Walk your interviewer through the steps involved in dealing with a difficult customer on the phone. At a minimum, you should include staying calm, actively listening to their concerns, showing empathy, apologizing if a mistake was made, discussing their options, taking appropriate action, and following up as needed. Additionally, let them know you would adjust your process depending on the nature of the difficulty (angry, impatient, confused, etcetera). If time allows, discuss a recent example of when you demonstrated the steps described within your response.

There are several basic steps to assisting a difficult client on the phone. First, it is important to remain calm and remember not to take their feedback personally. Next, I actively listen to their complaint or concerns and paraphrase what I hear to ensure I understand the situation properly. I show empathy and apologize genuinely if a mistake was made. I then work with the client to develop an action plan to address any remaining needs they may have. I take appropriate action and follow up accordingly. I adjust the specific approach depending on the nature of the difficulty.

I worked with a difficult customer just yesterday. She was upset because she was in the process of securing a home loan with our bank and felt the loan officer wasn't responding to inquiries quickly enough. She was fearful she would lose the home she was purchasing given the delays. I let her know I understood why that would be upsetting and I would contact her loan officer directly to see if there was a specific reason for the delay and if there was anything I could do to assist. I reached out and the loan officer walked me through the reason for the delay and followed up immediately with my client to resolve the issue. I then checked in with my client later in the afternoon to make sure everything was resolved. She thanked me for my assistance and for always taking great care of her family's banking needs.