6 Steps For Dealing With a Complaint

You're having a wonderful day, everything's going well, until suddenly - oh lord, a customer has just slipped on some milk. The man in a wheelchair can't get into the hotel and is riled.

You can hear someone yelling because they have been left on hold for too long, and what's this? Your till has run out of notes and the customer won't accept coins!

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Phew, burnout. Thankfully, dealing with complaints is

only a small part in the lively and energetic job of Customer Service. But when they come, a complaint can hit you pretty hard, so always make you take these 5 steps to diffuse the situation ASAP.

Listen You see there's listening, and there's

LISTENING. It's easy to just let the complaints trickle into your ears, but really taking it on board takes a whole lot more. Stand in your customer's shoes and understand where they are coming from. Nod your head and try not to interrupt or answer back, at least at first. Letting your customer see you are sensitive to their concerns can almost immediately smooth the situation.

Question After the initial confrontation, it's good to

ask one or two questions about their situation, primarily to clarify what the exact problem is so you can get it sorted ASAP. Asking questions and showing your understanding is also another good way to show you are sympathetic to your customer.

Apologise This should be the pivotal moment in

your confrontation. Whether the situation has been diffused or not, you need to make sure to crowbar an apology in there - and not just for the sake of it either. It can be easy to say sorry without meaning it, or to forgo it altogether and blame it on another department.

The thing you need to remember though is that YOU are a representative of the company, meaning that any problem with the company is also your problem.

Put yourself into your customer's shoes and show them you are genuinely sorry.

Accept the complaint....  Working in a team alongside the general

public does tend to foster an 'us or them' atmosphere, which can lead to you taking personal offence at a customer's complaint, and even outright disregarding it. It is important that you never let this kind of hostility enter your Customer Service and that you remain focused and attentive at all times.

...or don't accept (occasionally)  Okay, admittedly there will be times when

your customer is making a mountain out of a molehill or simply being unreasonable. At these times though you should never lose your head - stay calm, collected and resourceful.

Explain the situation carefully, but never be led into an argument. By not blowing your top, your'e not only the bigger person, but you are proving the strength of your Customer Service skills in adverse conditions.

Solve the problem ...and do it yourself if you can. Just telling

your customer "yeah, I'll get Gav to look at it later" isn't going to cut it. Show your customer you respect their input by either sorting out the problem yourself straight-away, or fetching someone who can. Not only will the flaw in your business be mended, but also your customer will appreciate you taking their concern seriously.

Customer service is essentially a simple process of putting yourself in the customers shoes and working with them to solve any issues they have. It isn't rocket science, but getting it wrong can cause serious problems for you and your business.

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