One of the most irritating things to me when dealing with any customer service is the agent’s apparent lack of courtesy. Being nice to a customer is not a difficult task to achieve, and while this simple thing can make most experiences a whole lot better, many representatives tend to shut off their nice switch and answer difficult situations with tones and attitudes that create bad experiences.
What’s the best way to deal with rude customer service representatives?
1. Fighting fire with fire will only get you burned.
When someone speaks to you in a snarky tone dripping with “I don’t care”, it’s only natural to want to respond in the same way. Don’t. Answering rudeness with more rudeness will just result in one big rude off, and no one will win. The best way to act when confronted with a nasty customer service representative is calmly and rationally. Don’t point out that they’re being less than nice, or tell them that they’re irritating you. If you’re getting help from them, simply follow their instructions, and when all is said and done, ask to speak to a supervisor. The supervisor is where you want to explain your disappointment in the representative, because that is the person that will listen. Also, rising to anger or frustration with an agent could give them grounds to hang up, even though they were the instigators. A calm and level attitude will go further than a short fuse.
2. The supervisor of the moment is your greatest tool against an impolite agent.
As I mentioned in the first point, if someone is being nasty, ask to speak to their supervisor. Usually, it’s best to wait until your issue is solved or you’ve been helped completely before you request a supervisor. When expressing the downfalls of the agent’s attitude, try to leave emotions out of it. Instead of, “They made me irritated,” try saying something along the lines of, “They were unprofessional and rude.” During the call, note down specific things the agent said or did that was inappropriate, and outline those particular points to the supervisor. The more informed you are, the harder it is for the supervisor to shrug off certain behaviours. If that supervisor does not want to listen to you, ask for someone above them. There is always someone higher up than the supervisor.
3. You don’t have to take that kind of sh*t.
Just because the rude person you’re talking to is the one you had the misfortune to get doesn’t mean you have to stick with them. You’ve been nice to them, you’ve spoken to their supervisor, but they just continue down their path of rude. You won’t be hurting anyone if you interrupt them and ask to speak to someone else. And if they won’t comply, there’s always the hang-up button on your phone. Use it. Call back. Chances are, you’ll end up with someone polite, and they’ll be able to help you. If you’re not speaking to someone on a phone, and you’re face to face with the offender, ask them if there is someone else who can help. Most likely, if someone is being rude to your face, they’re not really going to care that you’ve asked for someone else to step in.
Of course, there’s an overwhelming number of different situations you can find yourself in, but the above three points can usually be applied to just about any brand of rudeness. How you respond can help create a better outcome. Don’t be afraid to complain if someone has wronged you. And if all else fails, start over. Just because someone is being nasty doesn’t mean the ending has to be a bad one. ;)
Providing the right customer service is the reason why Australian companies acquire their own Australian business toll free numbers. That's to provide their customers convenience in reaching them.
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