How To Stay Positive When Working For A Disturbing Customer is a guide for anyone going through a difficult time in their profession, or for someone who has had a difficult client before and doesn’t want to repeat the experience.
In this article, we’ll walk you through some of the most common types of difficult customers, from the self-absorbed to the truly evil. We’ll also review ways that you can protect yourself from these kinds of customers and build your own resilience in your career.
| Key Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Maintain a Positive Mindset |
| 2. Focus on the Bigger Picture |
| 3. Practice Emotional Resilience |
| 4. Set Boundaries and Communicate Clearly |
| 5. Seek Support from Colleagues and Supervisors |
| 6. Learn from Each Experience |
| 7. Implement Stress-Relief Techniques |
| 8. Keep Professionalism and Maintain Respectful Behavior |
| 9. Channel Negative Energy into Productive Outlets |
| 10. Remember that It’s Not Personal |
Don’t Let The Bad Things You Do Get You Down
Sometimes, even when we’re trying to make an ethical choice, we get it wrong. In these moments, we can feel like there’s nothing good left in us. It’s important that you don’t let yourself think this way: even if you’ve done something bad, you can still do good.
To start with, remember to forgive yourself for your mistakes. If you can’t forgive yourself, how can you expect anyone else to forgive you? And if someone else is angry at you, try to listen and understand where they’re coming from: they feel hurt by what you’ve done and need a chance to express themselves.
Every time you help someone (or even just hold the door open for a stranger), it’s an opportunity to do some good in the world and remind yourself of your own worth.
Before you can have success on a project, you need to develop an understanding of your customer’s goals.
Before we talk about how to stay positive when working for a disturbing customer, let’s focus on the positive aspects of having a disturbing customer. It may seem tricky, but if you can understand what is most important to them, you’ll be well on your way to keeping everyone happy. Here are some questions you should ask yourself before starting any kind of work:
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What Are The Goals Of This Project? Get It In Writing If Possible
It’s easy to get caught up in the negativity of working with a disturbing customer, but you shouldn’t let that negativity take over your life. Instead, plan some time to celebrate each of your successes. Whether it’s getting through a particularly difficult customer interaction or just making it through the day without breaking down in tears, celebrate those victories.
For example, you could have a cupcake every time you make it through an entire workday without losing your temper with a customer (or at least not yelling at them). Or maybe you need to put together a little celebration for yourself once you’ve managed to make it through an entire week without having any major breakdowns.
Your Customer Is A Resource, Not A Problem
We all have customers that we’d prefer not to have to deal with. They can be rude, disrespectful, demanding, unreasonable, and any number of other demeaning adjectives. However, the truth is that they are your reason for being in business.
They are the source of your income. They can be a source of information and ideas. By spending time with them you are able to ask questions and learn more about how they see you and your business. You may even find that some customers will support you during tough times or encourage your business growth by referring others to you.
Take responsibility for mistakes, even if it means explaining them to your account manager (if it’s necessary).
Don’t ever be afraid of owning up to mistakes. Mistakes happen all the time, even by the most experienced professionals. It is also a chance for you to improve and become a better employee (and person).
By doing so, you are not only taking responsibility for your actions but also assuring them that this will be the last time it happens. You can also use this opportunity to explain the mistake and how it slipped your mind and promise it will never happen again. Doing so shows your character and proves that you are dependable in any situation.
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Plan Some Time To Celebrate Each Of Your Successes
It’s easy to get caught up in the negativity of working with a disturbing customer, but you shouldn’t let that negativity take over your life. Instead, plan some time to celebrate each of your successes.
Whether it’s getting through a particularly difficult customer interaction or just making it through the day without breaking down in tears, celebrate those victories.
For example, you could have a cupcake every time you make it through an entire work day without losing your temper with a customer (or at least not yelling at them). Or maybe you need to put together a little celebration for yourself once you’ve managed to make it through an entire week without having any major breakdowns.
It doesn’t matter what form your celebration takes it just matters that you take time for yourself and enjoy what makes YOU happy.
Learn New Skills
Ask for feedback, then act on it. It’s easy to ask for feedback and then ignore what you’re told. But if you can identify the things that really matter, then listening to and acting upon the feedback of others will make you a better person.
If someone points out something about your behavior or performance that isn’t working, thank them and listen carefully. Then figure out how to change what you do in response to their advice. Making changes won’t always be easy, but if you really want to improve the way you work with others, it’s worth the effort.
Be Positive About The Future
Ask for help when you need it don’t be afraid to take advantage of help freely given.
Asking for help is one of the most powerful things you can do to improve morale in the workplace. How often do people ask you for help? A lot, right? If that’s the case, then why don’t you return the favor and ask for help when you need it? Don’t be afraid to take advantage of this free help; your coworkers will appreciate knowing that their contributions are appreciated.
And what if someone at work treats you rudely or unfairly? Ask your manager to take care of them! They’ll appreciate knowing that they’re being listened to by someone who cares!
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Ask For Advice And Ask Again Even If You Receive A Negative Response
Reaching out for help when you’re in this situation can be difficult, especially if the person you are asking for advice from has a history with your customer. However, it is important to ask someone more experienced how to handle the situation.
If you’re having trouble asking a coworker or supervisor because of their past experiences with your customer, try speaking directly to them about how they feel and why they said what they did.
If you feel as though asking someone who knows your customer would make matters worse, reach out to someone who doesn’t know either one of you and ask them how they would handle the situation. Asking an objective third party will allow them to look at the problem objectively and give you advice that isn’t biassed towards either side.
