping them to someone who can do the job they need, you become a trusted connection. Without helping out, you would have become a bad company.

It is better to be known as a trusted advisor than a bad company. My logo designer could have offered to form a list of people he knows who have been doing it for longer and are better. That would have helped a lot, and I would have probably kept him as a connection.

Stick With Your Customer Until the End

The last thing I would propose is sticking with your customer even when they no longer are yours. You do this by asking your customer if they managed to get what they wanted and what the finished product or service looked like.

By doing this, you are showing the customer that you care about their outcome more about their consumption. Not to mention, it is also a great way to see what you could do differently to ensure future customers are happy.

Closing Thoughts

Dealing with angry customers is something we all come across at least once in our lives. Not many people teach us how to diffuse the situation and still get some value from it.

So, I hope today’s short article has helped you learn how to do that.