Traiter avec un client irrespectueux lors d’une réunion. Comment pouvez-vous traiter efficacement leur comportement ?

True incident: The client started dropping F* bombs and I quickly asked him to hold on for a sec. "Son, could you please take your toys and go to the other room to play? I've got to help one of my clients with something" "Sure dad". I then apologised to the client that I was working from home and had to send the kid to the other room. "I know, you didn't mute your mic!" - I'm pretty sure he knew I left it as is intentionally. That changed the situation and we dived right into the problem. Usually they won't be in a mindset to listen to anything you have to say so be patient, don't lose your cool and hear them out or try to reschedule..

Acknowledge their point of view, where they are coming from, even if you do not agree with it. Acknowledging does not mean agreeing. Let them know you and your Team are here to assist with their requirements and to finding a mutually benefitting outcome in the shortest timeframe possible. If necessary, remind them of your long-standing working relationship and the professionalism that has thus far characterized your business partnership. Always stay calm in the face of agitation and try to de-escalate the situation.

Mark Twain said, "Never argue with stupid people. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." Your client may not be stupid, they may have had a bad day. My advice, remain silent. Let them yell, and even curse, until they ask you a question. When they do, you answer but you answer it in an extremely specific way. You make very few movements, say in very few words your reply, and drop the sound of your voice an octave while speaking slowly. Use a very calm "Dad Voice". Show the face of professionalism. If they call to apologize, accept their apology, and move on. Say something to them like, "I have to hand it to you, there are a lot of moving parts. We are one of them. I hope you have a better day, today."

Disrespectful clients are truly challenging. They are definitely my least favorite. If you have no choice but to work with them - the only thing you can do is keep breathing - even count your breaths. The fact is, if this client is disrespectful while you are interacting with them, it most likely has nothing to do with you. This is likely the way they act towards anyone that is not in their inner circle. So - I advise to ignore the behavior and continue on. Their behavior is not your problem. You are only responsible for your own behavior. Good luck!

1. Stay calm and keep your cool, even if the client is rude. 2. Listen and Acknowledge and show that you understand their concerns. 3. Set a boundaries and politely insist on respectful communication. For example, "I know you're upset, but let's stay respectful to solve this." 4. Focus on solving the problem, not the personal attacks. Say, "Let's find a solution." 5. If rudeness continues, involve a professional mediators who can help resolve conflicts and ensure smooth communication. 6. Send a written summary of what was discussed and agreed upon to ensure respect and accountability.

Rude clients in meetings used to silence good ideas. I faced interruptions and dismissive comments. It felt like we were going nowhere fast. The key for me was setting boundaries. No yelling, just a calm "Let's listen to each other." I acknowledged their feelings but reminded them respect gets better results. Now, meetings are smoother, even with tough clients. Everyone feels heard, and solutions come easier. My mantra - set boundaries for respect

During the meeting, our client started using abusive language and wasn’t listening to any of our team members. This happened three times, so I had to inform him that if he continued using such language, it might be our last call, and all his campaigns would be paused immediately. I reassured him that I was there to listen and understand his frustrations, but we needed to maintain a certain level of professionalism to keep the campaigns running. After that day, our calls improved significantly, and we resolved many challenges together. This experience helped me learn how to handle difficult customers and when to set boundaries.

Ser firme em suas comunicações e ações, e seja consistente ao aplicar seus limites. Assim que a pessoa ultrapassar seus limites, podemos nos defender. Ser assertivo e lembrar a pessoa de seus limites. Se a pessoa ainda assim ignorar seus limites, considere afastar-se ou reduzir a interação com ela.

One of my recent client which I onboard last week for his Facebook and Instagram ads. Within two days he started shouting at me that I am not getting leads. I removed my headphones and took a water break for about 2-3 minutes. When I came back she was still screaming. I politely informed her that sometimes it's difficult to understand your customer philosophy and there could be multiple reasons behind that. I crossed my question " when was the time you purchased something by seeing 1 Ad?" She understood my perspective and apologized to me saying I am sorry I used profanity during this call. 😂 She might have done that during the break. Yesterday she asked me to limit the ads as her sales team is not able to handle so many leads.🥹

Estabelecer limites claros e educados. Por exemplo, se o cliente usar linguagem inapropriada, posso dizer: 'Eu entendo que você está frustrado, mas gostaria de pedir que mantenhamos um tom respeitoso para que possamos resolver isso de maneira eficaz

A comunicação é essencial. Todos, em algum momento, enfrentamos situações desconcertantes para as quais não estamos preparados, o que nos coloca em uma posição difícil sobre como lidar com elas. Acredito que a principal habilidade para navegar por essas situações é a comunicação, tanto verbal quanto não verbal. Com essa habilidade bem desenvolvida, você poderá se posicionar conforme a necessidade, sendo persuasivo ou empático, sempre mantendo uma postura ética e profissional.

As my client was an agency with multiple projects running with us, I explained that we both needed to work together to complete his customer’s work. If he keep working against our team and refused to listen, he would not achieve the desired outcomes. After that, my client recognized the issue and started collaborating with us effectively. I also told him that our job is not only to make him happy, but also to ensure the satisfaction of his customers. This perspective helped shift the focus to the objectives of the campaigns.

