What angry customers want you to know

Angry customers are the bane of every service employee. We can summarize them with a single name: Karen. Entitled, unreasonable, condescending (not to mention white and middle-age). The person who acts like the world revolves around them, and everyone must cater to their whims. Or they’ve had an awful day and decide to take it out on a minimum-wage worker who can’t do anything about it.

While the customer isn’t always right, it doesn’t mean they’re always wrong. When dealing with delays, poor communication, and a lack of interest by employees, a customer might have to resort to anger when they don’t feel their issues are being heard. I know because I was that customer.

We’re about to make a huge investment on a critical item, and the next phase of the project has been delayed for months. After a lack of communication and unfulfilled promises, I had to tell them my concerns. I didn’t set out to be an angry customer. I just wanted answers to my questions. But as the conversation went on, I got more and more upset. The more defensive they got, the more I dug into them. By the time we ended the call, I felt awful. I felt less of a person for getting so angry. I felt nothing was accomplished. And when customers feel that way, not only will you never see them again, they will let everyone else know not to do business with you.