The Importance of Talking Calmly with Customer Service and How It’s Linked to Getting Things Done

Never bite the hand that feeds you — asking for help should not make you sound entitled or superior. It’s best to be nice to those people because they’ll be putting in the effort to do you a favor. Everyone deserves respect, especially when they’re clearly doing their job well. This applies to waiters, store staff, receptionists, and the one that gets shouted at almost every day, customer service. People tend to put the blame on them whenever a particular problem arises. Some customers would shout or throw harsh words at the first call. It’s as if the person on the other line is not a human trying to do their best not to get hurt by the insults.

Photo: Pexels/Yan Krukau

Instead of clearly explaining the problem, customers would sometimes prioritize their emotions first. Although customer support staff are trained to handle such situations, they are still human beings who have feelings. Most importantly, your problem won’t be solved if you continue to get violent with your words. They already know you are experiencing inconveniences, so staying calm is better. XionDarkBlood from Reddit posted this LPT, which has gained 1.3k upvotes. Lots of people agreed with, “When talking with customer service, remember they didn’t cause your problem.”

Photo: Pexels/Yan Krukau

Support services are here to help and not aggravate your situation. Remember that they are on your side. And when they can’t quickly solve it, the system is most likely the one at fault and not the person you are talking to. One Redditor shared, “Also, our parents taught us that, even if you are having a bad day, it doesn’t give you the right to abuse another person.” No one is your enemy, and if you keep displaying such an attitude, others will hesitate to offer help. Rather than being grumpy, try to smile and see how it eases the tension because it gives you a positive outlook.

Be mad if you notice that they are not taking their job seriously, but being polite won’t hurt if they do. “Check your emotions, call in, explain your issue as concisely as possible with as little emotion as possible, be polite and allow them the time to address the issue,” sc_superstar advised. They also have been dealing with the same issue for years, so they know how to deal with it. Do not rush them because they already know the answer — it sometimes takes a while. In addition, be mindful of your words, as it can trigger anxiety. Redditors who have worked in customer service have mentioned how those kinds of people immensely impact their mental health.

Photo: Unsplash/Chase Chappell

RaindropsxRoses wrote, “People who do so generally still yell at me. It’s like they think that by prefacing it with “I know you are just working here….” They think that their angry words no longer have an impact on me. They do. Sometimes I end up shaking after an awful phone call. People who say things like this often act like that excuses all the nasty things that they say.” Taking your anger on them is not worth it, especially when your emotions are only temporary. But the effect on them would last long, and healing would take time.

Photo: Pexels/Tima Miroshnichenko

You don’t personally know the staff on the other end of the line or the customer service counter, which does not give you the right to humiliate them. Make it a habit to process your emotions before calling their hotline. Calm down your voice, and you’ll have a clear conversation with them. No one wants to be known as the grumpy customer — your smile and kindness go a long way. Everyone’s trying their best to do well in their jobs, and as a customer, you don’t always have to be right.

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