6 Ways to Stay Calm While Customers Are Angry

1. Be assertive, rather than offensive or passive. My meaning of assertion is straightforward: "Say what you think, mean what you say, and don't be mean when doing it." Allow this rule to direct your interactions with all clients, and you'll always be calm, cool, and in charge, as well as competent.

2. Slow down your speech. When you deliberately slow down the pace of speech, you'll be surprised by how much more clearly you can think and how much more control and trust you have. When your emotional stimuli are activated, speak carefully and methodically to preserve your poise through tense conversations.

3. Be patient for 1-2 seconds before answering. Responding quickly to challenging or tactical customers can lead to you saying something you'll later regret. Take a deep breath, wait at least 2 seconds, and consider the correct answer and solution before responding.

4. Take a break. Take a rest if you like your buttons have been pressed. You might inform the customer that you need to put him on hold while you check a paper, or whatever reason seems reasonable at the moment. The aim is to get away from the customer for a few seconds to regroup.

5. Practice constructive self-talk. I'm trying to sound like Dr. Phil here, but I'm sincere. Instead of telling yourself, "I'm not paying enough to put up with this," Say something more encouraging, such as, "This guy really wants my support." Good thinking allows you to react more confidently and professionally. Bad feelings escalate to bad sentences, and the situation spirals out of control.

6. Demonstrate your strength before using it. A slight hint of your "strength" is always much more powerful than an outright use of your power. As a customer service representative, you can have the authority to end a phone call. You might tell your client, "If you don't stop shouting, I'll end this call." But, believe it or not, if you say, "I want to support you, but when you scream and cut me off, you make it impossible for me to deal with you," you are even more "strong." The latter assertion reflects your power, and your message is clearly heard. The previous assertion depletes all of your ammo and is unlikely to appease an irate client.

These remarkably easy tips can put you in a position to hold your composure as customers get agitated!