How to handle my customers?

[DoggyLady]

I'm 2 mths into a customer service job.

My customers make a lot of demands to push my boundaries and I'm totally new. They try to manipulate me, painting a lot of stories about themselves, "your deliveries are taking tooo long, and putting our operations in jeapardy. we deserve a free immediate temporary loan."

Making me run around in office, asking around worriedly, "customer want this. can that be done? customer wants that, do we offer that?"

I don't know how to handle them.

I'm used to being a doormat. The kind that anyone order around easily. Even kids can bully me.

But I'm not stupid. And I think I can do better. I believe I can learn to outsmart them.

How do I ensure that my customers are not making run around with their crazy demands?

How can I protect my boundaries ?

Even my boss is now noticing that I'm overloading myself by not knowing how to guard my boundaries.

I know it's not a customer problem. It's me not knowing how to protect myself and me putting myself through unneccessary suffering. sigh.

[CoolBee]

Here's your other thread incase you misplaced it

My customers from hell are driving me to my GRAVE

[Clint Cora]

Customer service reps should be trained to handle pretty well any customer situation. None of the scenarios should come as surprises. If it's just a matter of you being able to handle customers or not (or enjoying the job or not), then you have to be quite honest with yourself and ask whether this is the right job for you. People who are not customer oriented should not take on such jobs since nobody wins, not the customer, not the service rep and not the company.

Nothing wrong with being not customer oriented. It is just a matter of being in a job that is a better fit for your own aptitude.

[DoggyLady]

Originally Posted by Clint Cora

Customer service reps should be trained to handle pretty well any customer situation. None of the scenarios should come as surprises. If it's just a matter of you being able to handle customers or not (or enjoying the job or not), then you have to be quite honest with yourself and ask whether this is the right job for you. People who are not customer oriented should not take on such jobs since nobody wins, not the customer, not the service rep and not the company.

Nothing wrong with being not customer oriented. It is just a matter of being in a job that is a better fit for your own aptitude.

Even if it is not the perfect job for me, I can learn to do it well.

Why do you want me to admit defeat so easily?

I'm looking for solutions, not chicken out.

[Curtis2011]

You can establish boundaries by simply telling customers "no" to unreasonable requests.

Customer: "We deserve this loan or that service or blah blah blah"

Instead of saying "oh I'll check into it right away" and giving into their demands even though you know they're unreasonable BS, just say "no sir I'm sorry but we cannot do that for you" or whatever you need to say to basically just tell them to screw off.

[chadcharlie]

Originally Posted by CoolBee

Here's your other thread incase you misplaced it

My customers from hell are driving me to my GRAVE

I agree with all of CoolBee's responses on the original thread. There was a lot of energy and value poured into that thread. At this point there is only action left, to sift through the suggestions, weigh them for yourself, and act on some.

Are you prepared to try any of them at this point?

R/
Chad.

[hervens]

Hey,
I completely understand, as I was in the same situation that you were in a few months back before I quit.

There's usually 2 standard methods that I use with difficult customers, or when they're asking something that's not possible.

1. Hand the phone to someone else, and have them deal with the customer.
2. Tell them this: "I completely understand you, and I want to help, however what you're asking is sadly not feasible. It's against our company policy" <-- Just continue repeating this phrase over and over and over again (perhaps with slight modifications each time) for as long as the customer persists, until they give up.

I wish you luck.

[wanzulfikri]

Customers are always like that and patience is imperative.

[RedAnt]

Well done for looking for solutions! That is the beginning of the end for your problem.

If you work hard, are true to yourself and treat people with respect in your job, and they still moan then it is their problem, not yours.

Focus on the feeling of being true to yourself, this will build your self respect and in turn will provide you with the tools to handle your customers.

Finally, remember that your working life is just part of a bigger game. And it is still a game. Enjoy playing it!

[Clint Cora]

Originally Posted by DoggyLady

Even if it is not the perfect job for me, I can learn to do it well.

Why do you want me to admit defeat so easily?

I'm looking for solutions, not chicken out.

NOT a defeat if it's a field that you are not truly crazy about. In fact, I would say to continue to be in an area that you are not passionate about ... is the defeat, even if you improve in it. Your best solution is to find something which you are truly passionate about - you will know it when you have very few things to complain about while you are involved in it.