Is this rude?

[iradney]

Please, be honest and tell me, is it rude to ask a customer to STOP interrupting you so that you can help them??
Especially when you asked them nicely after they've interrupted you for the 4th time?
Or is it bad customer service to actually ask a customer to DO something? Is it unreasonable and impolite to speak to a customer "that way"?
Especially when the customer berates you in a "how DARE you grow a spine, you good-for-nothing GIRL" manner.

(I know it doesn't sound that bad, but this man was speaking to me in a "You know nothing you little shit" tone of the voice the whole time, and 20 minutes or more of that gets to me!)


Excuse me, I'm going to cry in a corner now and eat my body weight in choccies

[chainedbarista]

imo, no; you're trying to do your job and they're preventing you from doing just that. my favorite saying for this situation:

'if this is *indicating mouth* moving, then these *indicates ears* aren't working.'

if they want help and courtesy, then they need to shut their stinking pieholes and pay attention, durnit!

[The Gatekeeper]

Apparently it is rude, and not just for poor customer service. I found this out the hard way because I said to a customer on the phone "Are you done? I can't answer your question if you keep interrupting me".

After some research it's a "communication" issue. Just because the person we are communicating with, in this case a customer, isn't using good communication skills doesn't mean that we don't either. So a good communicator will wait silently until they are done. In some cases this means we don't answer their question. That is on them not us.

I used it on the phone with a customer yesterday. It worked brilliantly. The dumbass ranted on and on, and eventually answered her own question and went on her way. She wasn't interested in what I had to say to begin with, so why say it? I plan on posting it as soon as I edit out some identifying statements.

[Chained to the counter]

No it's not rude, while they spend the next 15 minutes mouthing off it could have taken you 2 mins to fix whatever the problem is, so it's time for them to get one massive cotton bud and clean out there ears.

[BusyBee]

In a word: No.

Reasoning: You're trying to help him. You can't help the idiot if he won't let you talk. So make him let you help him (that's a mouthful!) by shutting him up

You want my chocolate easter bunny?

[iradney]

You want my chocolate easter bunny?

*sniff*
naw thanks, the hug was just the ticket

Thanks guys

Gravekeeper, I think in future I will do just that, keep quiet till the cusstomer shuts their cakehole. Might actually be effective on prats that think they're better than everyone

[ruffledbirdy]

I was involved in a debate once with certain members of political parties which shall remain nameless.

The guy was very arrogant and screaming and yelling and ranting and raving, not what I would call a debate.

So I pulled out a book and started reading. After about 10 seconds he stammered to a stop. I looked up and said as sweetly as possible "If you are here to rant and rave, go ahead, if you are here for a debate let me know. I'll just read till you make up your mind."

He was completely and totally embarresed.

At work I get customers who try the same tactic. I don't pull out a book and read it. But I look at them with this completely bored expresion and say nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not even a "huh" or other non-commital sound. Just stare at them, in silence. They get nervous. When they stop ranting you help them quickly and efficiently, and they are completely cowed.

It is ammazing what NOT talking can communicate. I think dogs or some other pack animals do it to each other. I don't know though. Anyone?

Ruffledbirdy

[TwoScoopsSciath]

On one hand, turnabout is fair play. On the other, it IS bad form. ruffledbirdy and Gatekeeper have a good point. I'd say, let them rant and keep trying. Eventually, they'll get tired and get the message or work themselves into such a tizzy, they'll go away.

[Hobgoblin]

I've gone the no-response route, and paid the price (even so, I do prefer it to when people are just rambling.ranting/whatever non-stop). I had a customer start yelling at me because I wasn't answering the question.

Granted, you've only been continuosly speaking for the last three minutes, when exactly was I supposed to answer you?

Another good way to go about getting someone's attention is to begin speaking, but softly. This really only works in ace-to-face interactions, when they can see your mouth move, but can't hear the words that movement indicates. I've actually been trained to do this in emergency situations in which the other person needs to be calmed down as fast as possible. That's a bit different, but the principle is the same: you don't interrupt and you don't elevate your voice or change your tone. You stay polite, professional and moderate. I won't interrupt you, but I'll be talking at the same time. Seems contradictory, and maybe it is, but it works amazingly well.

