Handling customer feedback effectively is crucial for your business. After all, satisfied customers are at the heart of your business – so maintaining a good reputation is vital.
Don’t panic if your business has received customer complaints. It’s all part of running a business! How you address them and take action in the future is what sets you apart from the competition.
Addressing complaints professionally helps to solve immediate problems. It can also build greater customer loyalty and improve people’s perception of your brand.
In this guide, you’ll find ten proven strategies to help you become a pro at managing customer complaints. And while you’re here, you might also like our guide on enhancing customer experiences with great customer service.
1. Listen actively.
The first step is to listen actively to complaints. If a customer complains, they may have a valid reason for doing so. Active listening can also help you improve your business activities in the future.
When addressing a customer’s concerns, listen to their concerns without interruptions. This helps to demonstrate your genuine commitment to understanding their perspective.
You should empathise with their experience by recognising and validating their feelings and frustrations. Showing empathy will reassure customers that their emotions are valued and understood, and your business is taking things seriously.
We recommend taking detailed notes to capture their concerns properly so you don’t overlook anything. It’s also a good idea to ask them to send their complaint in an email so you have it in writing.
Once you have acknowledged their concerns, take care to summarise what you’ve heard to ensure clarity. Confirming their viewpoint prevents miscommunication and shows the client you’ve been attentive.
2. Stay calm and professional.
Always ensure you maintain composure when dealing with upset customers. Whether you believe their complaints are valid or not, try to avoid defensive reactions and keep your tone respectful.
Keeping your emotions in check can help de-escalate the situation. It will also allow you to focus on resolving the issue effectively.
You might find it useful to put yourself in their shoes. How would you want the situation to be handled? This is a great technique to help you sympathise with the customer and their concerns.
Be sure to use positive language and avoid negative phrasing. Being open in this way can help to create a more constructive dialogue. For example, instead of saying, “I can’t help with that,” try saying, “Let me investigate this further and see what I can do to help you.” This solution-focused mindset reassures the client that your team is dedicated to resolving their issue.
After the interaction, take a moment to reflect on the conversation and your response. This can provide valuable insights for handling future complaints even more effectively.
You might also find our guide to mastering customer service interactions useful.
3. Acknowledge the issue.
Acknowledge the customer’s complaint as soon as possible. Speak with the customer directly if you can, whether they’ve reached out via email, phone or through your website.
Research from Khoros shows that 83% of customers feel more loyal to brands that respond to their complaints.
Taking a proactive approach not only demonstrates accountability but also strengthens your commitment to the customer.
Here are a couple of simple steps to help you achieve this:
- Start by thanking the customer for bringing the issue to your attention.
- Assure them that their feedback is valuable and will be promptly addressed.
This not only resolves their concern but also reinforces trust in your brand’s dedication to customer satisfaction.
4. Apologise sincerely
The next step to resolving client issues is to offer a sincere and genuine apology. Take full responsibility for any errors you or your business might have made.
A sincere apology goes beyond words. Acknowledging the impact on the client shows empathy and understanding. Accepting ownership of the complaint demonstrates integrity and a commitment to resolving the situation.
Ensure your apology is specific to the client’s issue rather than a generic statement. Achieve this by explicitly mentioning their issue and expressing regret for the inconvenience it caused. A genuine apology also plays a pivotal role in rebuilding trust. It assures the customer that their concerns matter and that their experience holds value.
5. Offer solutions
The next step is to offer a practical solution that directly addresses their concerns.
You might wish to offer a few solutions so the customer has options. Going above and beyond to rectify the situation demonstrates your dedication to customer satisfaction.
Let’s imagine a customer has a complaint about a service they received.
You could:
- Offer the service again, at no extra cost (if possible)
- Offer them a full refund
- Offer a discount on future services
Remember that every customer is different and there’s no one-fits-all solution. Be sincere and speak with the customer to find what works best for them.
6. Follow up promptly
After resolving client issues, prioritise following up to confirm they’re happy with the outcome. Follow up with a phone call, email or letter as required.
