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How to Manage Difficult Customers training course

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November 2026 Managing Difficult Customers
The Managing Difficult Customers (November 2026 class) runs live online via Zoom on Thursday 12 and Friday 13 November 2026, 12:30pm – 4:30pm AEDT (Melbourne and Sydney time).
$ 747.00 AUD ex GST
Unlimited

Live online public course with Daniel Ord

Managing Difficult CustomersThursday 12 and Friday 13 November 2026

A live online de-escalation and conflict course that gives your team a proven way to handle angry, upset and difficult customers, on the phone, in writing and face to face.

Two 4-hour sessions with global expert Daniel Ord. Book one ticket or several for your team.

  • Led by global expert Daniel Ord
  • Live online: join from anywhere
  • Certificate included

Trusted by leading organisationsHundreds of businesses, from local councils to national brands, have chosen CX Skills to upskill their teams. See who we’ve trained

  • Australia Post logo
  • City of Casey logo
  • Federal Circuit Court of Australia logo
  • I-MED Radiology logo
  • MECCA logo
  • Taronga Zoo logo
  • Viking Cruises logo
  • Ultra Tune logo

What’s in it for your team

What your team will do differently

Most people are never taught how to handle an upset or unreasonable customer. They work it out under pressure, and it shows: stress, escalations and inconsistent outcomes.

This course gives your team a clear, repeatable approach, so they stay calm, set boundaries professionally and resolve issues without inflaming the situation.

  • Fewer escalations and complaints
  • Calmer, more confident staff under pressure
  • Better protected staff wellbeing
Service advisor calmly handling an unhappy customer in a workshop

Stay calm under pressure

Pause, choose a response and stay in control when emotions run high.

Know what they’re dealing with

Tell the abusive, irritating and unhappy customer apart, and handle each well.

Listen so customers feel heard

Listening, reconfirming and the right level of empathy for the situation.

Say no without blowback

How to say YES, say NO, explain WHY and offer a conditional YES.

Set clear boundaries

Handle abusive behaviour professionally and escalate at the right time.

Protect wellbeing

Less stress, less burnout and more confidence for the people on the front line.

The course

One proven course, built by a global expert

Managing Difficult Customers is one complete course: four modules over two live 4-hour sessions, with plenty of practice so people are ready to use the skills straight away.

It works for any channel, and it’s the same proven format whether you book a public ticket or train your whole team privately.

Daniel has spent decades helping service teams around the world, so the examples feel familiar whatever your industry, and there’s always time for questions about your own situations.

  • 2 × 4 hoursTwo live sessions on separate days
  • Live onlineVia Zoom, join from anywhere
  • Public or privateOne ticket or your whole team
  • CertificateFor everyone who completes

What’s covered: four modules

Each module builds on the last, from understanding behaviour to choosing the right solution.

Module 1

Considering Human Behaviour

How people interpret difficult situations, and how to choose your own response.

  • What it means to choose, and to pause
  • Behaviours incompatible with service
  • Why empathy is hard, and still worth it
Module 2

Classic Difficult Situations

Difficult customers fall into groups. Learn the differences and how to handle each.

  • The abusive customer
  • The irritating customer
  • The unhappy customer
Module 3

Service Skills Requirements

Advanced communication techniques your team can use every day.

  • What listening actually sounds like
  • Reconfirming the enquiry
  • The five levels of empathy
Module 4

Your Solution Options

Move from listening to solving, with the solution types that come up most.

  • How to say YES, and how to say NO
  • Explaining WHY, and the creative YES
  • When and how to escalate

Training a whole team? Get a private course quote

Getting sign-off?

Everything your manager needs, in one PDF

Download a two-page fact sheet with the outcomes, modules, format, price and options, ready to forward or attach to an approval.

Managing Difficult Customers fact sheet

2 × 4 hours live online with Daniel Ord, $747 per person. Public or private.

Download the PDF

Prefer to talk it through?

Not sure it suits your team? Get in touch and we’ll help you choose.

Talk to us

Who it’s for

Who is Managing Difficult Customers training for?

Anyone who deals with customers when conversations turn emotional, from new starters to experienced leaders.

Customer service teams

Phone, email and chat teams handling enquiries and complaints.

Team leaders

Coaching staff through high-emotion calls and escalations.

Complaints teams

Case managers handling formal complaints and escalated cases.

Reception and front desk

Face-to-face roles managing walk-ins and tension in person.

Billing and collections

Hard conversations about money, payments and policy.

Government and utilities

Public-facing staff explaining limits, rules and decisions.

Looking for broader customer service training? Browse all customer service courses

Reviews

What participants say

Verified reviews from people who’ve completed Managing Difficult Customers with Daniel.

