PUSHY CUSTOMERS can be a thorn in your side and can really get on a person’s nerves.  I am yet to hear of any law that states that it is mandatory to serve customers who are pushy.  On the contrary, one decides who they want to serve.  There are many types of pushy customers, ranging from the angry, loud-mouthed, obnoxious, and aggressive, to the overly ambitious customers who won’t take no for an answer. Bottom line, it’s your business and you don’t have to tolerate pushy customers.

It is unfortunate that pushy customers come to the business just like other more well-mannered customers.  They may help improve the business but their way of doing things is what might bring more problems.  Sure, they buy products but they expect too much; much more than what they had paid for.  They can really stress a business owner and the employees beyond the point of necessity. If they become too much, you could always refer them to another place where they can get the same services. The risk you run is that the loud-mouthed ones could tell all their friends and encourage them to get the products or services elsewhere also, which could affect your business negatively.

We are all different so it might be quite hard for one to smile at an angry shouting customer to cool them down.  Knowing this, the situation requires a few skills to help them deal with pushy customers.

Most pushy customers simply want someone to listen to them while they vent out all their frustrations.  It could help if you just let them do it without losing patience.  Never ever yell back at them because that would demonstrate a loss of control on your part, which could affect your employees and other customers’ opinion of you.

If you decide the pushy customer is worth keeping, remember to nod to show concern and act like you are in agreement with them.  Always apologize even if you know you are not in the wrong.  The goal is to show that you empathize with them and calm them down.  When nodding, show some authority.  People lower their voices and show much more respect when they realize that they are talking to the person in charge.  Remember also that they have probably already been told by someone else that they should relax but have decided not to anyway.  Don’t be shocked if they don’t.  A smile could change the person’s perspective and fade anger, but it could also intensify it.  Keep a neutral facial expression as it makes it easier to agree on something after the heart has softened.

Accept if any mistakes that are genuine were made.  Take full responsibility and correct the mistake.  Do not delegate the duty of dealing with pushy customers to the junior staff or ignore the problem.  The fire should be put out before it spreads and so should a pushy customer be dealt with.