Angry Customers

man in black suit jacket while smiling
Type: Vocabulary
Originally published on October 5, 2020 and last updated on February 4, 2023

Every business wants its customers to be happy, but sometimes things don’t always go to plan and you can end up with a customer that is not only unhappy but also angry. Dealing with an angry customer can be a very difficult situation for the staff, and often they don’t know exactly what they should do when faced with an angry customer.

In most cases, the priority is damage limitation with the intention of turning an angry customer into a satisfied customer or in an ideal world a happy customer.

Instructions:
Go through the vocabulary below with your students and ask them to try and use this vocabaulry where possible when discussing the different conversation questions.

Useful Vocabulary

Try and use the following vocabulary when answering the question. Click to look up the definition in the dictionary

  • customer (noun)
  • angry (adjective)
  • client (noun)
  • priority (noun)
  • damage limitation (noun)
  • go to plan (idiom)
  • approach (noun)

Conversation Questions

  • What is the best way to deal with angry customers?
  • Have you ever had to deal with an angry customer or client?
  • Why do you think some customers become so angry?
  • What general approach do you think a business should take towards angry customers?
  • Do you think it is ever possible to turn an angry customer into a happy customer?
Gregory
This conversation topic was prepared by Gregory

Gregory is a qualified TEFL teacher who has been teaching English as a Foreign Language (ESL) for over a decade. He has taught in-person classes in Spain and to English learners around the world online.