Recognise that upset customers want to:

• Be listened to and taken seriously
• Have their problems understood and their distress relieved
• Be compensated for their losses
• Be reassured that you will handle their problems quickly
• Avoid further inconvenience
• Be treated with respect
• Know that the person responsible understands that a problem happened
• Be assured that the problem/s won’t happen again

You may not, of course, be able to give all that is wanted.