It is common for those in regulatory roles to forget that it can be more efficient to build cooperative relationships than to have adversarial relationships.  It is also common for people to define their role as enforcing rules, rather than working with clients so that the clients choose to follow the rules.  The difference is subtle but important.

Learn about the payoffs to your goverenment organization when you focus on creating  a  cooperative relationship with your client.  Also, learn how you can figure out what kind of savings, in time and salary, that you might realize by moving to a service approach.   

Even though governments deal with a wide variety of people who fall outside what we normally think of as "customers", the reality is governments need to accept the fact that the citizens they interact with still need to be provided with effective customer service.

True, it's a bit different than a McDonalds, or a Wal-Mart, but even those people government regulates should be treated as customers.

Read more about this.

If you are interested in developing customer service skills, then you may find the Defusing Hostile Workbook particularly useful. Originally written for use within government (but applicable to all sectors) this workbook is an excellent source of skills and techniques for dealing with all kinds of customers. Click here for more details, contents, etc.

Succeeding at dealing with difficult customers requires two things: a set of defusing skills and the proper mindset. One without the other doesn't work.

In this article you'll find out exactly how you can adopt a mindset or way of thinking about difficult customers that will help you reduce arguing, and the time and stress associated with serving angry and difficult clientele.

If you are interested in help developing defusing skills, check out our Defusing Hostile Customers Workbook. More information is available here.

Find out the most common mistake employees make when dealing with difficult, angry and frustrated clients and customers. And you'll find out that what makes sense in the moment is not really the best way to calm down customers.