Don’t Be Afraid To Learn New Skills Everybody Needs To Learn Something New Every Now And Then
Don’t be afraid to learn new skills. Everybody needs to learn something new every now and then. If you don’t know how to do something, ask your customer how to do it or ask a coworker for help. You don’t need to feel ashamed about not knowing how to do something when the only way you’re going to learn how is by asking questions.
Learn from your mistakes and use them as stepping stones for success in the future. Take responsibility for everything that happens on your job site and try not to blame anyone else if things go wrong
but if they really aren’t your fault, then just let it go and focus on moving forward with an optimistic attitude instead of wasting time being angry at someone who doesn’t deserve it anyway because they probably didn’t mean any harm by what they did or said (or whatever).
The more time you spend talking negatively about the customer and their problem, the less time you’ll have leftover for finding solutions.
Instead of complaining all day long about that one really obnoxious person in your office who never shuts up even when she knows everyone around her is trying furiously hard not only not to scream bloody murder at her until every vein in their forehead bursts through their skin like tiny stalks of broccoli forcing themselves out from underneath
some kind of extremely tightly fitted mask made entirely out of fleshy tissue matter (which would make sense because this is what people’s skulls are made out did I mention I’m thinking about eating vegetables right now?) but also because after all these years spent listening intently
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You Can Get Your Job Done Even In The Face Of Challenging Customers Or Bosses
Don’t let your customer’s behavior get you down. This is easier said than done, of course, but it’s essential to the success of your business relationship. If you let your employer know that they’re not bothering you, it won’t be long before their behavior changes for the better.
Keep your sense of humor. It’s easy to panic when a customer starts throwing abuses at you, but if you can keep yourself calm and collected and take things in stride, there’s no reason you won’t succeed.
Keep an eye on the prize. Whether this means focusing on the paycheck or on a larger career goal, knowing what your ultimate goal is will give you something concrete to work towards.
Ask for help when necessary. If things become too much to handle by yourself, don’t be afraid to ask for assistance from colleagues or higher-ups in order to reclaim some of that sense of control over the situation that has escaped you.
Don’t be afraid of new challenges! Moving into new territory as an employee can be intimidating after all, most companies want employees who are able to do more and think outside the box but sometimes it takes being thrown into unfamiliar situations before we realize how capable we really are at adapting and learning quickly under pressure (especially when money is involved!)
Don’t let success go to your head! Once you’ve been handed an opportunity like this one at XYZ Corporation where I worked with my first boss Bill Johnson who was also a very difficult person it’s important not only to focus on getting past any issues with him or her but also making sure that those issues don’t affect other aspects of life too much either so that everything isn’t always so negative all around them.
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Final Thought
So what can you do when you find yourself stuck working for a client like this? When a client is bullying you, or making unreasonable demands, remind yourself that if nothing else, the work needs to be done.
Put on your headphones and get to work! Resist the urge to defend yourself and let your work speak for itself. The biggest mistake you can make in a situation like this is to break the rules by giving personal information out over the internet.
Don’t forget: sometimes, in order to motivate ourselves, we have to say things out loud that we don’t really mean. We’re all just trying to pull through as best we can.
Further Reading
Customer Service Tips: Explore a collection of practical tips to enhance your customer service skills and provide exceptional support to your clients.
Dealing with Rude Customers: Learn effective strategies for handling challenging interactions with rude customers and maintaining professionalism in difficult situations.
Keeping Your Cool with Difficult People: Discover insights on how to manage your emotions and stay composed while dealing with challenging individuals, whether they are customers or colleagues.
And here’s the “FAQs” section based on the semantic of the titles, with five questions and answers:
FAQs
How can I improve my customer service skills?
To enhance your customer service skills, consider implementing active listening techniques, empathetic communication, and timely issue resolution.
What are some strategies for handling rude customers?
When dealing with rude customers, it’s important to remain calm, actively listen to their concerns, offer solutions, and involve a supervisor if necessary.
How do I maintain my composure when dealing with difficult people?
To stay composed when facing challenging individuals, practice self-awareness, take deep breaths, and focus on finding common ground to defuse tension.
What If Your Customer Is A Jerk?
If you work in retail, it won’t be long before you come across a customer who is rude. Check out these tips for dealing with these customers in your store.
How Can You Stay Positive When Working For A Disturbing Customer?
The best thing to do is not to take things personally and to know that they just want their problem solved. If that’s not possible, then at least know that they are upset with the situation, not necessarily with you as a person. Keep your cool and try and avoid getting angry. Doing so will help the situation from escalating.
Stay calm and collected no matter how difficult it may seem! If the person still seems like he or she won’t be satisfied, offer them an opportunity to speak directly with someone else about what bothers them most about being there (or volunteering yourself if need be).
This way everyone involved has had an opportunity for their voices heard-and hopefully resolve any issues before things get too heated up too quickly! The ability to stay positive during difficult situations at work can mean better overall morale which leads to more productivity; so make sure employees feel appreciated within their roles by recognizing good efforts on behalf of company goals whenever possible.
How Can I Tell If My Customer Is A Jerk?
There are many signs that your customer might be rude or disrespectful towards others. Some of these include:
- Eye contact avoidance (i.e., staring off into space)
- Pointing fingers while talking or talking very loudly in order to make themselves heard over others
- Talking down on people who have different opinions than theirs,
- Using offensive language such as swearing/swearing often when speaking with coworkers/customers
- Making snide comments about coworkers behind their backs/being condescending towards other employees/management team members during meetings
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.
