Tactical handling of verbal aggression

De-anonymizing conflict through personal presentation

In exceptional circumstances, a consumer's emotional out-of-control level may result in the use of insults and inappropriate vocabulary.

Tolerating this kind of abuse is completely counterproductive to business operations for several reasons.

First of all, submitting to verbal aggression alters the employee's own mental equilibrium, annihilating any possibility of structuring a logical and effective mediation.

Likewise, no corporate policy should allow its representatives to be harassed, since every professional is worthy of being treated with mutual respect.

One of the reasons that drives people to overstep these limits is the barrier of anonymity provided by certain service channels.

Often, anger blinds individuals, making them forget that behind the handset or the screen there is a real human being.

To counteract this dehumanization, the most effective technique is to personalize the encounter as much as possible.

Addressing the interlocutor by his or her first name and introducing oneself formally breaks this coldness.

Formulating phrases such as "I understand your frustration, this is the assigned specialist speaking to you and my sole purpose is to find a solution together with you", establishes an empathic bridge that neutralizes the aggressor's shield.

Interrupting patterns of abuse without return aggression.

Once an attempt has been made to establish a personal bond, the next tactical move is to demarcate behavioral barriers in a firm and professional manner.

The mediator must communicate with absolute transparency that the provision of technical or administrative support is strictly conditional on the viability of their demands and the maintenance of a respectful tone of voice.

It is not a matter of reprimanding the other party, but of making assistance conditional on compliance with elementary civic norms.

Expressing calmly that you want to solve the setback, but that in order to do so it is imperative that the use of offensive terms ceases, transfers the responsibility for cooperation to the user himself.

By stating that progress will only be made if both parties are able to dialogue with civility and reason, the escalation of violence is stopped in its tracks.

For example, if an angry tenant begins to insult a property manager about a plumbing problem, the employee should pause the conversation and warn the tenant that the repai