Dealing with Aggressive Customers course
In this course you learn how to respond calmly and professionally to angry, unreasonable or verbally aggressive customers. You practise with a training actor and with situations from your own practice.
NRTO quality mark
Free cancellation up to four weeks before the start, so feel free to book now.
In brief. Dealing with Aggressive Customers is a 2-day classroom course. You can take it in Amsterdam and The Hague, in a group of no more than 8 participants. The price is € 1250,- excl. VAT per participant, including course materials, lunch on location and a certificate of attendance. For a team or department we also deliver this course in-company.
- practising with a training actor
- Concrete de-escalation techniques for your own practice
- Personal intake and tailor-made programme
- Setting boundaries without losing the conversation
- Small group, plenty of room for your own cases
Your trainer: Saar, Joris, Elzo or Garbrand 777 evaluations in total, averaging 8,8. View the trainers
An angry customer on the phone, a dissatisfied visitor at the desk or a conversation in which you have to say no. You learn how to stay calm, assess the situation and bring the conversation back to the substance.
Description
Verbal aggression almost never comes out of nowhere. Frustration, fear, insecurity or the feeling of not being taken seriously usually lie beneath it. Those who recognise this can de-escalate a conversation instead of letting it go off the rails. You learn to recognise these patterns and respond to them deliberately.
During the course you work with a training actor. This means you do not practise on a theoretical example, but on situations that resemble what you encounter in your own work. You try out different approaches and discover which one suits you and the type of customer best.
The second day builds on the first. You go deeper into de-escalation techniques, practise setting boundaries and look at the organisational side: how do you give and receive support from colleagues after a difficult conversation?
For teams and organisations. For a contact centre or front-desk team we deliver this course in-company, using situations your staff actually encounter.
Topics
- How verbal aggression arises: frustration, fear and instrumental aggression
- Assessing the situation and your own reaction to it
- De-escalating conversation techniques
- Saying no to know-it-alls, shouters and talkative customers
- Dealing with resistance, unreasonableness, emotion and personal criticism
- Active listening, asking follow-up questions and summarising
- Getting to the heart of the complaint
- Working towards solutions: aim, position and room to manoeuvre
- Not taking personally what is not meant personally
- Conscious use of your voice in telephone conversations
- Setting boundaries in the face of aggressive behaviour
- Giving and receiving support from colleagues (buddy support)
- Complaint handling as part of customer-focused working
Result
After this course you will recognise different forms of customer aggression and know how to handle them professionally. You apply de-escalation techniques, set boundaries in a calm manner and stay composed under personal criticism. You get to the heart of what a complaint is really about more quickly and work purposefully towards a solution. You use your voice and conversation techniques deliberately, and know how to support colleagues after a difficult conversation and how to ask for support yourself.
Target audience
This course is intended for anyone whose work involves dealing with customer complaints and dissatisfaction and who wants those conversations to go more smoothly. Think of helpdesk staff, employees of housing associations and local authorities, receptionists, front-desk staff, customer service staff and people working in telephone sales or debt collection.
The course is also suitable for contact centres and telephone customer service teams.
Teaching method
You begin with an intake in which you formulate your learning objectives. On that basis, the trainer puts together the final programme. On both days you work with a training actor, so that you can role-play realistic conversations and try out what works. Short blocks of theory alternate with exercises, reflection and group discussions. At the end you draw up a personal action plan and agree how you are going to organise peer support (buddy support) within your team.
Prior knowledge
No specific prior knowledge is required. Practical experience with customer contact helps you to link the exercises directly to your own work.
Practical information
- Number of days
- 2 days
- Course times
- from 10 am to 5 pm
- Teaching hours
- 12 hours
- Education level
- Suitable for all levels
- Preparation time
- None
- Included
- Course materials and lunch on site
- Certificate
- At the end of the course you will receive a certificate of attendance
- Cancel
- Free up to four weeks before the start (cancellation terms)
Language
The course is given in Dutch as standard. The trainer speaks English. English-language course materials can be used. If at least 3 participants register, the course can also be given entirely in English.
In-company
Would you like to organise this training for a whole group or several groups? This can be cost-effective. For example, we can tailor the content entirely to your organisation, and training a whole group is also cheaper.
Are you looking at large numbers of participants or a complete academy? That involves a great deal. Consider planning and communication, for example, or identifying and agreeing the objectives and content of the training. Or differences in level, feedback mechanisms and safeguarding. Fortunately, Learnit has extensive experience in this field (more than 25 years) and we are happy to help you through this process.
Request a quote More about Dealing with Aggressive Customers in-company
All start dates
2 training days. In order of date.
- Wed 3 & Thu 4 February 2027 Amsterdam · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 6 January Enrol
- Thu 29 & Fri 30 July 2027 The Hague · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 1 July Enrol
No suitable start date? Send us a date request, and we'll look at the options together.
This course for your team?
