How do you deal with an angry client? This can be tough as most likely the client is emotional. If the client is emotional, you will need to keep your emotions in check if you want to salvage the business relationship with this person.
I’ve sold over 2000 homes and you can bet I’ve had my share of nasty, uncomfortable, upset clients over the years. It’s super hard to remain calm when you are being yelled at and blamed for whatever the client is upset about.
So, what do you do?
- Remember it may not be about you. Buying and selling real estate is super stressful and people get very emotional. Do your best to not take it personally because a lot of the time, really, it will have nothing to do with you.
- Hold your apologies while the client vents. Let them talk. Make notes during this time. You can say things like “I see” or “I understand”. The key here is to be empathetic while letting the client get it off their chest without you interrupting but letting them know you are hearing what they are saying.
- Now apologize and tell them you are sorry that this has happened or that they feel this way. NEVER tell them they are wrong or should NOT feel the way they do. This will only create more negative emotion in them.
- Tell them what they want to hear. Let them know that you are listening and that you are going to fix it immediately if you can. Tell them that you understand how they feel and then do what you said you were going to do. Do it right away.
- Never blame them. Never make excuses. Never create more drama. Hold your emotions in check.
- Follow up afterwards with the client, even it it is something that cannot be repaired, be sure to follow up and ask how things are. Show that you care about them and their concerns.
Lastly, I want to tell you about a client who was unbelievably demanding and time consuming. She would call and there was no way to get her off the phone. Her usual calls would be negative and not necessarily about my service or her home. She was just a sad person.
When she would call, I would just let her talk. I would sometimes, put the phone on speaker and let her rant on and on while I continued with my work. I also used the occasional “Oh dear” or “I’m sorry to hear that” and the empathetic sounds one makes.
By the end of her calls, she would say, “Wow, thank you for listening to me go on and on, I appreciated it. You are so nice.” None of it was about me. Sometimes just lending an ear can help a person in need and can go a long way to creating a raving fan.
