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DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE - 1 OF 4

They come in every shape, form, and size. They can be employees, customers, business associates, or even friends and neighbors. Regardless of who they are, you hate dealing with them. They are the difficult, exasperating, and irritating people. You know them all too well.

What about that one customer you just can't stand to see walk in the door? You know the one. He's the customer who stands in your store screaming at you because you don't happen to stock the part he needs. He's the one who goes on and on about how you give him lousy service when you have already explained five times that (a) there just isn't enough demand for you to carry that kind of part and (b) if he will just drive across town to the specialty parts store you recommended, you are sure he can get the part he wants. It would be bad enough if this was the first time this customer had created a scene in the middle of your store, but he is the same one who was in last week yelling about something else.

Then there is Jane, the one employee you've got who gives you the most trouble. It isn't that she is a bad employee. She does her job. But she is a constant complainer. Nothing - literally nothing - is ever right as far as Jane is concerned. She will go on hour after hour about one thing and then another. Nothing will ruin your day as much as getting out of your car and seeing Jane standing at the front door of the office ready to pounce on you as soon as you enter about something else she doesn't like. Okay, maybe some of the things she complains about are really problems that should be corrected. It's just that Jane never seems to want to do anything herself to solve a problem. She just wants to dump one thing after another on you. In fact, you are beginning to think Jane just loves to find things to make your life miserable.

Then there are all the others:

• Ted, the bully who attacks people and throws tantrums.
• Neal, the guy who's always ready to shoot down every idea anyone has with the standard phrase "it won't work."
• Bill, the know-it-all who makes it clear that as far as he is concerned, he's superior to everyone else.

If these "difficult" people are just casual acquaintances, you can suffer your occasional contact with them or better yet, avoid them completely. But what if these people are customers, employees, important suppliers, or others you have to do business with? What do you do then?

In this chapter, we share some suggestions for dealing and coping with all those people who make your life miserable and can get in the way of you accomplishing your business objectives.

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