Month: September 2019

Regardless of position or industry, at some point, we would have to deal with a rude or unreasonable client. When selling vehicles or real estate, salespeople face clients who refuse to listen and, at times, are uptight when negotiating prices and freebies. In the field of technology, clients bash programmers for the tiniest details in the application. In the food service industry, waiters would occasionally have to deal with the rude customer.

Handling someone who is irate is one of the leading sources of stress in the work environment. As Sonja Seglin, LCPC explains, “Stress can seem omnipresent. Between working, socializing and taking care of the home, it sometimes seems we don’t have a minute to ourselves, let alone enough time to really take care of our bodies and minds.” Whether clients are somewhat justified or are downright unreasonable with their gripes and demands, find out a few expert tactics to get out of the situation feeling fresh and unscathed.

Source: pixabay.com

Tip #1: Maintain A Calm Demeanor

Do not stoop down to the level of the client. When they shout or utter offensive language, there is nothing to win if you act the same. If you respond harshly, the outcome will not be right for you, as the conflict will escalate to a level it should not reach. Keep hold of your mood and reactions at the moment and let the stress out elsewhere later on. “overwhelm might manifest as an intense emotion, such as anxiety, anger or irritability; maladaptive thought process, such as worry, doubt or helplessness; and behavior, such as crying, lashing out or experiencing a panic attack.” That is according to Marla W. Deibler, PsyD

Tip #2: Do Not Take Things Personally

In most cases, the customer is angry at the product or service, not at you. When a client gets mad because the car you sold was defective, the client is mad that the car is faulty. A customer complaining about the food being too bland is complaining about the blandness of the food. Only in rare cases would clients attack you because of you. Keep the personal out of the equation and remain professional about the entire situation.

Source: pixabay.com

Tip #3: Listen And Take Note Of What Matters

When a person keeps going on about their problems with a product or service, the best approach is to pay attention to what they say. Moving beyond the sludge of uncalled-for words and the rising volume of voices, you need to figure out and identify what the problem is. Similar to those tricky reading comprehension exams, you need to understand the entire story, weed out the unnecessary information, and determine the main problem.

Tip #4: Divert The Flow Of The Conversation To The Solution

Once you have identified the problem, it is now time to move on to find the answer to the concern. The client is unreasonable because they are currently facing an issue with the product or service you have provided. Once you have determined the problem, you have to find the key to sorting things out. You can do this by checking what you did in the past or asking experts to help correct the problem. Once you have provided the solution, there is no reason for there to be an unreasonable client. “We should examine the inextricable role that self-love plays in any and all human connection.” A reminder from Clinical Psychologist and relationship expert Molly Gasbarrini, Ph.D. 

Source: pixabay.com

Tip #5: Sympathize

Showing sympathy is arguably the most effective and efficient strategy for anyone facing an angry customer. The fact of the matter is the client is not satisfied. If the client genuinely sees your concern and senses an effort from your end to address such concern, the customer will no longer show any hostility towards you. Make an effort to truly understand and realize that it will be a win-win situation for everyone if we turn conflict into an effort to fix the problem.

The effectiveness of these tips will require patience and determination. Facing irate customers is tough for everyone, but knowing how to handle them better will bring you relief.

Statistics confirm that one out of five teenagers under 18 years old suffers from various mental illnesses. In terms of the mental disorders diagnosed among the youth, depression leads the category. With the increasing number of individuals affected, it is essential to keep the conversation going and break the stigma on mental health. Here are the best mental health books that you should read to help enlighten you on this complicated issue.

Source: goodreads.com

The Marriage Plot: A Novel

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides is one of the winners of the Pulitzer Prize. The story revolves around an English major at Brown named Madeline, who was trying to go back to the right path of life through her love for Victorian literature. On the side, the book also tackled the complicated relationship she had with Leonard.

Most readers say that Leonard is a possible fictional stand-in for a friend of the author named David Foster Wallace. According to them, he had been suffering from depression for more than half of his life and ultimately took his own life.

“While suicide is a very serious health and national problem that requires our attention, an even less public reality is that many of us have had suicidal thoughts at one point or another in our lives.” –Dr. Chantal Gagnon PhD LMHC

Source: goodreads.com

Reasons To Stay Alive

This book by Matt Haig is one of the best books tackling the lives of those with depression and anxiety. Not only does it focus on the big things that happen beyond this mental disorder, but it also focuses on the little things that happen in their lives.

“Look at negative thoughts like reruns of a TV show you’ve seen a million times. Let them play in the background while you shift your focus to something else.” –Jo Eckler, PsyD

What’s also good about this book is that it is made up of lists, anecdotes, and bite-sized chapters that are easy to read. The size of the book also lets you place it anywhere, even in your back pockets.

Anxiety For Beginners

Eleanor Morgan’s Anxiety for Beginners explores the impact of anxiety on those affected by it directly or by proxy. The author also puts lightness to the read in between grueling narratives like the chapters “A Total Fucker” and “Two Lites of Pus.”

It is also an excellent read for people who want to raise their awareness regarding the matter. The book is the best way for them to work their way on the different spectrums of the human mind.

Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me

The author, Ellen Forney, focused on her own life story dealing with bipolar disorder. She narrates how she was diagnosed with it and how she overcame its consequences through reading and writing. She also tackled the dangers of equating mental illness with creativity and intelligence, an issue that is rampant but is not touched on.

Source: goodreads.com

There Is No Right Way To Meditate

In this book, award-winning writer Yumi Sakugawa tries to guide you into tapping your inner self to help find the peace and fulfillment that you have been seeking. What’s nice about There Is No Right Way To Meditate is that it starts with simple tips on everyday matters to more complex topics like living in the present through self-awareness.

“Meditation is not just relaxing, but to be keenly aware of the present moment while not interfering with mental activities that revolve around our little self.” –Andrea F. Polard, PsyD

This piece will dig deeper into your inner soul and unconsciously make you traverse the road of tranquility.

These five books will help you, whether you are having a difficult time or you want to be aware of mental health issues. You may also ask for the assistance of some therapists in cases that are too complicated to handle through reading books alone.