Mantenha a reunião sempre focada nos objetivos estabelecidos. Se um cliente começar a agir de forma desrespeitosa, é importante redirecionar a conversa de volta para a agenda planejada. Isso ajuda a evitar distrações causadas por comportamentos negativos e reafirma o propósito do encontro. Ao manter a discussão alinhada aos objetivos específicos, você demonstra seu comprometimento com o negócio em questão e desencoraja interrupções adicionais.

Aos ser interrompido em reuniões e debates, peça licença para concluir seu raciocínio e explicação, muitas vezes ficamos receosos em tercer algum comentário ou deixar o cliente falar por medo ou desconforto do cliente achar ruim.

Uma coisa que achei útil é, antes da reunião, estabelecer uma agenda específica e evitar se perder. Isso torna a comunicação mais simples e profissional, além de diminuir a possibilidade de atitudes mais agressivas.

The most important thing to remember is that we set the standard for how others should treat us. I remember a specific meeting with several members of a prospect's team. They were all unengaged and distracted. The best thing to do in these situations is call it like it is, using firm but respectful language. For example, "It feels like this isn't a good time for us to be meeting. Let's reschedule for another time." If we don't own our value and time, how can we expect others to do that?

Try to listen them by nodding and making eye contact. This can sometimes defuse the situation. One should ask questions to understand their concerns better. This demonstrates that you value their input. Now very calmly and assertively point out the behaviour without being confrontational. For example, “I understand you’re frustrated, but I would appreciate it if we could keep the conversation respectful.” If the behavior continues, suggest setting ground rules for the meeting. For example, “For us to have a productive discussion, let’s agree to speak respectfully to one another.”

When a client is becoming really out of hand I will say "We only have an hour for this meeting. I am trying to understand your point; can we book a separate meeting to talk?"

Se o comportamento do cliente se tornar inaceitável ou abusivo, posso interromper a reunião educadamente e sugerir reagendar: 'Eu sinto muito, mas acho que não estamos progredindo. Vamos marcar uma nova reunião quando estivermos mais calmos para resolver isso adequadamente

A comunicação assertiva desempenha um papel fundamental ao lidar com clientes que se comportam de maneira desrespeitosa. Utilizar declarações na primeira pessoa, como "Acho difícil entender seu ponto quando você eleva o tom de voz", é uma maneira eficaz de expressar como o comportamento afeta a dinâmica da reunião sem criar conflitos. Esta abordagem permite comunicar seus sentimentos de maneira clara, sem atribuir culpa ao cliente, e incentiva um diálogo mais respeitoso e construtivo.

Às vezes, comportamentos desrespeitosos podem surgir de mal-entendidos ou expectativas não atendidas. É importante reservar um momento para esclarecer dúvidas e entender a perspectiva do cliente. Isso demonstra que você está ouvindo atentamente e valoriza suas opiniões, o que pode ajudar a reduzir a tensão. Esclarecer mal-entendidos frequentemente permite redirecionar a energia da reunião para interações mais construtivas e produtivas.

There can be some karens, some rude clients and some obnoxious ones. As Account managers I believe you are not allowed to talk back in the same tone as they are. But need to set boundaries if the client is getting out of hand. Redirect the conversation to the objective and whoever is at fault should accept that and find a middle ground to end the conversation and continue the project.

By actively listening and asking clarifying questions, you demonstrate empathy and a willingness to find a solution. This approach can often diffuse tension and create a more productive conversation.

Sometimes catergorising people according to their behavior without a thorough understanding of what makes them behave like that can to too many issues being left unattended.

Often, disrespect is rooted in not being heard or understood. Set the tone early that we are here to solve a problem and move forward, and give the client space and time to respectfully state the problem from their point of view. This can be very helpful to see their frustrations and plan how to move forward. Also, they know they have been heard.

In such meetings, it's possible to run out of time and miss a few points that were supposed to be addressed. Similarly, clients may have questions that get overlooked in the heat of the moment. Follow-ups are crucial to ensure everyone is on the same page, gather necessary information, or schedule another meeting with a focused agenda. After a disrespectful meeting, a follow-up message acts as a savior, helping to normalize the situation and address any outstanding issues.

After the meeting, sending a follow-up email with summarised discussion can be impact full to reiterating the importance of respectful communication. One should keep an eye on future interactions to ensure the behavior doesn’t repeat. In case of any issue occurs should be discussed promptly.

Effectively addressing a disrespectful client in a meeting requires staying calm, setting clear boundaries, and focusing on objectives. Use assertive communication to address the behavior directly yet professionally. Seek to understand the client's perspective, which can help defuse tension. Follow up after the meeting to reinforce boundaries and maintain professionalism. Additionally, document the incident for future reference and consider involving a mediator if necessary to ensure productive interactions and protect your team's well-being.

Most important questions raised by clients are often neglected in a heated situation, addressing these basic questions calmly is the first possible solution, or postponing the meeting to another meeting could be the second possible solution to diffuse tension and resolve the concerns mannerly!

Mostly it's like softly reminding that there are rules - conversation can't be effective without respecting and listening to each other. It's always some kind of tradeoff to get to the solution - just not always it's smth physical, my your mental efforts.