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How Call Center Agents Handle Abusive Customer Calls
Customer service representatives often deal with at least one angry caller daily who is frustrated, annoyed, and wants their problem resolved.
This angry caller crosses the line into abusive behavior when they start reprimanding or belittling the agent, shouting, or using abusive language.
Roicallcentersolutions outlined a set of procedures to follow when dealing with customer abuse during phone calls.
Over time, continuous verbal abuse negatively impacts agents, leading to psychological and emotional issues, which in turn contributes to higher resignation rates.
- Identify the Problem
Companies must first identify the nature of the issues that might cause customers to be angry and frustrated with the service they receive, and then prioritize correcting them. The report published by the website stressed the importance of not making customers wait on the phone for long periods or forcing them to repeatedly provide their account information or the reason for their call. - Use Surveys
Send customer satisfaction surveys to understand their level of satisfaction and what your company and call center representatives can do to reduce frustration. - Remind the Customer About Call Recording
At the first sign of hostility, or when a situation with a caller appears to be escalating, the customer service agent should remind the customer that their call is being recorded. This can often calm some customers down. - Call Back Later
The call center agent should offer to call the customer back. This prevents the customer from staying on the phone for too long and gives them an opportunity to calm down. - Maintain Professionalism in Managing the Situation
While no employee should simply tolerate verbal abuse from a customer, it’s important not to aggressively attack the customer. Therefore, maintaining professionalism is crucial. - Establish Procedures
Ensure clear policies and procedures are in place for handling abusive customers, so employees know when to end or redirect a call. - Listen to Customer Service Representatives
Empower your service representatives to end calls. There’s often little they can do to calm an aggressive customer, and it’s not their duty to stay on the line and listen to them shout. - Learn from Past Mistakes and Move Forward
Use every negative experience your customer service representatives encounter as an opportunity to re-evaluate the call center’s abuse policy.Ensure every team member understands the correct procedures for handling an abusive caller.
