by Letty B

Created on: April 04, 2007   Last Updated: September 28, 2011

Rule 1! Do not defend your organization

This may sound like a lapse of loyalty but omitting this act is actually merely removing one of the MAIN antagonists that front line staff make when presented with a complaint.

Your complaining customer is unhappy about something, whether their complaint be justified or not, they believe they have been wronged somehow and your first priority is to 'disarm' this potentially 'attacking' complainant.

You may not have the full details re what occurred and so may be reluctant to accept liability and apologize BUT you can always use the word 'sorry' in the following context without accepting liability and at the same time pacifying the complainant so that they feel reassured that you have:

a) Heard them
b) Understood them
c) Sympathize with them - this is more important to your customers than you realise. They want your empathy as much as they want a resolution to the problem.

Deal with your complaint:

As the customer speaks, listen attentively and nod to show understanding, make notes to get the facts as they recite them.

After they have exhausted themselves and have clearly finished speaking, recite the details back to them, to show them you have heard and understood their complaint.

Advise them as follows:
"I am very sorry that this has been your experience of our product/service, I will look into this matter without delay and let you know the outcome." (Or whatever is the specified time frame for dealing with complaints)

Do not defend the organization with 'we are very busy at present' and never say 'I am sure that is not what happened' as that is equivalent to calling them a liar and will inflame them no end. Even if you know that it could not have happened the way the complainant says it did you do not report back to them your thoughts.

You merely 'investigate' as you advise and then report back to them with your findings. After which time, your calm empathetic response may have made them realise they were hasty if they were complaining in error. If not, then you have saved yourself a hasty judgement.

If a complaint is handled well, you will have a more loyal customer as a result.

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