Blog>Trade>How to handle customer complaints
Last updated: 20 June 2022
How to handle customer complaints
Dealing with customers every day can be a challenge but forming great relationships is essential for your business. While it can be disheartening to receive a customer complaint, this is in fact a great opportunity to learn and grow as a business. Plus, you can easily transform a negative complaint
Dealing with customers every day can be a challenge but forming great relationships is essential for your business. While it can be disheartening to receive a customer complaint, this is in fact a great opportunity to learn and grow as a business. Plus, you can easily transform a negative complaint into a positive customer experience by learning how to handle customer complaints properly.
The most important thing to do if you receive a customer complaint is to listen to everything your customer says. This will give you a great understanding of the issue so you can work towards a resolution. Once your customer explains their complaint, try to empathise, and show that you care. It’s also vital that, if necessary, you offer an apology and solution as soon as possible.
Handling angry customer complaints
When things go wrong with a project, many customers become angry and frustrated which can be a stressful experience. The good news is that you can become a pro at handling angry customer complaints and dealing with dissatisfied customers. Firstly, staying calm and polite is incredibly important so you don’t allow the situation to escalate.
As with any customer complaint, allow them to have their say without interrupting so they feel you are giving them your full attention. Remember to never raise your voice or lose your temper with your customer as this is a sure-fire way to increase their anger. Also, try not to allow your customer’s angry words to upset you, it often isn’t personal and they may just be frustrated.
Saying sorry is essential to show your customer you understand their complaint and are taking responsibility. Once your dissatisfied customer finishes explaining their complaint take a little time to investigate the situation. You can then contact them and state how you aim to resolve the issue.
Resolving customer complaints
When a customer posts negative feedback on Checkatrade we’ll contact you before this appears on our website. You’ll then have 7 days to get in touch with your customer and work towards a resolution. This may even lead to the review being withdrawn. To learn more about the process customers go through when making a complaint, check out our resolving issues guide.
After receiving a complaint, you’ll likely want to tackle the problem as soon as possible. This means you can quickly get back to concentrating on your work and eliminate any stress that comes with dealing with an unhappy customer.
In order to properly resolve customer complaints, use the below tips:
Listen carefully to the customer complaint and ask for details for your investigation.
A key step in resolving customer complaints is to look into how the problem occurred and how you can avoid it in the future.
Apologize and show your customer that you empathize.
Ask the customer how they’d like you to resolve the issue, so you know what their ideal outcome is.
Make sure to deal with the complaint as soon as possible.
It’s also helpful to put everything in writing to clear up any confusion over telephone calls.
Speak to your customer after resolving the complaint to check they’re happy with the outcome.
Consider giving them a partial refund, going back to fix the mistake, or tackling any issues with your employees.
If you’re struggling to find a resolution and deal with an angry customer, becoming a Checkatrade member will give you access to our Members Community. There you can chat online with other professionals and ask for advice on how to handle customer complaints.
Is the customer always right?
This phrase has been used within businesses for decades but that doesn’t mean the customer is always right. In fact, you may receive a customer complaint about an issue that isn’t your fault which can be incredibly frustrating. For example, sometimes customers may have the wrong information or misunderstand a situation through no fault on your part.
So, what do you do when you receive a complaint over an issue that’s not your responsibility? Well, apologising isn’t always the best course of action, particularly if you’ve done nothing wrong. It’s still worth listening to everything your customer needs to get off their chest and then taking the opportunity to explain the situation.
We’d also recommend keeping detailed records of any correspondence you have with your customer. Plus, it’s important to keep copies of any invoices or quotes you give the customer as this may help to resolve disagreements further into the project.
Rarely, some customers will find things to complain about no matter how hard you work, but as long as you’ve done your job to a high standard, the customer isn’t always right.
What are the six principles of complaints handling?
According to Ombudsman.org.uk, there are six principles of complaint handling that can help to guide you through resolving customer complaints. You can find more detail on the Ombudsman website but simply these are:
Getting it right
Being customer focused
Being open and accountable
Acting fairly and proportionately
Putting things right
Seeking continuous improvement
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How to avoid customer complaints
While it isn’t always possible to avoid customer complaints, there are still a few steps you can take to minimise the risks. These include:
Keep the lines of communication open with your customers. Ensure you discuss the project every step of the way and keep them updated about any changes, issues, or delays.
Listen to their concerns throughout the job. You may be able to prevent a future complaint this way.
Resolve any issues as soon as possible.
Try to stick to an agreed schedule of works if possible, to avoid lengthy delays that are likely to irritate your customer.
As a reputable business, you’ll want to always provide a good quality service and never be tempted to cut corners
One of the best ways to keep up to date with your customer messages is to join Checkatrade. Using our app, you can conveniently receive and send messages from your mobile, saving you time and energy. Plus, you can use the Checkatrade logo to show your customers you’re a trustworthy, reliable business, which may help when dealing with complaints.
Useful checklist for dealing with customer complaints
Listen, listen, listen! Take in everything your customer says in detail so you can properly investigate the issue and your customer feels like you care.
Stay as calm as you can, even if your customer becomes angry, and work towards diffusing the situation.
Try not to take the complaint personally or let it upset you.
Try to come to a resolution as soon as possible and keep your customer informed.
You can avoid complaints by communicating with your customer, trying to stay on track and be polite and professional.
