Dealing with irate customers

[Deleted member 65149]

It happened at a New York Airport. This is hilarious. I wish I had the guts of this girl. An award should go to the United Airlines gate agent in New York for being smart and funny, while making her point, when confronted with a passenger who probably deserved to fly as cargo. For all of you out there who have had to deal with an irate customer, this one is for you.

A crowded United Airlines flight was cancelled. A single agent was re-booking a long line of inconvenienced travellers.

Suddenly, an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket on the counter and said, "I HAVE to be on this flight and it has to be FIRST CLASS."

The agent replied, "I'm sorry, sir. I'll be happy to try to help you, but I've got to help these folks first; and then I'm sure we'll be able to work something out."

The passenger was unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear, "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?"

Without hesitating, the agent smiled and grabbed her public address microphone. "May I have your attention, please?", she began, her voice heard clearly throughout the terminal. "We have a passenger here at Gate 14 WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him with his identity, please come to Gate 14".

With the folks behind him in line laughing hysterically, the man glared at the United Airlines agent, gritted his teeth, and said, "F*** You!"

Without flinching, she smiled and said, "I'm sorry sir, you'll have to get in line for that, too."

Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.

 

[MD5]

I always remember seeing on one of those Airport type programmes a female passenger who was getting irate at not being allowed to smoke on the flight. She went on to chastise the camp steward that if they sold duty free cigarettes on the flight, it was out of order not to be allowed to smoke them. He quickly replied "Well, all I can say, madam, is that they sell condoms in Boots." and gave her a winning, inquisitive look!

 

[davidjpowell]

mmm. It's a story, but not not really dealing with an irate customer - just ensuring they never come near the organisation again.

I've dealt with irate customers in the past - and there are better ways than humiliating them - even the pompous ones.

 

[Merc Owner 2B]

During the Olympics Seb Coe tried to access a gate that his ticket was not valid for. He was approached by one of the RAF security staff who said, "sorry sir but your ticket isn't valid here you'll have to go to the other gate." "Do you know how far that is?" Mr Coe asked. "Yes" said the security person. "Do you know who I am?" asked Mr Coe. "Yes" replied the security guard. "Well then!" exclaimed Mr Coe. "Well it won't take you long Mr Coe will it?" the guard replied. The guard was disciplined following a complaint by Mr Coe. True story!

The customer may be always right but they can also be such ar**s!

 

[Deleted member 65149]

mmm. It's a story, but not not really dealing with an irate customer - just ensuring they never come near the organisation again.

I've dealt with irate customers in the past - and there are better ways than humiliating them - even the pompous ones.

But people like that are customers I'd be happy to lose. Whereas the other passengers waiting may have enjoyed the confrontation so much they'll chose that airline more often in future. Lose one awkward customer and gain who knows how many new ones.

For instance a few years ago my wife and I were waiting to check in on a Gulf Air flight from Heathrow to Bangkok. The guy in front of us was forcefully trying to persuade the check in lady to upgrade his wife and 3 children from Economy to Business Class (for which he had a ticket). He wasn't asking nicely, he was insisting that the airline should do this for him. The more she said she couldn't do it, the more irate he became. He eventually stormed off with family in tow to the Economy check in desk (in a different building!).

The check in lady apologised to us for the wait. But I said it wasn't a problem and I was impressed with the way she calmly dealt with the situation. She upgraded us to First Class . That was our first flight with Gulf Air but not our last.

 

[st4]

mmm. It's a story, but not not really dealing with an irate customer - just ensuring they never come near the organisation again.

Is that a bad thing for that organisation if they don't come back?

They can probably fill their seats and not have the hassle and agro of having to deal with people like that.

Some business, just isn't worth having

 

[davidjpowell]

But people like that are customers I'd be happy to lose. Whereas the other passengers waiting may have enjoyed the confrontation so much they'll chose that airline more often in future. Lose one awkward customer and gain who knows how many new ones.

For instance a few years ago my wife and I were waiting to check in on a Gulf Air flight from Heathrow to Bangkok. The guy in front of us was forcefully trying to persuade the check in lady to upgrade his wife and 3 children from Economy to Business Class (for which he had a ticket). He wasn't asking nicely, he was insisting that the airline should do this for him. The more she said she couldn't do it, the more irate he became. He eventually stormed off with family in tow to the Economy check in desk (in a different building!).

The check in lady apologised to us for the wait. But I said it wasn't a problem and I was impressed with the way she calmly dealt with the situation. She upgraded us to First Class . That was our first flight with Gulf Air but not our last.

Is that a bad thing for that organisation if they don't come back?

They can probably fill their seats and not have the hassle and agro of having to deal with people like that.

Some business, just isn't worth having

Normally these are perfectly rationale people who are stressed out by events- No business can afford to alienate it's customers. Anyone who thinks it can should not be in the business.

I've taken plenty of calls in my distant past from ranting customers who were turned around and left perfectly happy (despite me rarely being able to do a great deal more than listen and explain that I can't do anything other than send an email).

Take the time, listen and empathise. Explain what you can do and do it.

