What’s the best way deal with difficult people?
Whether you’re handling an upset customer who was charged for a gymnastics session they missed or a sports coach struggling with their admin, difficult people will pop up in your day-to-day. It can be tough and awkward, and it might seem easier to avoid the situation altogether – but that’s not the best approach.
To help you tackle these conversations like a pro, we’ve put together this blog with tips on managing difficult people and turning challenging situations into positive outcomes.
Is the customer always right?
Sometimes, customers can be a real challenge. They often believe they’re right, even when you’ve explained that their invoice is accurate or that little Timmy isn’t quite ready to move to the next age group or take the lead role just yet. Difficult customers usually fall into four categories: angry, indecisive, demanding and critical.
But don’t worry – we’ve created a simple approach to help you manage them. By applying these easy principles, you’ll be able to turn even the most difficult customer into a happy one. We’re calling it the LEVER A SKIP approach (yes, really).
Listen | Active listening is vital. Listen to not just to the words, but how the customer feels behind the words. What’s making them say what they’re saying? |
Empathetic | No matter how hard it is to do, have empathy for your customer. By moving to their side and seeing their perspective you can disarm them, as well as finding the solution that works for them. |
Voice | The tone of voice you use with a difficult customer will shape how they react to you. If you soften your voice more so than usual, but not to a patronising extent, you can prevent a situation from escalating and set a calmer tone for the interaction. |
Everyone is watching | Respond to your customer as if you have an audience (which may be the case if they’re standing at your reception desk!). This will help to create an emotional buffer and allow you to stay calm and think clearly, diffusing any aggression. |
Repeat what they’ve said | To show you understand their perspective and that you’ve listened to their concerns, before you respond with your own thoughts, repeat a summary of theirs back to them. This will show that you’re serious about addressing your concerns and that you understand the points they’ve made. |
All human | No matter how unreasonable or difficult someone is being, it’s important to remember that we’re all human. There are so many outside aspects that will affect someone’s personality in the moment, they may be having issues at home with a family member, or a financial stress. Things may not always be exactly as they seem on the surface. |
Stay calm | Keeping your cool is perhaps the most important part of dealing with a difficult customer. They will often be acting emotionally and be full of anger or unhappiness. The more you can stay cool, calm and collected, the better chance you have of de-escalating the issue and finding the best resolution. |
Know when to compromise | There will get to a point with the most determined of disgruntled customers that its unproductive to keep going back and forth. In these situations, look to find a compromise that gives a customer what they want, whilst not giving away more than you’re prepared to give. |
It’s not personal | The most unpleasant of customers may try and make it feel personal, throwing insults and abuse at you. Know that these comments are about the situation or the organisation you’re representing, not you as a person. By keeping that line in place, you can remove your own personal emotions and think clearly on the ideal solution. |
Promises | Never make a promise you can’t guarantee you’ll deliver, because it’s an easy solution to defuse a difficult conversation. It’s vital to be honest and only promise what you know you can deliver, it’ll only end up hurting you in the long run otherwise. |
Turn tough conversations into easy wins
While the points above apply to dealing with difficult people in general, there are additional factors to consider when the person isn’t a customer with a financial obligation to you.
- Remember, difficult is subjective. If you into a situation expecting someone to be difficult, your approach might make things feel more tense. How you handle things can really affect how the situation unfolds
- Be curious. Try to understand what’s behind their behaviour. You don’t need to be a psychologist, just show interest in them as a person, and you’ll likely find ways to ease the tension
- What triggers you? It’s helpful to be self-aware. Are you reacting to them based on your own triggers or assumptions? We all have unconscious biases that shape how we respond. By taking a moment to reflect on your own reactions, you can ease the feeling of difficulty
- Involve them in finding a solution. The more you make someone feel heard, the easier they’ll be to work with. You can let them contribute to areas where you’re comfortable, while keeping control of the things that matter most to you
Remember, difficult people are only difficult if you them be. With this guide, you can wave goodbye to that feeling of dread when you see their name pop up on your phone or inbox. By taking a breath and following these steps, even the toughest conversations will feel much easier, and you’ll have them on side in no time.
Still feel you need more help?
Would you like more personalised commercial advice and business partnering to unlock the potential in your organisation? LoveAdmin customers can receive help from our inhouse Strategic Business Manager James at no extra cost, just email your request into jbrooker@loveadmin.com
If you’re not a customer yet but would like to see what we can do to for your business – book a call with one of our experts.
