How to handle verbally abusive clients and what to say to them while the abuse is going on and later when they ask that their business needs be taken care of.

5 Comments

1. AnonymousJanuary 18,2023 at 2:15PM UTC

   Are these clients you want to keep or would you be happy to see the back end of them? I think how you handle it would depend on your stance on that.

   When they used to verbally abuse me on the phone (when I worked in the call center), I would ask them to stop and if they didn't, I would hang up. I was given leave to end the conversation if they were abusive.

   My boss used to put his phone down, let them rant and scream and whatever while not listening to a word they said. When they fell silent, he'd pick up the phone and say "Are you done now?" It usually shut them up.

   But you risk losing clients if you do that. So it just depends on how much you want/need to keep them.

2. Heather CutlerJanuary 18,2023 at 4:36PM UTC

   I think it's totally OK to respectfully set boundaries with clients. For instance, if someone were screaming at me, I might say: I can tell you're really worked up about this but you can't talk me like this so I'm going to hang up the phone / leave the room / end this meeting until you can calm down a bit. Come find me once you're ready to talk again.

3. AnonymousJanuary 19,2023 at 1:27PM UTC

   You didn't mention what your job or role is. Is it confrontational, like collections? If so, abuse comes with the territory and should still not be tolerated, but it is handled differently than if you are in a customer service or sales role. Is the nature of your role working with people who are marginalized or mentally ill? That is another issue that must be handled differently and requires a different skill set. Without giving up too much that would identify where you work, can you give us a general idea of your job role and the clients you work with? (For example, when I sold cars, I handled abusive customers differently than when working with the homeless or patients in a hospital).

4. AnonymousJanuary 19,2023 at 2:22PM UTC

   I think more information on what your role is will help you get better support here.

5. AnonymousJanuary 20,2023 at 12:41PM UTC

   I appreciate all the comments and have gained some valuable insight on how to handle some of the "verbal harassment" that seems to be okay with the general public. I work in a fast paced professional office. Up to this point I have endured many verbal assaults to no fault(most of the times) of my own. On many occasions it is when I am the sole employee working with no other witnesses present. On a recent occurrence, the person wasn't a client but a family member of a former client. Standing over me as I was sitting at my desk. Shaking her finger at me telling me what a horrible person I am. Shortly after this event, the family member requests services from management and management bends over to assist this person. No apologies or plausible explanation for the assault. I do not want to become bitter over this nor do I want to feel any animosity towards management or the clients. I enjoy my job, I enjoy servicing clients needs. Again, thanks to all for the comments, I do appreciate each and every one of them.