Complaints and pressure.
WHAT TO DO FIRST
Listen fully before responding.
Interrupting escalates.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
What actually happened What they want
WHAT NOT TO DO
Defend before understanding Argue about details Match their tone
WHAT TO SAY
Acknowledge the problem specifically Say what you will do Give a timescale
IF YOU CANNOT RESOLVE IT IMMEDIATELY
Say when you will come back, and do.
WHAT TO AVOID
Promising something you cannot deliver to end the call.
That produces a worse call later.
FOR ABUSIVE CALLERS
You may end the call.
"I want to help, and I cannot continue if you speak to me that way. I will call you back shortly."
FOR STAFF
Tell them explicitly they may end abusive calls.
WHAT TO DO AFTERWARDS
Record what happened Follow through on what you said
WHAT TO LEARN
Whether something in your process caused it.
