The title of this blog is deliberately misleading – and we hope that doesn’t make you angry! If it does, have you become an ‘angry person’?
It’s easy for those working as part of a telephone answering service team to categorise callers in this way. Even on a subconscious level, a person’s anger can be perceived as an integral part of who they are. However, this isn’t really the case. Rather, a person’s anger is a temporary emotion and often isn’t characteristic of their normal behaviour. Those that are characterised as ‘angry people’ aren’t actually always angry!
A terrific example of this was found in the classic BBC sitcom One Foot In The Grave. Many viewers would have categorised Victor Meldrew as an ‘angry man’, associating this emotion with his everyday state of mind. However, this simply wasn’t true and watching episodes carefully reveals that all he really wanted was for his life to run smoothly and to lead and enjoy a quiet existence. It was situations and other people’s poor responses to them that brought forth this anger and turned his experiences into an endurance test.
Practical implications
From this, we can learn that when answering the phone to an ‘angry customer’ it’s important to deal with the person that is experiencing this unfavourable situation rather seeing them as embodying the situation. The caller might be angry that their product was faulty, but they are not angry people and should be treated with understanding and be offered helpful solutions to their problems.
An apology?
Many companies are extremely wary of customer service employees apologising when someone phones up with a problem, as this could be understood as an acceptance of blame. However, using the phrase: ‘I’m sorry you had to call us…’ suggests empathy and understanding without implying that the company is at fault, which is particularly important before the full situation is understood.
More effective service
This separation between the caller and the situation they’re in allows businesses to more effectively resolve complaints by avoiding frustration with its customers. It can also offer employees better mental health, as they can understand that anger displayed is not a personal attack. But perhaps most importantly, it allows a business to treat people with a more human touch, developing a longer-lasting empathetic connection with its audience.