Daily HealthBeat Tip

Tough customer

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I�m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

The old saying is that the customer is always right. But maybe we need a new saying: The customer is sometimes dangerous.

A survey finds almost half of American workers are victims of aggression in a given year � mostly psychological, some physical � most from members of the public.

Aaron Schat of Canada�s DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University had support from the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Schat says employees can defuse some aggression through empathy and help:

"Indicate that you realize that there is a problem. Be very clear that you are trying to � or will try to � take steps to solve their particular problem. Go get extra information if you don�t have adequate information. Provide extra assistance if you can." (11 seconds)

Schat also advises businesses to set clear standards of civility for customers and employees.

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: February 6, 2006

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