More challenging when you have 200 people at a check-in desk obviously.

 

[st4]

Normally these are perfectly rationale people who are stressed out by events- No business can afford to alienate it's customers. Anyone who thinks it can should not be in the business.

Its a multi national airline. One petulant man who's been rude to their staff is no great loss to that business. They can fill their seats with customers who are happy to fly with them, and not create aggro at their place of business.

I used to (5 years ago) have a side line business. I had one customer, one really awkward man, who kept changing his order etc, and I knew at the time with the nutcase levels of emails and calls just to say, sorry I cannot service this request, find someone who can. But being young and silly I did (greed of making the sale got the better of me), naturally he wasn't pleased with what I sold him (everyone else was) and I got more nutcase emails etc. He deliberately vandalised something I sold him saying it was broke, I checked it over, wrapped it etc and it was fine. He then said he wanted to send it back and swap it for something else. I had it inspected and was told the level of force used to damage it would require a mallet.I had great pleasure in telling him to go **** himself and never procure goods from me again and he just broke his own goods for no good reason. If I'd have been weak and foolish enough to service this mans requests, I'd have lost my profits. Keeping good customers is good practice, weeding out the dross from the good stuff, thats better practice.

Sometimes, you're better off without nutcase customers and tell them to go and stick their business where the sun don't shine and let some other idiot whos desperate enough bend over backwards to every loopy request they make, that costs you and your business more.

That airline should bar that person from flying with them, to ensure their staff are protected from trash like that.

 

[fredT]

It's a funny story, true or not.

But I doubt she will get a promotion for fobbing off a first class passanger. Stupid woman in my book and I would be tempted to sack her.

 

[davidjpowell]

Its a multi national airline. One petulant man who's been rude to their staff is no great loss to that business. They can fill their seats with customers who are happy to fly with them, and not create aggro at their place of business.

I used to (5 years ago) have a side line business. I had one customer, one really awkward man, who kept changing his order etc, and I knew at the time with the nutcase levels of emails and calls just to say, sorry I cannot service this request, find someone who can. But being young and silly I did (greed of making the sale got the better of me), naturally he wasn't pleased with what I sold him (everyone else was) and I got more nutcase emails etc. He deliberately vandalised something I sold him saying it was broke, I checked it over, wrapped it etc and it was fine. He then said he wanted to send it back and swap it for something else. I had it inspected and was told the level of force used to damage it would require a mallet.I had great pleasure in telling him to go **** himself and never procure goods from me again and he just broke his own goods for no good reason. If I'd have been weak and foolish enough to service this mans requests, I'd have lost my profits. Keeping good customers is good practice, weeding out the dross from the good stuff, thats better practice.

Sometimes, you're better off without nutcase customers and tell them to go and stick their business where the sun don't shine and let some other idiot whos desperate enough bend over backwards to every loopy request they make, that costs you and your business more.

That airline should bar that person from flying with them, to ensure their staff are protected from trash like that.

To an Airline a First Class customer = fat profits. While he should not get special treatment nor should he be humiliated.

Deciding not to service a customer who forces you to a loss making situation is a different decision to deciding to humiliate a customer that you do not know in a pressured situation.

 

[st4]

To an Airline a First Class customer = fat profits. While he should not get special treatment nor should he be humiliated.

He barged past all the other customers, do they not matter? She has to treat her customers fairly and asking a petulant man to wait in line is reasonable. She even said they would work something out 1st once she served her customers who were waiting 1st.

He humilated the other passengers by making a mock of the queue system. The world needs more like her.

Deciding not to service a customer who forces you to a loss making situation is a different decision to deciding to humiliate a customer that you do not know in a pressured situation.

I have to be on this flight, it has to be 1st class. The 1st part maybe true, the latter part is just hot air rubbish. Best off without those pompous people on your books.

 

[Charles Morgan]

I used to do summer clay shooting, organised by a very nice lady, who had a regular who was a self made man of considerable wealth (SMMCW) who accounted for a considerable amount of her custom. One day it was pouring down so badly that she quickly checked with a couple of people whether they wanted to have an early lunch. We all went in, apart from SMMCW , and he had the most astonishing tantrum I think I have seen, shouting and screaming about how he hadn't been consulted, how badly she behaved, how she would lose his business etc. He stormed off and that was the last piece of business she ever got from him.

Moral, some people are just not very nice.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

That airline should bar that person from flying with them, to ensure their staff are protected from trash like that.

And to protect its other customers too!

I agree that it's good customer practice to do your utmost to please the customer. Solving a problem for a customer often makes them more pleased with the company than they would have been without a problem. It's the customer service that makes them want to use the company again. But there has to be a limit to the abuse you can take, especially when that abuse comes at the expense of other customers. And the customer who uses force/abuse to get what they want will only continue to use those methods, so everyone suffers.

 

[lxi]

Jeeez - it's an ancient joke, don't take it so seriously!

The serious side though is the one thing the Americans have spot on is how to treat customers (so this would never have happened) but many businesses in the UK could learn a lesson or three

 

[st4]

And to protect its other customers too!