During this follow-up, ask the client if the solution has fully addressed their concerns and if there is anything else you can do to assist them. This approach ensures you’ve resolved the immediate problem and provides an opportunity for them to share any additional feedback.
If your client feels that their concern has been heard in full, they’ll be reassured that you’ve taken care of them.
You can also try to involve the client in the decision-making process by asking for their preference among the solutions you offer. This empowers them and shows that their satisfaction is your priority. For instance, you could say, “We understand the inconvenience this has caused and we want to make it right. Would you prefer a complimentary service, a full refund, or a discount on your next service with us?”
Tailoring the solution to the client’s specific needs and preferences resolves not only the immediate issue, it also enhances their overall experience and loyalty.
7. Learn from feedback
Keep a record of complaints to identify recurring patterns and specific areas for improvement. Regularly analysing complaints can provide valuable insights into your business – and its strengths and weaknesses.
By understanding these patterns, you can pinpoint the root causes of issues and address them more effectively.
The following are a few useful ways to use customer feedback:
- Sit down with your team to discuss feedback
- Learn and make necessary changes in your processes, products, or services
- Make changes to your customer service system
- Improve your feedback loop
- Carry out predictive analytics
For example, if multiple customers complain about the same product defect, investigate the manufacturing process and adjust to improve quality control. If issues arise with customer service, consider additional training for your team to handle customer interactions better. This could be a great opportunity to revisit your customer service KPIs.
A timely follow-up shows you value their business and are committed to maintaining a positive relationship. It’s also a good way of gauging their overall satisfaction with your services – you can also identify any potential areas for improvement.
Document the feedback you received to refine your service delivery and prevent similar issues in the future. Consistently following up shows your brand has a proactive approach to customer service. This can significantly enhance client loyalty and trust in your brand.
8. Empower frontline staff
Once you’ve dealt with the complaint, it’s time to equip your employees with proper training.
Make sure they know how to listen, empathise, and provide solutions.
Empower your employees to make decisions and resolve issues on their own. Your business will be hard to scale if your team feels they always need to escalate problems to higher-ups. An autonomous approach allows them to act quickly and efficiently when dealing with customer concerns.
Encourage your team to develop strong problem-solving skills. Give them the tools and confidence they need to address issues as they arise. Establishing clear guidelines and providing ongoing training helps employees to handle a variety of situations. Role-playing exercises can be particularly effective in helping staff practise their responses to different types of complaints.
Encourage a culture of continuous learning where employees feel comfortable sharing their experiences and learning from each other. Recognise and reward employees who demonstrate excellent customer service skills and successfully resolve issues on their own. This not only boosts morale but also reinforces the importance of customer satisfaction as a core value of your business.
By investing in your team, you create a more resilient and customer-focused business equipped to meet the evolving needs of your customers.
9. Maintain transparency
By keeping the customer in the loop, you show that you are actively working on their issue and value their time and concern.
Keep customers informed throughout the complaint resolution process. Be honest about any limitations or constraints that may affect the resolution. Even if there is no significant progress to report, communicate the fact. This can be done through phone calls, emails, or messages, depending on the customer’s preferred mode of communication.
Clearly explain the steps you’re taking to resolve the issue and the expected timeline for resolution. If there are delays or unforeseen complications, communicate these promptly and explain the reasons behind them. Offering a clear and honest view of the process helps manage customer expectations and reduces frustration.
Effective customer communication also means inviting customers to ask questions or seek clarification to reinforce that you’re taking their concerns seriously.
10. Outsource your customer service to a professional team
Outsourcing your customer service could be a great way to deal with customer complaints — and certainly a significant customer retention strategy.
Responding to customers promptly and on an individual basis is crucial for maintaining satisfaction and loyalty.
Each complaint needs a tailored approach to ensure the customer feels heard and valued. However, effectively managing this process can be challenging, especially for businesses without a dedicated customer service team.
We’re here to help. Our team of customer service experts is available 24/7 to help your callers and visitors. By outsourcing your customer service to us, you ensure that every customer interaction – including handling customer feedback – is taken care of professionally and efficiently. Get started here.
