People with mental health disabilities look like anyone else. You won’t know that your customer has a mental health disability unless you’re informed of it. And usually it will not affect your customer service at all.
But if someone is experiencing difficulty in controlling their symptoms or is in a crisis, you may need to help out. Be calm and professional and let your customer tell you how you can best help.
Here are some tips on serving customers who have mental health disabilities:
- Treat a person with a mental health disability with the same respect and consideration you have for everyone else.
- Be confident and reassuring. Listen carefully and work with your customer to meet their needs.
- If someone appears to be in a crisis, ask them to tell you the best way to help.