How to deal with the angry customers!

Pimwipa

I've been working in hospitality industry for a while, and as everyone knows the key is just to make the customers happy. 
 
There was one experience I had when I was working in a fine-dining restaurant. A customer asked for a box to pack her leftover and then she dropped the whole plate on the floor. So she asked the waiter that the restaurant should cook that dish for her since she had dropped the entire dish. However, the manager refused to do so because it was not the restaurant's fault. The manager ended up fighting with the angry customer for 15 mins and had to make that dish for her(a smaller portion).
 
Even though the customer got the food she needed, she was still very mad at the first reaction of the manager and said that she wouldn't come back again.
 
So I need your valuable opinions on this. What should the manager do to make the situation better? or should she give the food or resist giving what the customer wants?  
 
Please share your experience. Thank you.
 
Pim

JimHeyBubble

The customer dropped the dish? Politely refuse and ask her to leave. Sometimes people are just wrong.

BishopK

Oooo this is a tough one. As the manager, I would clearly be angered by her requests for food that she dropped and her wanting my business to pay for it. As the customer I would be mortified if I were her and apologize for ruining the carpet or whatever. I will have realized it was my fault, felt bad for wasting the money. If I were the manager, I'd offer her something else, maybe a dessert to go? TO make whole meal for someone who dropped it on the floor and to do it in a smaller portion seems silly. I'd try to offer her an alternative that is more readily available.

It just makes the customer seem silly. But some people are like that. I think the customer can be wrong, but denying them right out can cause the business a big hit in reputation. That's a tricky situation though.

ILoveNumbers

i would more than likely have replaced her full dish and put it in a to go box to avoid any further issues. i would think incidents like these would somehow be built into the budget.

Onchie

You just need to be calm and let them express their feelings. Be professional and listen to everything they are saying. I know it is hard but through listening, you will be able to find the best solution to pacify them. Customer service is about understanding the customers from start to finish.

Business Consultants

Be polite and talk slowly at first.
Here the fault is with the customer. make her understand it was not the restaurants fault she had dropped the dish. And a good customer will admit the mistake after a while.she should understand that the restaurant is actually at the loss because she dropped good food and plate.in some situations you need not bend your head always,instead you should point out their mistakes even though it will create some problems.

bharat.nimblechapps

Be polite and ask this type of customer what will you do if you are in my position.

Jeff Marlon

Its there fault and not yours. I would suggest that if a mistake is made from restaurant's side then admit it and apologize for it. If any customer is at fault so follow a polite procedure which is favorable to restaurant and even not hurting for customers. Launch some techniques and scheme with which you can motivate your angry and lost customers to visit again.

anushkachhakrabarti

Here are tips for coping with a tense situation
understand the issue
Remain calm.
Don't take it personally.
Use your best listening skills.
Actively sympathize.
Apologize gracefully.
Find a solution.
Take a few minutes on your own.

nganhang

thank you for the tips. its sure useful for me.
i once handle a (can say that) ridiculous customer, who just keep complaining n scolding us. he dont listen what we explain to him.
n then i just ignore him. )

Samaksh

Some customers make it difficult to keep your composure. It is quite obvious to get angry if your customer speaks to you in a rude manner. But since you're at work, so you cannot let that happen. Below are some tips on how to handle angry customers:

1. As a professional customer service specialist, you must not argue back. Try to maintain the integrity and let the customer know that you are here to help, but you cannot do so until they calm down.
2. If your angry customer refuses to calm down, try to be sincere, respectful, and understanding. Kill them with your extreme kindness.
3. Try to end a call with a happy note and find a way to relieve your stress.

rachelesco

It's hard to say without being there but it seems like it would have cost very little to just replace the dish, even if it was the customer's fault. A negative review could potentially be more costly, particularly if you don't have many reviews online. On the other hand, if you have a lot of favorable reviews and tried being reasonable with the customer and they still gave an attitude, then you don't want to set a precedent where customers think they can walk all over you.

JasonX

Be polite and explain why when you made the fault.
if it was the customer's fault, do the same....lol
Customer First!

Ulla Otterstål

Let them bend out their anger. Always extend your patience. Just try to put your shoe's on theirs so you would know what to do.