Calmly Handling Unacceptable Interactions
The truly abusive caller is rare. They make personal insults, possibly even threats. Refer back to how to handle the Irate Caller – but keep your cool! If the customer remains abusive, follow your standard policy for threats. This may include keeping the customer on the line longer than you may wish while you take notes, fill out required forms, or wait for a resolution.
Empathy goes a long way. You may not understand WHY they are upset, but you can certainly understand that they ARE upset!
Do not rise to the bait. Telephone Silence is a good technique for these folks.
Angry people are often not ready or even able to think in an organized way. If you try to solve a customer's problem when he or she is not ready, it won't work.
If all else fails, and you must escalate, you’ll know that you’ve done all you can to resolve the issue.