[NightAngel]

No, it isn't rude. As a matter of fact I consider it to be good customer service- as long as it's done politely.

Why is it good customer service?
Because for every minute I am dealing with this ONE customer there are MORE customers having to wait for my assistance. The longer they wait- the more upset they become. The more upset they become the less likely they are to come back and spend their money in my store again.

I frequently have to tell people, "Please just give me one moment to review your account and then I can tell you what I can do to resolve this issue for you." I say it with a smile and 99% of the time the person is all good with that.

The only time I have problems is when the person is being disruptive on purpose in hopes I'll just give them what they want so I won't have to deal with them anymore.

In the end I'd rather have one customer be slightly miffed than all 20 customers in line behind them be angry.

[ShortTemperHatesStupidity]

I used to have this problem when I worked for Sears. We'd get customers that would literally yell at the top of their lungs at us when we called, so this is what you do:

Put the phone on mute.
If you have a headset, turn down the volume to a lower decibel. If it's a handset, speakerphone with a low volume.
Wait for the rant to stop.
When you get the "hello? are you there?" unmute and say "Yes ma'am/sir, I was just waiting for you to finish."

This usually makes them feel like an ass, and they speak to you like an adult afterwards.

[greensinestro]

No, that is not rude at all. I have plenty of times dealt with customers who do this, and I have had to politely say, "Maam, I must state that it is going to be difficult to assist you if you continue interrupting me." I've had many that will ask a question, then will interrupt me with another question while I'm in the middle of answering the previous one. It gets on my nerves at times, particularly when you sense the customer is doing that deliberately to confuse you and just give in to whatever demands they want.

I have also had it where a customer will fire back with "Just be quiet and listen to me!" then rant and rave. After they have finished, the old line "Hello? Are you still there?" and I answer with, "Yes, sir, but me to complying with your request to be quiet and listen." After all, I gave good customer service by doing what that customer told me to do, right?

[wagegoth]

"The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause."
Mark Twain

I've also done the stand or listen quietly without making a sound. If the customer demanded why I didn't answer them, I said that I didn't want to interrupt. Usually, they'd shut up then.

I love telling someone, "No." Well, not just anyone, but someone reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaally annoying. When they start getting hyper and demanding, I just keep saying, "No." Just thinking about it takes me to my happy place.

[Jester]

Apparently it is rude, and not just for poor customer service.

So a good communicator will wait silently until they are done.

I respectfully disagree.

First off, I must say that yes, waiting silently for them to finish will sometimes work. But in many cases, you may not have the time or ability to wait that long, as other parts of your job may be demanding your attention.

I realize that this started off from someone who works phones, and what I am about to say is based more on restaurant and bar experience. But at times, it may apply as well to phone work.

I have been known to tell people, "Hey, shut up so I can answer your damn question!" But (1) I say that with a smile, (2) I am the type that can get away with being like that and get people to laugh, and (3) most importantly, this was said in an establishment where being a wiseass to customers is perfectly acceptable.

But the same thing can be said very politely. For example: "Ma'am? Ma'am? Ma'am? Thank you. I will be more able to answer your question if you give me a few moments to speak and address your issues. Thank you very much." Which, translated, is "Hey, shut up so I can answer your damn question!" Same destination, different route.

For those of you wondering? Yes. It really does work. Because it tells the customer that you are in control of the situation, not them, and that you are very competent to answer their question, that you know what you are doing.

Rarely has this ever backfired on me. Of course, it helps that I rock at what I do.

[blas]

I used to call those SCs "Interruptosauruses" but now I just call them "Tyra Banks", because if anyone ever watches the Tyra show, she ALWAYS interrupts all of her guests....

I always used to deal with Tyra customers......typical conversation:
M= Me, T= Tyra Customer

M= Ok is that-
T= And I wannapackofmarboreds too!
M= Can I see-
T= Dontcha dare even ask cuz I forgoddaboudit in da car.
M= Well I'm sorry but-
T= Dontcha even start with me, ye manager NEVER cards me.....

or

M= I'm sorry but your card-
T= Bullshit, dat card is GOOD
M= It came up-
T= Bullshit, I just paid dat bill da uder day!