By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Start Your Business Magazine
  • Topics

    Grow, expand and leverage your business..

    Grow your start up business with our experts and industry insiders…

    Get Started

    Quick Links

    • Finance
    • Marketing
    • Technology
    • Business Books
    • Wellness
    • Interviews
    • Franchise

    Our Newsletters

    Our website stores cookies on your computer. They allow us to remember you and help personalise your experience with our site..

    Read our privacy policy for more information.
  • Trending
    TrendingShow More
    Communicate Better
    Start Your Business Start Your Business
    Majority of UK Employees Looking for a New Job
    Start Your Business Start Your Business
  • How To
    How ToShow More
    How To Start A Maintenance Business In 8 Easy Steps
    Start Your Business Start Your Business
    Tips for Running a Restaurant in the Most Efficient Way Possible
    Start Your Business Start Your Business
    Becoming self employed…
    Start Your Business Start Your Business
    Vet Start up
    Start Your Business Start Your Business
    Builder’s Growth
    Start Your Business Start Your Business
  • Agenda
    AgendaShow More
    The Positive Impact Of Bringing Nature Into The Office
    Start Your Business Start Your Business
    The Beauty and Versatility of Timber: A Guide to Using Wood in Construction and Design
    Start Your Business Start Your Business
    Could On-site Safety Hold Back Growth of the Construction Industry?
    Start Your Business Start Your Business
    5 Strategies To Attract More Customers To Your Restaurant
    Start Your Business Start Your Business
    4 Vital Safety Precautions to Take During Office Renovations
    Start Your Business Start Your Business
Reading: The Best Ways To Handle Customer Complaint
Connect
Start Your Business MagazineStart Your Business Magazine
Aa
  • Contact
  • Blog
Search
  • Agenda
  • Blog
  • Finance
  • Growing
  • Marketing
  • Opportunity
  • Starting Up
  • Technology
  • Wellbeing
  • Contact
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • RSS
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Licensing
Copyright © 2014-2023 Ruby Theme Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

The Best Ways To Handle Customer Complaint

Start Your Business
agenda
Share
8 Min Read

There’s a famous saying: You can’t please all the people all of the time! This saying is relevant to lots of different circumstances but it will be especially relatable to you if you’re a business owner.

Contents
1: Respond to the complaint quickly2: Ask the right questions3: Present a solution4: Act on the feedback you receive5: Follow up with your customersWhat not to do when your customer complainsConclusion

Some of your customers will love your products and services and hopefully, they’ll be happy to share their love on social media and business review sites. 

But occasionally, you will run into a customer that has a complaint. This complaint could be justified but then again, their accusations against your business could be unwarranted. 

You shouldn’t disregard any complaints, even if you think the customer is making a proverbial mountain out of a molehill. According to customer service statistics, 82% of customers are more likely to purchase another product with a business if they have a positive customer service experience. But what if those same customers have a negative customer experience? If we read between the lines, it could be assumed that they won’t return to a business that hasn’t handled their complaints in the right way.  

As such, you need to take your customers seriously, regardless of the complaint. The customer isn’t always right, despite what many of us in business are told, but you still need to make them feel important. 

So, how should you handle customer complaints? Here are some suggestions we hope you find useful.

1: Respond to the complaint quickly

If your customer has to wait more than a couple of days for a response, the more agitated they are going to get. And as they get more agitated, the more likely they are to leave your business a bad review online, as you will have added to their ire with your slow response. 

Therefore, it’s wise to respond to emails and social media messages in a timely way. Delegate replies to your customer service team if you have one or send a response yourself. If you need more time to consider a response, send a message to the customer saying ‘thank you’ for their feedback and let them know that you will be in touch shortly.

If the customer rings you directly, give them a call back at your earliest opportunity if you miss their call. And when you are on the phone with them, be polite, even if you consider them to be completely unreasonable. 

2: Ask the right questions

You need to get to the root of the customer’s issue. Sometimes, the issue will be obvious as it will have been spelt out to you by the customer. But there may be times when you have to do a little digging to understand exactly what it is they are complaining about. 

Ask such questions as…

  • Can you go into a little more detail?
  • Could you give me an example?
  • What did you mean when you said…?

When you have a better understanding of the complaint being raised, you will be in a better position to deal with it. 

3: Present a solution

How will your customer’s complaint be resolved? That’s the key question you need to ask yourself when you’re confronted with a complaint. 

The solution will usually be obvious. You might need to give the customer a refund or a replacement product if you have sold them something faulty, for example. Or you might need to offer assistance if they have had technical difficulties with the product they have purchased. 

In some cases, you might not have a solution. 

In these instances, you might need to transfer the customer to somebody on your team who can offer better assistance. 

Or if a solution isn’t possible (usually when the complaint isn’t justified), you should offer an apology, thank the customer for their feedback, and make a promise to better meet their expectations the next time they use your business. 

4: Act on the feedback you receive

You should keep a record of all the feedback you receive as you will start to notice recurring trends when the same complaints arise. If a lot of customers complain about the same things, such as overpricing, product faults, or poor customer service, you should take these complaints seriously and act on them.

Using the examples given, you might want to reconsider your pricing strategy, make changes to your product, or re-train your customer service team. When you take action in such ways, you should have fewer complaints coming your way in the future. 

5: Follow up with your customers

When you have solved the problem your customer was complaining about, a follow-up phone call or email is one way to show that you care about them.

Ask them such questions as…

  • Are you happy with the way your complaint was resolved?
  • How easy was it to resolve the issue you had with us?
  • Is there anything else we can help you with?
  • Do you have any suggestions on how we can improve?

Again, consider the feedback you receive from your follow-up communications and if you do need to make changes to your business, then make every effort to do so.

By taking positive steps to ensure customer satisfaction, your customers are less likely to spread bad word about your business online and they are less likely to leave your business in the dust in favour of one of your competitors. 

What not to do when your customer complains

We have considered best practice steps for dealing with customer complaints but what shouldn’t you do? Here are some definite no-nos. 

  • Don’t dismiss the complaint as silly or insignificant (for the customer, the issue could be of big importance)
  • Don’t make promises that you can’t keep (this will anger the customer further)
  • Don’t react angrily to the customer (your brand will be negatively impacted if you’re impatient and rude)
  • Don’t make false excuses (be truthful at all times)
  • Don’t lay the blame with the customer (the customer isn’t always right but you still need to treat them like a VIP)

Conclusion

Customer complaints aren’t a bad thing. Sometimes, they can be the catalyst for improvements in your business, and when handled correctly, they can lead to a better relationship with your customers. 

So, consider our suggestions the next time you or your team receive a complaint to ensure you encounter fewer problems with your customers in the future. 

 

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Start Your Business March 8, 2023
Share this Article
Twitter LinkedIn Reddit Email Copy Link
  • RSS
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Licensing

Get the latest from us delivered straight to your inbox

Start Your Business Magazine: The Ultimate Business Start Up Guide provides information advice and guidance for entrepreneurs and new business start ups. Get the latest from us delivered directly to your inbox.

Our website stores cookies on your computer. They allow us to remember you and help personalize your experience with our site..

Read our privacy policy for more information.

Copyright 2023 Gambit Interactive Media Limited – All Rights Reserved.

Manage Cookie Consent
We use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Cookies are used for ads personalisation We do this to improve browsing experience as well as show personalized ads. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}
Join Us!

Sign up to our free newsletter and never miss a hot topic!

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.
Go to mobile version
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?