When confronted with an angry and emotional customer, the best first step toward service recovery is to

A) call security in case it is necessary to escort the person from the building.
B) match the person's voice in intensity and volume to gain control of the confrontation.
C) gently but firms tell the person you will not tolerate being addressed in that tone of voice and turn away until he or she calms down.
D) listen carefully and with empathy until the customer feels he or she has been heard.
E) ask a coworker to take over handling the complaint to get a neutral perspective.

When a customer is angry and emotional, it is important to listen to them carefully and with empathy. This will make the customer feel that they have been heard and understood. It can also help to calm them down and create a more positive attitude towards finding a solution. Choosing choices A or B can escalate the situation and cause further tension. Choice C may be perceived as dismissive or rude, which could damage the customer's relationship with the company. Choice E is not ideal as it simply passes the problem to someone else, rather than actively trying to resolve it.