.png)
A classic. Whether you’re interviewing for a retail job, a tech support role, or a client-facing position in a B2B company, there’s a good chance it’ll come up.
It sounds easy… until you start talking and realise you’re either ranting about someone who shouted at you over a missing delivery or sounding like you’ve never had a bad day in your life.
Let’s break it down. What are they actually asking, and how do you answer it without sounding like you're ready to square up in a Tesco car park?
What are they asking?
This isn’t just a “customer service” question. They’re trying to figure out how you handle pressure, conflict and—most importantly—people.
Are you someone who keeps their cool when things go sideways? Can you problem-solve in real time without passing the blame? Do you have the emotional intelligence to deal with someone being really difficult without losing the rag?
They’re not looking for someone who’s never had a tough moment. They want to see how you handle one.
How should you respond?
The best answers follow a structure.
Please don’t say, “I’ve never dealt with a difficult customer.” That doesn’t make you look good. It makes you look either sheltered or dishonest. Even if your role wasn’t technically “customer-facing,” you’ve probably had to deal with a tough email or an awkward stakeholder.
Example (retail):
“I worked in retail during the Christmas holiday period . One customer was furious because a product they’d ordered online hadn’t arrived, and they needed it urgently. They came into the shop already worked up, and I could feel the tension straight away. I let them vent first — interrupting doesn’t help — then I apologised, even though the delivery issue was out of my control. I checked the system, found a similar product in-store, and offered a discount. They calmed down, made the purchase, and actually apologised on the way out. The manager gave me a shoutout in the team meeting that week, which was nice.”
Why that works:
You’re not pretending the customer was easy.
You owned the situation instead of blaming others.
You took action, solved the issue, and ended on a high.
(If you've ever actually worked in retail during the Winter holidays, we salute you. We know what that's like. Proud of you for getting through it.)
What NOT to do:
Complain about the customer (even if they were a nightmare).
Make yourself the victim (“They were just rude and I didn’t deserve it!”).
Say you “just passed it on to a manager” and called it a day.
Keep it human
The trick is to tell a story that feels real. Not polished to perfection. Let your personality show, but keep the focus on how you solved the problem. You’re being assessed on how useful you are when things get tricky.
TL;DR?
Don’t panic when they ask about a difficult customer. Show that you stayed calm, fixed the problem, and didn’t let the situation rattle you.