Technology & Innovation — December 15, 2010

How To Deal With Angry Clients

When Customers Go Ballistic.” Barlow and Moller outline five principles to handle “difficult customers.” Among them are aikido and euphemism.

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The aikido method reminds me of some advice a mentor gave me when I got married 20 years ago. When fighting with your wife, he said, never apologize too early. Angry people need time to vent, he explained; apologize too quickly and your wife won’t get what’s made her mad off her chest. Pacing is just common sense. Euphemism annoys me on principle; I am a writer, after all. But our chip-on-the-shoulder culture has come to demand it. Partnership is easy to overdo (call an irate person “buddy,” and he may punch you in the nose).

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

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11 min

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with

Brian Klaas

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