A question about how to deal with an angry client comes up a lot in consulting.  How do we handle it?  Is the person being unreasonable or deliberate in his threats?  What about the possible distraction to business or the bad PR that can come from it?  Is it really worth the aggravation or the possible bad publicity?

The old saying that “a customer is always right” doesn’t make sense when someone is being unreasonably belligerent or defensive.  But the disruption that angry clients can create isn’t often worth the time and energy it takes to fight them.

I suggest working through a thoughtful process of gathering information about the point of contention, discerning facts from fiction so you can speak candidly, and maintaining a calm demeanor, even if your customer doesn’t.  The worst thing you can do is start an argument or fuel one that blows out of proportion and generates threats of legal action or worse.

With the advent of the internet, social media, customer reviews, and the entitlement that many feel, people have even more power with businesses today than ever before.  We used to say that if people like you, they’ll tell two or three others, but if they have a bone to pick with you, they’ll tell 20 people or more.  All of that is out the window with online reviews and social media.

So tread very carefully in the area of angry customers.  I know it’s tough to swallow, but sometimes you just have to bite the proverbial bullet and succumb to satisfying angry clients, even when you know they’re wrong.  It’s really a question of whether you want to be right or successful.  I choose successful every time.

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