Customer service employee figures out the perfect way to handle entitled customers simply by echoing them: ‘Crazy how that works…'

Author image for Elna McHilderson
Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Jan 6, 2026 10:00 AM EST

Customer service is a career that attracts all kinds of entitled people, which makes it one of the most difficult jobs. One employee figured out the perfect technique to handle these ornery customers. 

If you have ever worked in customer service, then you know the kind of anxiety inducing situations you are put in. It doesn't even matter who much training you have gone through (if you're lucky enough to even get any training), you still feel panicked during your first Karen encounter. And, oh believe, you will encounter one if you're working customer service… 

There is something about this career path that attracts entitled people from every corner of the world. Heck, some people aren't even normally entitled, but if they're calling customer service, it can somehow bring that side out of them. That's probably because if a customer is calling customer service, then something has already gone wrong on their end and it has already made them flustered and upset. So now it is your duty to fix it for them, and sometimes that makes the customer forget that it was not your fault as an individual or an employee of the company. 

Nonetheless, a customer service rep usually has to deal with the most difficult people. So what did one employee figure out? If you repeat everything the customer just said back to them, they magically calm down.

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  • young businesswoman wearing phone headset and communicating with an unsatisfied customer
    via Unsplash+ (and Getty Images)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Apparently, this is also a therapy technique. When someone feels unheard or undervalued, they need constant confirmation that you are actually listening to them. So repeating everything they just said is an easy way of showing that you indeed listened and are remembering everything they said because it is important to you. 

    So you can see how in a customer service situation, where the customer is calling because they already feel uncared for, when you repeat everything they just said back to them, they feel better. So, this is good news if you work in customer service and have been facing off with some entitled characters. This might not always help with a Karen, because they are just wired differently sometimes, but for the most part, everyone loves to know they are being listened to. 

  • "I started narrating the call back to them and it magically fixed the attitude"

    Just saw this again today and it reminded me why I started doing it, customers will act like you're making things up until they hear their own words repeated back.
    via okay_but_unfine
  • I do phone support (billing/appointments, the usual "why is this taking so long" crowd) and I'm not even trying to be petty, but I got tired of the same loop: Customer: "Nobody told me that." Me: "It's in the email and it was explained on the last call." Customer: "No it wasn't." So now I do this thing where I basically live-transcribe the call into a little running note and I read it back in real time.
    via okay_but_unfine
  • Like, when they start escalating I'll go, calm voice, "Okay, I'm writing this down so I don't miss anything.
    via okay_but_unfine
  • You're saying you were promised a refund today, and you were told you wouldn't need to provide the invoice, correct?" And then I paused.
    via okay_but_unfine
  • It's wild how often the tone shifts right there. Not always, but enough that it's worth it.
    via okay_but_unfine
  • People get less brave when their tantrum turns into a record. Also it forces them to be specific instead of doing that foggy "I was told by someone" thing.
    via okay_but_unfine
  • Today's special was a guy who kept talking over me, demanding a supervisor, saying I'm refusing to help
    via okay_but_unfine
  • So I did it: "Okay, I'm noting: customer is requesting a supervisor. Customer is declining to verify the email address on file.
    via okay_but_unfine
  • Customer is stating we are refusing service." Suddenly he can verify his email address. Suddenly he can answer yes/no questions.
    via okay_but_unfine
  • Crazy how that works. The part that makes it actually doable is I don't type it all anymore.
    via okay_but_unfine
  • I use a dictation app (Willow Voice) so I can just speak the note while I'm still listening, and I'm not doing that frantic keyboard clacking thing that makes people think you're "ignoring them." It also keeps my voice steady because I'm literally reading back the same neutral wording.
    via okay_but_unfine
  • I'm sure some people would call it passive aggressive, but honestly I think it's the opposite.
    via okay_but_unfine
  • It's the cleanest way I've found to stay polite and not get dragged into their emotional swamp.
    via okay_but_unfine
  • If you're going to accuse me of lying, cool, let's put your exact claim in a sentence and see if you still want to stand by it.
    via okay_but_unfine
  • The only downside is when they hear it and go "DON'T WRITE THAT." Like, buddy, you just said it out loud to a stranger at 2:17pm on a recorded line.
    via okay_but_unfine
  • woman talking on the cell phone looking upset and annoyed
    via Unsplash+ (and Blake Cheek)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • bolatelli45 Remember always you are in charge of the call.
    via bolatelli45
  • lacetat This is called reflective listening, a common therapy technique to improve communication. It causes people to feel heard and taken seriously. That's what actually diffuses the situation. Just wait until a customer uses this same technique on you to make sure they understand what you are telling them.
    via bolatelli45
  • Fun-Dare-7864 I do this but I'd argue the typing is better. You can disguise other tasks as documenting their notes. You might have to respond to a group chat or search for reference documents to quote your response to the situation. You might also have to dig deeper in their info. The typing hides the other required navigation. I do narrate what I'm doing while I'm doing it, and I tell them what I'm documenting. They're much less inclined to lie or be dodgy. I wouldnt use a voice transcription.
    via bolatelli45
  • FlatwormSea9861 This was super helpful. Thank you so much for sharing.
    via bolatelli45
  • mamaSupe Part of our requirements per call is summarizing what we went over in the call, then asking if there's anything else we can help with
    via bolatelli45

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customer service call center customers workplace karen entitled people
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