Dealing With Difficult Customers

If you’re in business you’ll understand more than anyone else that business is not about product features, benefits, revenue, or anything so stuffy and businesslike. It’s about people. The trouble with that rather heartwarming statement is that people can be real pains in the butt. (Were you expecting a very politically correct report here?) Ask any poor unfortunate who has manned the customer service desk for any business, and I daresay in any place in the world, and they could dine out on the stories they have to tell you. Dealing with the public is often something that scares people. Sometimes it can add to their day when that extra little personal contact leaves them feeling like they’ve been helpful and served a purpose. But there are those times when someone who’s obviously on a mission to destroy your soul will appear in a sulfurscented puff of smoke. What makes these difficult people a double blow to you or your employee is that contrary to long held opinion, people don’t judge themselves on their pay or status as much as might be assumed. The philosopher Maslow arrived at the idea that people behave according to a hierarchy of needs which they need fulfilled. They are: Physiological – food and water Safety – in our ancestor’s time this meant getting away from sabre toothed tigers Social – the need to have friends Esteem – the need to be thought highly of Self-actualization – this is self knowledge, spirituality and religion