How to Deal With Difficult Customer Interactions

Have you ever dealt with a customer who was upset or dissatisfied? Perhaps you even started to feel uncomfortable or unsafe. Handling these types of situations can be challenging, and the feelings and memories can stick with you.  

While it’s important to listen to a customer’s needs, it’s also essential to care for your own well-being. Let’s explore how to deal with difficult customer interactions with coping tools that can help during and after these encounters. 

Handling difficult customer encounters as they happen

Here are a few things you can do to help reduce stress and anxiety during a tough customer situation.

Breathe slowly

Stress affects our ability to think and respond. Breathing slowly and into the belly can lower stress, helping us feel less overwhelmed and better able to handle a difficult customer interaction thoughtfully. To practice this technique when you’re off-the-clock, try using a guided meditation or breathing exercise. 

Anchoring with touch

When we’re distressed, we may experience racing thoughts. Touching a physical object helps us focus on something else and anchors us in the present moment. When dealing with difficult customer situations, try touching objects or surfaces around you, such as the floor, wall, or a counter. You can also consider:

• Holding something small such as a coin, stone, or paperweight 
• Squeezing a stress ball or plush keychain charm
• Stroking soft clothing or a soothing surface
• Gripping the edge of a table, pen or pencil, or water bottle
• Fidgeting by clicking a pen, tapping your fingers, or fiddling with jewelry
• Pressing your feet firmly into the ground and feeling its support

“STOP” to slow down

The “STOP” (Stop, Observe, Take a step back, and Proceed thoughtfully) skill takes just a couple minutes, and can help us calm ourselves and stay present as we handle difficult customer interactions. Follow these steps to give it a try:

1. Stop. Halt all movement. It may help to imagine a big stop sign. 
2. Take a step back from the situation, pause before speaking, or breathe deeply.
3. Without judgment, observe what’s going on around you. Also notice your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations.
4. Proceed thoughtfully. Ask yourself, “What is my goal for this situation?” Is it to stay calm, help the customer, or something else? Then, do what will help you meet your goal.

Say a mantra

A mantra is a positive word or phrase we can say to ourselves when handling difficult customer encounters. Repeating a mantra helps us focus our mind on one thing, rather than allowing our thoughts to race or spiral. Here are a few examples:

• “Take it slow.”
• “I’m doing my best.”
• “I can handle this.”
• “Their anger isn’t about me.”
• “Breathe.”

Recovering from difficult customer encounters 

Sometimes it can be difficult to move forward after dealing with a difficult customer interaction. It’s common to think about a customer’s words or actions over and over again. Practice “letting go” of these moments with these tips:

Get moving

Try taking a walk around your workplace or doing another physical activity that helps you de-stress. Imagine your movements are helping you leave your stress behind or pushing stress out of your body.

Allow thoughts to slide away

Imagine that your thoughts are similar to food on a non-stick pan. When you recall stressful memories of handling a difficult customer moment, invite them to gently slide away. Guide your attention toward what’s happening now. 

Release your feelings in a healthy way

You may find relief by safely expressing your feelings using your words, body, or voice. To do this, find a safe, private place. Then, try releasing tension by singing loudly, screaming into a pillow, dancing, exercising intensely, venting to a friend, or journaling. You can also do this printable activity on coping with a difficult interaction. 

A note about safety

Remember, when handling tough customer situations, safety comes first. Make sure to refer to your company’s guidelines for dealing with difficult customer interactions to protect yourself, your co-workers, and the customer.