Giving guest service that will generate conversation for your company doesn’t stop at assisting friendly customers. Truly impressive employees and managers are able to help all customers, even those who call with angry complaints. The ability to calm down irate customers, no matter what kind of tough customer they are, and fix their problem will generate positive conversation for your company between that customer and their friends. However, being unable to assist an unhappy customer can end in not only losing that particular customer, but also can lead to losing business among that customer’s social networks. The best way to provide exemplary guest service is to give your employees the tools they need to be empowered to help that guest. Training your employee thoroughly is the first step to turning an angry customer into a happy one.

1.  Say “I’m Sorry”

Even though most employees won’t want to apologize to guests, particularly if the customer’s problem isn’t their fault, taking personal responsibility for an issue will make the customer feel as though their problem is more likely to be solved. A simple, “I’m sorry for x,” can help an irate customer calm down, particularly when that apology is followed by action. Train your employees to apologize, and be genuinely apologetic for whatever problem the customer has come up against. Your customers will know if they are being given falsely genuine service, so make sure your employees know that actually wanting to help a customer is crucial to deflating an angry situation.

2.  Empower your employees to make decisions

Most of the time, an angry customer does not want to wait on the line while an employee goes to find a manager. Train your employees to know the best way to react to any common complaints your company sees, and give them the power to make that problem right. When your employees are able to promptly correct a customer’s problem, and know that they are allowed to do so, the employee will feel less stressed, and the customer will be appreciative of the quick response to their needs.

3.  Recognize great guest service

Don’t let good work go unnoticed. When training, if appropriate, tell your new employees about great guest services that past or current employees have given. Not only can these be good practical examples, they show your new employees that their hard work will be recognized. When employees feel that the work they put into their jobs is actually noticed by management, they are more likely to continue to put forth effort. Helping an angry customer is difficult work, and you should always recognize your employees who do their jobs well. It makes for a positive work environment, and encourages other employees to strive for the same standard of excellence.

Of course, there are many other ways to train your employees to give great guest service to angry customers. Tailor your training to problems you often see in your call center, and don’t neglect any complaints that may appear on guest surveys. The best guest service starts with the best training, so rather than relying on your employees to figure out how to keep guests happy, give them the tools they need to keep themselves relatively stress-free, and the customers returning to your business.