How to Deal with Difficult Customers in Sales

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1. Slow things down.

The data is unequivocal that most salespeople tend to speed things up when they come across difficult customers in sales. They start to talk fast because they’re nervous. They try to rush through the sales process because they feel uncomfortable.

2. Stay unemotional.

Difficult customers in sales can sense when a salesperson starts to get emotional. For many of us, it’s our natural reaction to get emotional when dealing with a difficult person in any situation. But difficult customers in sales only behave worse when salespeople get emotional—it eggs them on. So we need to stay unemotional.

This doesn’t mean you have to be completely deadpan without expression. Instead, it just means that you want to react to their aggression or crankiness with an even-keeled, unemotional response. Pretend they’re acting like a normal, nice person and reply without emotion.

3. Use a calm but firm voice.

When talking to difficult customers in sales, use a calm, firm voice that demonstrates to the prospect that you’re not flustered by their prickly disposition. If a difficult customer starts off your phone conversation in a nasty way, just pause and calmly say something like, “I really appreciate what you're saying. Would it be okay if I took 30 seconds to tell you why I called in the first place, and if after that it doesn't make sense, we can hang up? Does that sound fair?” The prospect is going to immediately sense that you’re confident—and their temperature will come down and they’ll start to lose that edge. They’ll say something like, “Sure, fair enough.” That’s where you want to be. 

4. Mirror their language.

This strategy comes from actual hostage negotiators who mirror the last few words that the hostage taker says. If a difficult customer says, “Things have been pretty bad lately,” then you respond, “Pretty bad lately?” You’re encouraging the customer to continue on. 

5. Don’t argue—ever.

It’s never a good idea to get into a disagreement with a difficult customer in sales. You’ll never win. They don’t need you and they don’t care about you. All they’ll do is fight to the death. Also, all you really want is just to engage them in an effective conversation—and arguing will get you nowhere with that.

If you ever find yourself in an argument with a difficult customer in sales, you're in a bad place. Slow it down, get them talking, and acknowledge that what they're saying is valuable.

6. Get them talking.

Difficult customers in sales often just want to express themselves. They just want to get it all out there. Think about the last time you called an airline or some kind of customer service number, and you were furious. If the person on the other end of the phone just listens to you and allows you to talk and vent, after about 30 seconds you usually feel better. 

So, there you have it. Now you know how to deal with difficult customers in sales. Which of these ideas did you find most useful? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section to join the conversation.