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Guides

Handle abusive or harassing customers

Frustration is normal and worth listening to. Abuse is different. Your team needs a clear line, a script for using it and the backing of the company when they do.

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Write down what is not acceptable

List the behaviour you will not tolerate, such as threats, slurs and repeated personal attacks. Share it with the whole team so everyone applies the same line.

Separate anger from abuse

A customer who is upset about a problem deserves patience. Abuse aimed at a person does not, whatever the reason.

Give one calm warning

Say you want to help, that you cannot continue if the language continues and that you will pause the conversation if it does. Keep it short and neutral.

End the conversation when needed

If the behaviour continues, close it politely and note why. Agents should never have to stay in an abusive chat.

Back your agents

Make sure agents know they will be supported when they end a conversation. Offer a break afterwards and a way to report what happened.

Decide on account action

Repeated abuse can justify a restriction or closure. Make the decision with a lead, record the evidence and send a clear final message.

Questions

When should an agent end the chat?

After one clear warning if the abuse continues, or immediately for threats. Agents should never be required to take threats.

Should we still solve their problem?

If the issue is real, route it to someone else or handle it by email once things are calm. The problem and the behaviour are separate.

How do we protect agent wellbeing?

Give them time to recover, review hard conversations together and track patterns so one person is not hit again and again.

Written by Flatdesk, a help desk for small support teams at one flat price per agent. Try it free for 14 days, no card.