Dealing with Rude Customers: Lessons Learned and Personal Experiences

Customer service is a vital aspect of any business, and handling difficult customers can be particularly challenging. Over the years, I have encountered several instances of rude behavior from customers, each teaching me a valuable lesson about empathy, professionalism, and how to maintain a positive demeanor. Here are some of my personal experiences.

Encounter with the Local Vicar: A Lesson in Kindness

When I was seven years old, my mother was in the hospital for several weeks, leaving my dad to juggle full-time work and taking care of me. One day, my local vicar came to visit us. My dad expected a kind word or offer of support, but instead, was met with a very unkind request. The vicar said, 'We’ve missed you at church for these last few weeks but I know your wife is in hospital so it must be hard, so I thought I’d just pop round for your contributions.'

My kind and gentle dad stood up and said, 'I’ll give you 10 seconds to get up and start running.' It was a no-longer-tale that the vicar never came to our church again. My experience taught me the importance of showing kindness and respect to everyone, no matter how they treat you.

Misplaced Kindness in Childcare

While working in childcare, I had three elementary-aged kids who attended dinner with their parents. The parents were enjoying a nice evening, but the father, who was a local weather guy, seemed eager to leave. He kept pulling on his wife’s arm, saying her name, and insisting that ‘let’s go,’ which meant he wanted to leave. The mother initiated a conversation with me, but again, the father was persistent in his desire to leave.

This experience was a speed bump in my journey of professional growth. It was an unpleasant situation, but I’ve since learned that it’s important to maintain a professional demeanor and prioritize the well-being and comfort of the children in my care.

The Bad Mannered Police Officer: A Lesson in Professionalism

During my college days, I worked as a server. One night, I was serving a table of police officers for their Christmas meal. The group was predominantly male, except for one woman. She was, unfortunately, the most bad-tempered among them. With hindsight, it’s possible she was trying to impress her male colleagues by being one of the lads, but her behavior was terrible.

By the time we served the main course, I had had enough. The story boiled down to an accident: I accidently let a gravy boat slip and land on her lap. While it was deeply satisfying at the time, I now realize that such behavior is inappropriate. I would act differently now and would hope to prevent such situations by addressing bad behavior effectively and professionally.

Handling a Jerky Manager: A Lesson in Professional Assertiveness

In a previous job, I worked in a computer systems support group. One day, another group's manager caused a stir during a conference call. When I requested a trouble ticket, he sneered and said, ‘I could open my own ticket.’ I decided to work on the issue while putting that call on hold, and called my manager. She assured me that she would handle the situation.

When a representative from the other group provided me with a ticket number, I thanked them and recorded the number. My manager later told me that she had spoken to the other group's manager. She informed him that if he ever said something like that again, her team would hang up on him and not answer his requests until he opened a trouble ticket. He was a ‘jerk’ until he left the company. However, I never regretted going to my manager for support and help.

Conclusion: Overcoming Bad Customer Behaviors

Dealing with rude customers can be challenging, but it’s important to maintain professionalism, empathy, and a positive attitude. Whether it’s a family situation, a professional one, or a customer interaction, kindness, assertiveness, and respect can go a long way in diffusing such situations.

Customers may not always be considerate, but with the right mindset and actions, you can turn a bad situation into a learning opportunity or a chance to prove your professionalism and integrity.