It may be tough, but knowing how to deal with disgruntled customers is a mark of true professionalism.

It sounds like a cliché, but often it is true: "The customer is always right."

Even if everything seems to be breaking down, even if these customers who command the right to be "always right" are unrealistic, angry or rude. Even if a few minutes of heated argument with these people challenge your patience and stress you out.

When this happens, step back, take a breathe, and remember that losing anger is NOT the answer. It's not only unproductive---it can backfire, cost your company a precious account, and may even have not-so-good consequences on your job.

Don't blow it; instead, find helpful techniques of handling difficult customers.

Two years ago I was connected with an entertainment-guide magazine, which devoted half of its pages to cable channel schedules as a freebie to its subscribers. One day, a persistent subscriber kept on nagging us to make some editorial changes which would make the magazine similar to its number one competitor! He may have liked the format of the competition, but it wasn't ours. No matter how politely I tried to answer him, he kept on insisting on his way, and that he was right. After the conversation, I was fuming, to say the least!

I had much to learn. Later on, I discovered that voicing an appreciation of the customer's ideas would make them feel valuable. They would in turn become polite and civil. Difficult customers usually don't want to stop arguing until you consider their point.

However, while it should be made clear to them that their ideas would be taken into consideration, they would not necessarily or automatically be imposed. In this way, you will not feel obligated to follow all their suggestions, especially the unrealistic ones. Express gratitude for their ideas, but always explain that even these follow a set process.

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