End the conversation if the insults continue

Say what you’ll do, then follow through

A customer is angry about a complaint. You can acknowledge the specific problem and explain what you’ll check. If they start insulting you personally, it helps to state your boundary and how you’ll continue communicating. “I’ll look into your complaint. If the personal insults continue, I’ll end the call and send the next steps by email.”

A reasonable boundary describes an action you can take. If the insults continue, end the call and follow through with the agreed way of continuing, if available. If the conversation is tense but not insulting, a short break with an agreed time to return to the issue may be enough.

Practice. Try stating your boundary at a calm pace. Include a specific way to continue that you can follow through on in the situation.

While handling a complaint, you’ve already said that if the customer insults you again, you’ll end the call and send the next steps in writing. The customer insults you again. What do you do?

Assertiveness in Practice – Clear Boundaries, Even Under Pressure

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