Welcome to Audio Learning from Assemble You.

It’s no secret that service-industry jobs can be full of uncomfortable encounters. People who work in hospitality, tourism, and retail jobs are likely to experience stress as a result of disagreements with customers. Learning how to defuse an argument is a valuable skill, especially when it means that you can protect your short-term and long-term health. 

But why do arguments happen? 

Rising tensions, broken promises, and personal issues can all cause a customer to raise their voice and cause a disruption. One study from the Institute of Customer Service found that 56% of the customer-service employees surveyed experienced ‘increasing levels of hostility’ during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As we can see, arguments can happen for any number of reasons. Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid conflict in customer-facing positions. The only solution is to assess the situation and react appropriately. 

Further info:

• Download the Transcript for this Episode
• Download the Key Points Infographic

Reading List

• [Research] Common Types of Stress in the UK, Statistica
• [Infographic] The Effects of Stress on Your Body, Healthline
• [Research] Employees facing increased customer hostility as lockdown eases, Institute of Customer Serice
• [Research] The power of nonverbal behavior: Penalty-takers’ body language influences impression formation and anticipation performance in goalkeepers in a simulated soccer penalty task, Gijsbert Bijlstra, Philip Furley, Arne Nieuwenhuys
• [Website] Mehrabian’s 7-38-55 Communication Model: It’s More Than Words, World of Work Project
• [Website] Mehrabian’s 7-38-55 Communication Model: It’s More Than Words, Allan Pease, Barbara Pease, Tatiana Azman
• [Website] UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI), Institute of Customer Service