Customer Service Skills Knowledge Base and Frequently Asked Questions
Why do angry customers pick on me, when I don't make the rules?
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It's very frustrating to encounter customers who aim their anger and aggression at you, when all you are doing is applying the policies and procedures you have been told to use by your company or organization. The angry customer often directs (or misdirects) anger at you, even though you can't fix things. Believe it or not, angry customers (not all, but many) understand that you are doing your job and that you can't wave a magic wand. So, why do they do it?
Well, the answer is pretty simple. It's not personal. It's just that you are handy. The Vice President might have made the policy, but he or she isn't around, and the customers wants to vent NOW. And there you are - handy as can be.
The important thing to understand is that they are being rude to you because you are a handy target, and they are angry now, and want to express that. It's not fair, of course, and it's not even productive, but there you go.
The upside of this (it's a small upside), is that reminding yourself that it's just about you being handy can help you not react with anger back at the customer, which is often the worst thing you can do. It's not personal, so try not to take it personally. After all, the rude customers doesn't even know you. Don't let him ruin your day.
Robert Bacal is the author of two books on customer service: Perfect Phrases for Customer Service: Hundreds of Tools, Techniques, and Scripts for Handling Any Situation, and Defusing Hostile Customers Workbook. Most of the questions and answers in the Customer Service Knowledgebase (which you are reading now) is based on the material in these books.