What are some tips for maintaining composure when dealing with angry or rude callers?

Actually, I agree that they may be right. That usually deescalates the situation long enough to begin again. Then see what we can do together to move forward.

I’d agree to this. The reason behind this anger is definitely coming from somewhere else (Past calls experience, or some personal issue etc ). So it’s always a good idea to be kind and hear them out without interrupting.

Remember to take a deep breath, and a moment to collect yourself. Smile they can hear it, even if they can't see it. Remember its not YOU they are angry with, it's the situation.

Listen, and don't interrupt. Use a calm and respectful tone of voice. At the end of the call thank the client for their patience, and assure that this will be looked into and that this will never happen again.

Allow customers to fully and completely explain the situation with no interpretation. After all the information has been unloaded, acknowledge each frustration expressed and assure them you understand and will find a solution.

Listen attentively and don't interrupt the customer I think the best way is to listen to them without interrupting. be calm and let them speak and when they are done venting the best way to answer is to say I hear you and I understand how you feel, now can I be able to assist you and sort out the problem in a respectful way. And don't forget the tone of your voice also matters.

When someone is escalated, frustrated and/or yelling using any kind of tone that is negative can escalate the caller even more. Ever heard the saying, "You can't fight fire with fire"? All it will do is make the situation worse. Take a deep breath, listen, reiterate back their concerns, and let them know what you can do to help.

I always say that we don’t know what someone is going through and that the anger is not directed at me. Their anger is a result of circumstances that they are dealing with in their lives. If I just give them the respect that I would want, they may change their tone. If they don’t, I did my part not to add to their anguish.

When responding, smile. It comes through in your voice over the phone. I once attended a training where the speaker suggested talking to a mirror. It's amazing how that changes the way you respond.

I agree with you. Be calm throughout the conversation, When the client is done, do not try to exonerate yourself just assure the client that the issue will be resolved and you'll personally reach out when sorted out. that way you gain their attention, and trust.

This might be again a cultural thing, because in my culture we don't have a problem of politely saying no to a customer, when something is not possible. While I find it is important to aknowledge one′'s limitations and what is and unfortunately is not possible, I find the strickt protocol hindering during the difficult conversations. As long as it is not question of an actual threatening customer (which is extremely rare), It is much more important to make the customer feel heard and understood. This may not be possible, if following strict protocol.

Yeah, so right. don't cut corners when trying to please a client. ensure to escalate when it's beyond you. follow companies' guidelines in order not to incur a cost. Inform the client of the timeline if it's a situation you can't solve immediately.

Protocol is your foundation. The best thing about this is, once you are firmly rooted in your foundation, you can focus on what you CAN do! It shifts the focus to reality. Restate to them that you understand what they are asking for and while it may not be within your guidelines here’s what you can do for them. It let’s them know that you are listening to their needs and still trying to work with in your limitations. People are hyper aware in a biased way when they are upset so it’s important to be very detailed and concise. Make a list or bullet points so that way there’s absolute clarity of expectations. Even if they misunderstand what is being given to them you still give that information correctly.

I whole heartedly agree, as to be able to serve next customer you need to reset your calm. Sometimes just drinking a class of water might help, but sometimes you need to share your feeling with a collegue, who has gone through similar situations and can relate to your frustrations.

so right, you can pause for a while, do something else , use the restroom, before taking on another call. this way you will regain composure, calmness, and be able to sort out the next customer.

Reflection though difficult is important. What did you well? What do you need to improve on? What phrases were impactful or hurtful in coming to a resolution? Honestly evaluate yourself. You may have to do this after you have calmed down from the situation. Solicit your peers and supervisors for ideas on improvements and what has worked for them. Put yourself in the other person's shoes and ask, "What would I want to hear?"

Let the callers vent- out. Angry people just need someone to listen to their angst. Angry people are also blinded by their emotions that they cannot listen to reason or feel the empathy. After they release all their pent up emotions, then they will feel guilty for making you their punching bag and will become kinder eventually and listen to your explanation. That is based on my 13 years of experience of always getting the irate callers. Now, I wonder why I always get the irate callers?

if the customer is before you, offer water, and let the person calm down before responding to raise questions. but if it's virtual, allow the person to vent don't shut them up. Listen attentively, understand the situation, and know how to solve the issue.

Always humanize the experience for yourself AND them. One thing to consider is when a person reaches you particularly if it’s over the phone they have either been through automated prompts, talked to other people who have invalidated them or just rightfully, told them the protocol, and they don’t agree with it. You always have the chance to be a stand out by putting empathy first. Allow them to feel your sincerity. Sometimes it even helps people see the error of their ways when they realize that they are talking to a person not a business. This also helps with recognizing the need for self/team care after rough interactions.

One thing that I found helpful is giving them explanation/s not only solution/s. It is better to be delivered after expressing empathy and having them calm down. In that way, it would provide them with an idea to prevent what made them angry (either due to long lines or bills) and understand the situation better. Most of the time, by the end of the call they'll apologize and even say thank you for your service.

It is important to consider who your customer is. Can you relate to them in any way? Are they elderly with nobody to help them? Did they just lose their job? Are they going through a divorce? Are they experiencing another type of loss? Speak to them the way you would you want your parent, grandparent, child, or self to be spoken to.