doug smith training

Bad customers are no excuse for bad service. We've all experienced difficult customers and people who cannot be pleased no matter what we do. And even though it could feel justified to provide worse service as I result, that's wrong. I've seen people do it -- give the customer less than usual because of a rude remark, or take longer than necessary on a task because of a condescending attitude -- but in service to others we must be better than that. Customer service excellence means constant, attentive, respectful helpfulness. Nothing less. And who knows -- we could always end up turning that bad customer into a great customer. -- doug smith 

Did your most recent rude customer ruin your day? It doesn't have to be that way. Customers these days ARE tougher than ever. Their highly emotional outbursts can impact any attempts to provide good service. As a result, poorly behaved customers often get WORSE service than they would have otherwise. When I managed a customer service shop I often told my team members, "you may have to tolerate occasional rudeness sparked by emotions, but you  NEVER have to tolerate abuse." End the conversation, politely, and decisively. Suggest a better time to talk, when things have calmed down. Service does not require surrender. We're people, too. -- doug smith