How do I deal with abusive customers?

[Wisper Bikes]

Hi all,

99.9% of our customers are wonderful, the type of people that anyone would be happy to share a pint with.

However this month we have had two real peaches. One from Hastings with a 9/10 year old Wisper who was particularly abusive to me and a member of my staff, literally bawling at us both because we couldn't supply a battery case for his old bike. We offered to re-cell his old case for £450.00 we even offered to pick up the old battery from him and deliver it re-celled to Hastings for free. I have to say that after several minutes of abuse, I lost my temper and said that unless he calmed down and told us what he wanted from us that we could not supply him anything. After several abusive calls I told him that we couldn't help him and hung up. This delightful "gentleman" is now threatening to attack us on social media and on the forums, because everyone knows that I am a "toe-rag"! (Whatever that is!?) He also likened me to an MP, I'm not sure which is worse!

Another from Norfolk bought a bike year ago and although he is getting better than the range that we quote on our webpages, he wanted more range, so we suppled a new 700Wh battery at discounted price and took back his year old battery refunding him 100% of the original price of the year old battery, just to help out and make sure he was happy. He isn't and has told me through a dealer that unless we supply a brand new bike he with trash me and my bikes on forums and social media. Some would say this is blackmail.

I know I should laugh these people off and relax, but I've taken nearly 15 years building a business that I love and take these threats to heart.

We sell thousands of bikes and of course we will come across all types, but I am at a loss how to handle these cases, any advice from members would be very gratefully received.

Thanks in advance, all the best, David

 

[grldtnr]

You will always meet the ungratefull in life,just put it down to experience ,and ignore them if you have be easier been as helpful as you can, ,it may somegarnill feeling from 2 'customers' for want of a better expression,but do not get dragged down to their level,as long as you behaved properly that's what matters

 

[vfr400]

What about mentioning this forum. It can help in two ways. Before you completely fall out with each other, suggest that they ask on here what's a reasonable solution. Secondly, if you tell them that you have a good reputation on the pedelecs forum, they might come here first to try and trash you. After we put them in their place, they might forget the idea of trashing you further.

I've been to sort out a few difficult customers when dealers and the customer have been at an impasse. As a third party trying to sort out the issue, the customers are normally very polite and friendly to me, even when I diplomatically put them straight on some of their unreasonable demands.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

What about mentioning this forum. It can help in two ways. Before you completely fall out with each other, suggest that they ask on here what's a reasonable solution. Secondly, if you tell them that you have a good reputation on the pedelecs forum, they might come here first to try and trash you. After we put them in their place, they might forget the idea of trashing you further.

I've been to sort out a few difficult customers when dealers and the customer have been at an impasse. As a third party trying to sort out the issue, the customers are normally very polite and friendly to me, even when I diplomatically put them straight on some of their unreasonable demands.

Thanks so much, I may well need your services!

 

[thirteen]

If you are successful in any customer-facing business David, you are going to get the odd one.

The face of my business is me. I rely quite heavily on my reputation, bolstered by good feedback on social media.

Very occasionally someone will creep out of the woodwork who is unhappy, and unhappy for irrational reasons that can never truly be resolved.

I've had the threats of bad feedback and have reacted myself in the past. However, when their irrational viewpoint is shared on social media, I haven't had to do a single thing.

The response they have had from the many satisfied, delighted and eager-to-respond clients of mine have shown them just how mean, petty, and frankly, stupid, their arguments are.

It's never been a bad thing at all.

Good luck with it.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

You will always meet the ungratefull in life,just put it down to experience ,and ignore them if you have be easier been as helpful as you can, ,it may somegarnill feeling from 2 'customers' for want of a better expression,but do not get dragged down to their level,as long as you behaved properly that's what matters

The problem is that being Welsh, very passionate and hate bullying of any kind, I tend in the end to snap. Not the best way to handle these things I know...

 

[Nealh]

I don't think there is away to deal with them when their ranting like looney, as we know not the first time someone has moaned. Some expect unreasonably something that is not reasonable.
Keeping your cool and putting the phone down is likely the best route in hope they may ring back when they have had a rethink and cooled down. Problem is keeping your cool probably angers them even more but best so as not to give them any more ammunition to use against you.
I like VFR's idea of where we can put them down on here.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

If you are successful in any customer-facing business David, you are going to get the odd one.

The face of my business is me. I rely quite heavily on my reputation, bolstered by good feedback on social media.

