Have you ever felt like you're trapped in a never-ending phone call with a customer, desperately searching for a way to wrap things up without seeming rude? We've all been there, and it's especially challenging when you can't give the customer exactly what they want. But fear not! I've got some powe...

Let's face it: if we could always say "yes" to our customers, our jobs would be a breeze. But that's not the reality we live in. Sometimes, we have to give bad news, explain that there's no immediate solution, or can't meet a customer's expectations. So, how do we navigate these complex situations w...

Have you ever found yourself avoiding a difficult conversation with a customer? Maybe you've put off delivering bad news, hoping the problem would magically resolve itself. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Many of us struggle with Mokitas - those uncomfortable truths we know but prefer not...

Dealing with difficult customers who use profanity or make racist remarks requires clear and assertive communication. Here are 20 professional phrases I share in my de-escalation workshops to help you set boundaries effectively:

1. "I must insist on respectful communication during our interaction...

So, you want to know what to say if a customer targets you with microaggressions.

In this article, I'll explain microaggressions and give examples of different types. I'll also show you exactly how to set a boundary for how you'll be treated and give you exactly what to say.

Let's start with...

Our brains tend to constrict when faced with demanding, difficult or desperate customers, and we have fewer options available. When faced with conflict, our brains go into flight, fight, or freeze mode. 

I'm sure you've heard of the flight, flight, freeze response. Here's how the flight/fight/fr...

Customer service representatives often encounter challenging and confrontational customer behaviors. Among these, baiting behaviors stand out as particularly challenging. In these situations, customers try to provoke, frustrate, or elicit negative reactions from you. If you want to avoid getting suc...

"It's not what you say. It's how you say it."

You've probably heard this before. It's from the Mehrabian study, which says

• 7% of meaning in the words that are spoken.
• 38% of the meaning is through the person's vocal tone.
• 55% of meaning is in facial expression.

Well, I'm contradicting...

This image is from my LinkedIn Learning course, Creating Positive Conversations with Challenging Customers. 

Use partnership language with customers from Creating Positive Conversations with Challenging Customers by Myra Golden

Handling difficult customers is an inevitable part of the ...

Angry, desperate, and afraid customers are stuck in the right emotional brain. In the right brain, people are in their feelings, filtering everything through their emotions. When customers are angry, they can't access their logical left brain to calm down and listen to you. They simply don't have th...

The Problem

Telling a person to calm down never works. If your partner told you to calm down, would you? Exactly. That doesn't work with your customers, either.

To tell someone to calm down is to invite conflict. It's like you're pushing your customer into a corner or a seat. As humans, it is o...

Customer Support Professionals Who Rarely Escalate Calls to Their Supervisors Often Use 7 Phrases (without realizing it). 

When I prepare for my customized customer service and de-escalation workshops, I listen to a sample of phone calls. I specifically ask for calls from the best customer support ...