Managing customer complaints
A step by step guide to managing customer complaints in a timely and satisfactory manner
What is a customer complaints process?
5 common mistakes to avoid when handling customer complaints
It is important for a company to have a clear and effective customer complaints process in place in order to maintain good relationships with its customers and to address any issues that may arise in a timely and satisfactory manner. Here are some common mistakes when handling customer complaints:
1. Not acknowledging the complaint:
It is important for a company to acknowledge receipt of a complaint, even if it cannot be immediately resolved. This shows the client that their concerns are being taken seriously.
2. Not investigating the complaint thoroughly:
It is important to fully understand the cause of the issue and gather all necessary information in order to resolve the complaint effectively.
3. Not responding promptly:
Delays in responding to a client’s complaint can lead to frustration and a negative perception of the company. It is important to respond to complaints in a timely manner.
4. Not providing a satisfactory resolution:
It is important to resolve the issue to the client’s satisfaction, or at least offer an acceptable alternative solution.
5. Not following up:
It is important to follow up with the client to ensure that the issue has been fully resolved and to address any additional concerns they may have.
A step-by-step guide to customer complaints
It is important for a company to have a clear and effective customer complaints process in place in order to maintain good relationships with its clients and to address any issues that may arise in a timely and satisfactory manner. Here is a step-by-step process for handling customer complaints.
Receiving the complaint:
The complaint may be received through a variety of channels, such as phone, email, or online form. The person receiving the complaint should record all relevant details, including the client’s contact information and a description of the issue.
Acknowledging the complaint:
The company should acknowledge receipt of the complaint and provide the client with information on how the complaint will be handled. This can be done through a phone call or an email.
Assigning the complaint to a team member:
The complaint should be assigned to a team member who has the relevant knowledge and expertise to address the issue.
Investigating the complaint:
The team member should thoroughly investigate the complaint to determine the cause of the issue and gather any necessary information. This may involve speaking with other team members or reviewing relevant records or documents.
Responding to the complaint:
The team member should provide a response to the client, either in writing or via phone, addressing the issue and outlining any steps that will be taken to resolve it. The response should be courteous and professional, and should include a timeline for resolving the issue.
Resolving the complaint:
The team member should take any necessary steps to resolve the issue to the client’s satisfaction. This may involve providing a refund, exchanging a product, or offering a credit or discount.
Following up:
The team member should follow up with the client to ensure that the issue has been fully resolved and to address any additional concerns they may have.
β‘ Download our pre-built Customer Complaints Workflow
Explore and download our Customer Compaints Workflow template to instantly get a documented, step-by-step workflow for managing the customer complaints process. Once downloaded, you can start running the workflow as is or customizing it to your own requirements (and we can help you build along the way).
More workflows and processes you can automate with Workflow86...
Workflow86 gives internal teams the superpowers they need to document and then massively automate and scale their workflows and processes. From Cybersecurity to Human Resources, Legal to Finance, Health and Safety to Customer Support, check out some of the use cases and downloadable templates for Workflow86 below.