We've looked at how complaints arise, but how can you resolve them? Here's our simple 6-Step Guide...

1 - LISTEN
Allow the customer to express his/her dissatisfaction. Don't interrupt. Use "Active Listening" body language. If the customer is emotional and angry, this stage is particularly important. Interrupting will just exacerbate the problem. Communication cannot take place while the customer is emotional. Use good open body language and eye contact to let the customer know you’re listening and you’re concerned, and the simple act of active listening will calm the customer to a state of logic when communication can begin to take place.

2 - APOLOGISE
Say you're sorry and mean it. Use Empathy and Sympathy. Be sincere. Don’t over apologise. Every time you say “sorry” you’re inferring you’ve messed up. So the more times you say it the more “incompetent” your organisation will appear. Once or twice with sincerity, genuine concern and supporting body language will start to achieve results.

3 - SUMMARISE
Re-state, don't repeat. Show that you're interested. Show that you've understood. You may think you’ve understood the problem, but if the customer was in an emotional state in Stage 1 they won’t have been communicating very clearly. Often a complaint arises after a chain of unacceptable events. Point E may have been the most recent issue (the straw that broke the camel’s back) and the one shouted loudest about, but Point B in the chain may be the most important to the customer. Don’t worry if you’ve misunderstood something. If the customer was shouting at you in Stage 1, and you’ve followed the procedure so far and they’re calmer and thinking logically, there’ll be an element of guilt that they’ve shouted at you and will be happy to clarify anything.

4 - INFORM
Tell the customer what you're going to do. Where possible, make promises but keep to them. If you break a promise here you’ll have a serious explosion of emotion on your hands! Don’t make promises for others as they may not be able to keep them. Promise what you can deliver. The customer should have every confidence in you by now. If you can resolve the issue within an hour, promise longer if you think it’ll be acceptable. When you achieve it sooner than their expectation, you’ll be their new best friend.

5 - ACT
Move Promptly. Offer the customer a compensatory service if necessary. Frequently it’s not necessary and is often too readily offered. Offer something that has large perceived value but little cost to you. Eg An upgrade from Economy to Business Class where Business Class isn’t full will be a wonderful gift at relatively little expense to you.

6 - FOLLOW-UP

Keep the customer informed. Check for satisfaction. If you’ve followed the above the chances are your customer will be more satisfied, often delighted, than if they’d not had cause to complain in the first place. They’ll be your company’s biggest advocate, their loyalty to your company will be significantly increased, and frequently they’ll write to your boss telling them how fantastic you are!

The two most common areas in which companies fall down in the above, are at stages 1 and 4:

In Stage 1 where the customer is particularly emotional, aggressive and even abusive, it’s very difficult to stay calm yourself. It is human nature to defend yourself and argue back. Try to avoid this wherever possible. New York Police Department have a technique called the STOP technique which has been proven to be extremely effective in dealing with aggressive members of the public:

S is for SIGNAL – Everyone has a dominant body language signal which they display when they’re angry. If you’re not sure what yours is, ask your partner! A frown? A clenched jaw? Hands on hips? Find out and recognise it.

T is for TAKE CONTROL – Don’t get personally involved. They’re shouting at your uniform and the logo on your name badge, not you. Breath deeply to get oxygen to you brain.

O is for OPPOSITE – Do the opposite of your signal. Unfrown? Relax your jaw? Keep you hands off your hips? This physical action will help your brain to keep you calm mentally.

P is for PRACTICE – The more you do this, the better you’ll become. Practice makes perfect!

And the second most common failing is breaking promises in Step 4. Making promises and delivering more than you promised is an ideal opportunity to exceed expectations and to gain supreme advocates for your business. There is nothing more satisfying than turning an irate customer into your best friend… well almost nothing!

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