Plan your own group on a date that suits you, at your office, at our premises or online. We tailor the content to your day-to-day work, and training a whole group is cheaper than individual bookings.
- Your date and location
- Tailored content
- Multiple groups or an academy are also possible
- More than 25 years' experience
The trainers for this course
Ratings from participants after completing their course, across all courses by this trainer.
What others say about this course
"Tailor-made course! Based on the intake, the course was adapted to our (my) requirements. The course ties in nicely with day-to-day practice."
"Very nice school to learn a variety of training with dedicated experts."
"Fine course"
"Enjoyable, practical course."
"A nice, practical course that you can immediately put to use in practice."
Training formats
Classroom
2 days€ 1250,-- Pleasant venue with a good trainer
- Small groups
- Inspiring and motivating
In-company
Bespoke trainingOn request- 100% for your group
- Bespoke training
- At your place or ours
Workshop
Up to 4 hours for groupsOn request- Suitable for events
- Interactive and inspiring
- Large groups too
Private training
At our place or yoursOn request- 100% just for you
- Achieve a lot in little time
- Whenever you want
Frequently asked questions
Can I cancel free of charge?
Yes. Up to four weeks before the first day of the course you can cancel free of charge, without giving a reason. You then receive a credit note or, if you have already paid, a refund. If you cancel later, you pay part of the course fee: 25% between four and two weeks before the start, 75% in the two weeks before it and 100% in the final week. Moving to another start date is free of charge up to two weeks before the start, after that 50%. Sending a colleague in your place is always possible. Read the cancellation terms.
Who is the Dealing with Aggressive Customers course intended for?
The course is intended for anyone whose work involves dealing with customer complaints and dissatisfaction. Think of helpdesk staff, employees of housing associations and local authorities, receptionists, front-desk staff, customer service staff and people working in telephone sales or debt collection.
Do I need any prior knowledge to take part in this course?
No, no specific prior knowledge is required. Practical experience with customer contact is useful, as it allows you to bring your own situations into the exercises with the training actor.
What will I learn in the Dealing with Aggressive Customers course?
You learn to recognise where customer aggression comes from, how to stay calm under pressure, and how to de-escalate a conversation. You practise active listening, asking follow-up questions, summarising, setting boundaries and using your voice deliberately. You also work on dealing with personal criticism and on supporting colleagues after a difficult conversation.
Do I receive a certificate after the course?
Yes, on completing the course you will receive a Learnit certificate of attendance.
Do you practise with an actor during the course?
Yes, on both training days you work with a training actor. This allows you to act out realistic conversations and try out which approach suits you and the type of customer best.
Can this course also be delivered in-company?
Yes, this course can be delivered in-company for your team or organisation. The content, examples and exercises are then tailored to the day-to-day practice of your staff. Contact us for a tailored quotation.
What is the difference between frustration aggression and instrumental aggression?
Frustration aggression stems from emotions: fear, insecurity or the feeling of not being heard. The customer is upset and takes it out on you. Instrumental aggression is more deliberate: the customer uses anger as a means of getting something done, for example a refund or an exception. The approach differs: with frustration, acknowledgement and giving space help; with instrumental aggression, calmly setting boundaries and sticking to the facts help.
How do you stay calm when a customer attacks you personally?
Bear in mind that the anger is almost never aimed at you personally, even if it sounds that way. The customer is reacting to a situation or an organisation, not to you as a person. Breathe calmly, listen until the whole story is out and summarise what you hear. Summarising takes the pace out of the conversation and shows that you are listening. Only then do you come back with a response or a proposal.
What are de-escalation techniques in customer contact?
On the phone you miss body language, so your voice and choice of words do the work. Important techniques are: speaking calmly and in a lower tone, using short sentences, letting the customer finish, acknowledging what you hear ('I understand this is annoying'), summarising and only then moving to a solution. It also helps to ask specific questions, so that the conversation moves back to the substance.
How do you set boundaries with an aggressive customer without losing the conversation?
Name what you see and what you need, without reproach. For example: 'I would like to help you, but I can't do that if I'm being shouted at like this. I suggest we take a moment to look calmly at exactly what is going on.' You set a boundary and immediately offer a way forward. That keeps the customer in the conversation while you stay in control.
Why is buddy support important after a difficult customer conversation?
A difficult conversation always leaves something behind, even if you handled it professionally. Talking it over briefly with a colleague helps you process the tension faster and stops you carrying it into the next conversation. Buddy support lowers the threshold for asking each other for help and, over time, builds a more resilient team. That is why it belongs in every complaint-handling policy.
What does the Dealing with Aggressive Customers course cost?
You can find the current price at the top right of this course page, along with the schedule, location and delivery format. For in-company or bespoke courses we are happy to provide a quotation on request.
Next start date: Wed 3 & Thu 4 February 2027 in Amsterdam
Free cancellation up to four weeks before the start, so you can secure a place now.