Dealing with Bad Customer Service

Let’s just say this: I moved. I got charged. I was not told the truth. Inside your motivational minute, I’ve got tips to survive bad customer service.

Here they are:

1) Try to work things out with the customer service representative first. Oftentimes bad customer service stems from miscommunication between the customer and the employee. Before hailing a supervisor, see if things can’t be settled by thoroughly explaining your problem or situation and how you would ideally like it to be handled.

2) Remember that the customer service representative has a tough job. Constantly dealing with the public can be a tiring task. If a customer service representative just dealt with a difficult customer, it may be difficult for him to jump right back into friendly and helpful mode for the next customer — who might happen to be you. While this is no excuse for poor customer service, it certainly helps to understand why the encounter may have been sub-par.

3) Ask to speak to a supervisor when it is clear that the customer service representative either does not have the resources to solve the problem or is simply unwilling to do so. If the customer service representative was flat-out rude, it is not inappropriate to tell the supervisor such.