I agree that it's good customer practice to do your utmost to please the customer. Solving a problem for a customer often makes them more pleased with the company than they would have been without a problem. It's the customer service that makes them want to use the company again. But there has to be a limit to the abuse you can take, especially when that abuse comes at the expense of other customers. And the customer who uses force/abuse to get what they want will only continue to use those methods, so everyone suffers.

Odd for you and I agree, but I agree completely and this is all very true.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

Odd for you and I agree, but I agree completely and this is all very true.

Shhhh Steve. Don't tell anyone

 

[davidjpowell]

He barged past all the other customers, do they not matter? She has to treat her customers fairly and asking a petulant man to wait in line is reasonable. She even said they would work something out 1st once she served her customers who were waiting 1st.

He humilated the other passengers by making a mock of the queue system. The world needs more like her.



I have to be on this flight, it has to be 1st class. The 1st part maybe true, the latter part is just hot air rubbish. Best off without those pompous people on your books.

He did not really humiliate or at least not intentionally. The man wants to get home or to his important meeting, and no doubt after paying plenty to get a seat in the first place.

And to protect its other customers too!

I agree that it's good customer practice to do your utmost to please the customer. Solving a problem for a customer often makes them more pleased with the company than they would have been without a problem. It's the customer service that makes them want to use the company again. But there has to be a limit to the abuse you can take, especially when that abuse comes at the expense of other customers. And the customer who uses force/abuse to get what they want will only continue to use those methods, so everyone suffers.

Not so much abuse here - if it's true. Just a frustrated outburst.

The way to have dealt with it would have been to pick him off from the rear to emphasize and point out that everyone's frustrated and you will get to him as soon as you can. You can also ask if he remains confrontational in a serious manner what's more important to him to get where he's going or to wait for a first class seat? Let him ponder the answer.

As Charles says some people are not very nice, but often these people can be handled.

(optional boring bit coming)

When I was a student I worked for a part of BT that took calls for external clients. Our systems were very basic (20 years ago) so we had no access to clients records and indeed as we worked out of hours clients were mostly closed. I ended up as a Team leader so got to take over the calls.

Waitrose Wine call
Had a lady on the phone spitting in fury. Wanted to order wine for her son and his new girl (he'd just left his wife - had to have new girls name or he'd take offence). Our system could not do this.

After a five/ten minute chat, I find a way to do what she needs. She explains she's had a really bad day, apologises and sends a letter in to say thankyou. In this case the call handler would not have known how I did this so could not be blamed - in fact they rarely could.

Another Waitose Wine call.
Parents of a couple getting married that day - where is our wine? Again very anxious. Not helped with no access to any of their systems. In the end we contacted the nearest Waitrose supermarket who sent the wine 40 miles by taxi not knowing how there were going to get paid (excellent company IMO - would go the extra mile). Again caller very grateful and completely different.

Tesco call
We took orders for the 'Tesco Internet' CD. We were unlucky in that we thought we were the only 24 hour Tesco phone line. Had a phone call from a chap spitting blood because his supermarket would not sell whisky to him. Rang the store who said he's found some mislabelled JD on the shelf. They'd sold the bottle at the advertised price and swapped the labels over pdq. They thought he'd drunk the bottle and was demanding they sell another to him at the same price.... He stayed unhappy.

Carphone Warehouse
You know the number you ring to find a branch? That found us. Had to take over a call where the customer was doing his nut. Turned out to be because the call handler would not give him his surname - policy was they did not have to give it out. I gave out my surname and he instantly went away happy. To this day I have no idea what it was about, and remain ****** off with the particular call handler - who was always a pain in the but.

All these people were pretty awful to deal with at the time. All were frustrated (or ******) and all could have been written off as awkward customers that you don't want. I could not make that decision, and other than my ****** caller all went away satisfied or even delighted.

It just takes the time to deal with it.

ETA - This sort of thing is the one thing that get's on my wick.... Sorry!

 

[Dryce]

He did not really humiliate or at least not intentionally. The man wants to get home or to his important meeting, and no doubt after paying plenty to get a seat in the first place.

Don't take it seriously. I can recall versions of this story doing the rounds years ago (I think the first version I saw was set in Australia).

Quick check on Snopes dates it to at least 1998.

 

[grober]

There is of course another side of "corporate customer service". That's the one where they constantly tell you they want to help you [ very politely] but in reality couldn't give a monkey's.

[YOUTUBE]zJs9p-VNORw[/YOUTUBE]

 

[brucemillar]

And this is true..

I was flying back from NYC the week after 9/11.

Queues were huge with the massively heightened security in place. 99.9% of people although frustrated were able to remain polite.

Chap in front of me in the line was asked politely to step out the line for a pat down search and hand luggage check. He went bonkers loudly stating that he was a first class passenger so could not possibly be a terrorist. When I say bonkers you could here his shouting all over the place.

Next security guard arrives to assist his colleague. Passenger was then marched off for a full body search.

The view of all in the queue was they hoped the search would be carried out with cold wet latex gloves and long finger nails.