4.9

374 verified reviews across all CX Skills courses

Read every review
4.9

Managing Difficult Customers · 50 reviews

5.0

On Google · 39 reviews
Independently verified

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Pricing

Pricing and payment options

Eight hours of live training with a global expert, for $747 per person ex GST. Book one ticket or your whole team, and pay by card or invoice at checkout.

Places are limited to keep the sessions interactive, so book early to secure your place.

  • Save 15% when you book 3 or more tickets in one transaction
  • ACXPA members pay $560.25 per person, a 25% saving (see below)
  • Card or invoice: choose how to pay at checkout
  • Training a whole team? Private courses run for groups of 5 or more

Official ACXPA training partner

Want to save $186.75 on this course? ACXPA members pay $560.25, not $747, plus a year of self-paced courses, tools and live expert support

  • 50+hours of live expert access a year
  • 65+tools, templates and resources
  • 18calculators
  • 25%off CX Skills live public courses

ACXPA members save 25% on this course and every CX Skills live public course.

ACXPA membership is a practitioner-built toolkit for anyone who deals with upset or difficult customers: the Complaints Handling Hub, self-paced courses and live expert access every fortnight, for a full year.

What your team gets, all year round

  • The Complaints Handling Hub: a 7-step framework, staff cheat sheets and logging tools
  • Self-paced courses on difficult customers, complaints, being assertive and managing stress, each with a workbook, quiz and certificate, plus one-minute refreshers for team huddles
  • 480 Customer Response Templates with Business Membership
  • The Customer Service Health Check: see where your service stands across 17 dimensions, with a full diagnostic and action plan
  • Live expert access: monthly Roundtables and a fortnightly Open Mic with ACXPA’s founder

FAQs

Managing Difficult Customers training FAQs

Delivery, pricing, content and who the course suits.

Still have questions? Get in touch
Who should attend this course?
Anyone who deals with customers when conversations get tough: customer service and contact centre teams, complaints and case managers, team leaders, reception and front desk, retail and branch staff, and field, healthcare, government and hospitality teams.
What topics are covered?
Four modules: Considering Human Behaviour, Classifying the Classic Types of Difficult Situations, Service Skills Requirements, and Understanding Your Solution Options (how to say YES, how to say NO, how to explain WHY, a conditional or creative YES, and when to escalate).
When are the sessions?
Thursday 12 and Friday 13 November 2026, from 12:30pm to 4:30pm AEDT (Melbourne and Sydney time) on both days. You’ll receive your Zoom link before the course starts.
What if I can’t make these dates?
See the other upcoming dates, or talk to us about a private course for your team on dates that suit you.
Does it help with abusive or unsafe behaviour?
Yes. Participants learn how to recognise abusive behaviour, set professional boundaries and respond calmly and consistently, including when to warn, when to escalate and when to end the conversation.
Does the course provide scripts?
No. Participants learn repeatable frameworks and language they can use naturally in their own words, on the phone, in writing and face to face.
How is the course delivered?
Live online via Zoom over 2 × 4-hour sessions on separate days, so people can join from anywhere with minimal disruption to rosters. Public courses run on set dates; private courses are for your team only, on dates that suit you.
Can Daniel deliver the course onsite?
Daniel is based in Germany, so this course runs live online. If you’d like him onsite with your team, talk to us and we’ll quote it, including travel.
Can the course be customised for our team?
The content and format are fixed: it’s a proven course that Daniel delivers the same way every time. In a private course there’s always time to talk through your team’s real situations and challenges.
How much does it cost?
Public courses are $747 per person (ex GST) for 8 hours of live training. Save 15% when you book three or more people in the same transaction, and ACXPA members save 25%. Private courses for your team (minimum 5 participants) are quoted.
Will the course definitely go ahead?
Public courses need a minimum number of participants to run, so we reserve the right to reschedule or cancel a date if too few people book. If that happens, we’ll let you know as early as possible and you can move to another date or get a full refund.
What’s included?
Two live 4-hour sessions with Daniel, course materials, practical exercises and a certificate of completion for everyone who completes the course.
What do participants need?
A computer with a stable internet connection, Zoom, and a headset and camera for the best experience.
Is there a lower-cost or self-paced option?
Yes. Our self-paced courses are an affordable way to build skills at any time, from $9.15 per person a month.

An ACXPA membership is another option. Members save 25% on live public courses and get the Complaints Handling Hub, with guides, a framework, logging and escalation tools to improve complaints handling across your business.
How do I book?
Choose how many tickets you need in the ticket box at the top of this page, then check out by card or invoice. To train a whole team privately, talk to us or call +61 3 9008 7287.

Talk to us

Questions about training your team?

Book a call to talk it through, or send us a message and we’ll get back to you.

Book a callDownload the fact sheet

Prefer the phone? Call +61 3 9008 7287 (Mon–Fri, 8:30–17:30 Melbourne time) or email hello@cxskills.com.au.

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Ready to book your place?

Secure your tickets for 12 and 13 November, or talk to us about a private course for your team.