How to Deal With a Rude & Impatient Client

Every business encounters rude and impatient clients.

Every business has them -- clients who have no manners and want everything now. These clients drain your energy and resources each time you must deal with them. At some point in your career you will have to deal with a rude and impatient client. That means you need to develop an effective strategy for handling these difficult clients. While you cannot control what a client does, your response to a rude and impatient client can change a frustrating interaction into a productive business relationship.

Instructions

1. Set the tone by responding calmly and politely, no matter how the client spoke to you. Not only does this establish you as a professional, your calm tone will prompt your client to respond in kind. The client may not have even realized his behavior was rude. Others lapse into rudeness due to confusion or frustration. Regardless of why the client is being rude, or if the client realizes it or not, responding calmly and politely will usually bring the conversation back to more civil terms.

2. Practice patience. Allow the client to finish speaking before responding, then summarize what you heard and ask for verification that you heard correctly. Address the concerns the client raised and answer any questions before moving to resolve the issue. Sometimes, all the client needs is to feel like you have paid attention to his concerns. The more rude or impatient the client, the more likely he will thank you at the end of the encounter for being so patient.

3. Control the conversation. Firmly guide the conversation toward the client's needs and if the client wanders off topic, politely guide him back to the point. Geoffrey James of BNET advises making it clear that your cooperation depends on the client's civil behavior. Tell him exactly what behavior is not acceptable and let him know you will end the conversation if the behavior continues. If the client persists, end the conversation and call back another time.

4. Draw the line. In some cases you can't win no matter what you do. Determine what behavior you simply will not tolerate from any client, no matter what the situation. Personal insults, threats, physical assaults and illegal activities should never be tolerated, no matter how important the client. If your client refuses to respect the line you have drawn, discontinue the relationship.

References

• BNET: How to Cope with a Rude Customer; Geoffrey James; August 2008
• Kate Nasser: 5 Things to Think With Rude Customers for Best Results; Kate Nasser; 2011

Resources

• "Talking from 9 to 5: Women and Men at Work"; Deborah Tannen; 1994