Very occasionally someone will creep out of the woodwork who is unhappy, and unhappy for irrational reasons that can never truly be resolved.

I've had the threats of bad feedback and have reacted myself in the past. However, when their irrational viewpoint is shared on social media, I haven't had to do a single thing.

The response they have had from the many satisfied, delighted and eager-to-respond clients of mine have shown them just how mean, petty, and frankly, stupid, their arguments are.

It's never been a bad thing at all.

Good luck with it.

Thank you!

 

[Wander]

I feel you pain and whilst I have had little like this directed at my own business I am involved with several businesses that have been a victim of this.

This starts with legislation. There is heaps of legislation to protect consumers from bad retailers, heaps of legislation to protect employees from bad employers and next to nothing to protect good businesses from bad customers nor good employers from bad employees.

This then extends to the all too common attitude that it's always someones else's fault and everybody should rally around me to sort out my little problem.

Often, including what I've read on here we see bad consumers abusing retailers knowing that there's a good chance the law / social media / the credit card companies will come out in sympathy with them, even when they are 100% at fault or sometimes outright fraudulent.

Advice from me is to remain calm and professional, not to get upset with the bad Google / TrustPilot / FaceAche reviews which often tell a little bit of the truth but too often not the full truth.

Also we tend to focus on the bad, just reflect on the thousands of good customers that you've had. Certainly your reputation on here is high and from what I've read your service goes above and beyond.

 

[pedalingDave]

All good advice. In terms of social media, stay calm, make sure you have documented all your interactions and use that timeline and content to respond in a very reasonable manner. Sensible readers will reach the conclusion that you have done what you should have (or indeed more) and dismiss the comments from the disgruntled customer. I have seen many situations where a vocal disgruntled customer on social media that is handled well results in the reputation of the company in question being enhanced in the eyes of others.

If it is feedback that will stay visible (e.g. a review), engage with it. If its just a short term flame, sometimes its better to just let it scroll down into history.

It is always perfectly reasonable to suggest that despite your best efforts, you seem unable to satisfy them so perhaps they should look elsewhere. Not all customers are customers you want.

Dave

 

[Deleted member 25121]

Let's hope they come on here so that we can put them right.

Having worked with customer for all my career I'd advise you to always be polite though, I've found that it almost always calms down irate customers when they realise that they're getting nowhere by being aggressive.

 

[soundwave]

just do what apple do if its out of warranty then fook off or pay full price for a new one

if it does have warranty then blame them for the damage then tell them to fook of or buy a new one

just think how much cash you could rake in with wisper care bike insurance that only covers the bike same as a apple device pmsl.

 

[grldtnr]

The problem is that being Welsh, very passionate and hate bullying of any kind, I tend in the end to snap. Not the best way to handle these things I know...

Know how you feel, I have Welsh decent myself, and am quick to anger , but I count to ten, calm down, before I ask whoever angers me to explain themselves, then inform them of their unreasonable behaviour.

 

[Paul smith]

Mp is definately worse.

 

[Benjahmin]

Whilst not running a bussiness, I am a self employed tradesman and rely only on reputation and recommendation. No advertising. Living in a rural Welsh community is a bit like an organic social media, everyone knows someone who knows the person you're working for.
I too have had my share of unreasonable customers, I have even refused to take payment from one or two, i.e sending cheques back when given with bad grace.
This comes from what is the most powerful thing I know. The ability to say, 'You have nothing I want or need' and mean it. Have it in mind when dealing with these .........people! It alters your radiation and stress level, because ultimately you can say it to them, with a sigh, and see their blood pressure climb. They're the ones being damaged. Each new customer is a risk and and my life will certainly continue without them or their shekels that come with a bad feeling.


I agree there should be a good customer site to match the good tradesman/business sites. How about that, a site where carpenters can give customers a star rating? I tell my wife she'd get 1* because I never get given a cup of tea when I work at home.

 

[Amoto65]

First of all you have my sympathy, having dealt with the general public all my working life I know how much the odd bad apple can really get under your skin and taint your opinion regarding the other 99.9% . Secondly I have never subscribed to social media but I am sure it is at the stage where the old saying about newspapers applies " todays news, tomorrows chip paper" Finally if people are going to be that abusive and threatening it is best to ignore them and most of all just keep on doing what you have been doing for the last 15 years providing great bikes and great service. Steve W.......