How to handle customer complaints

5 steps to handle customer complaints 

If you are in a dispute with your customer - and that can be via email or letter - what is the best way to deal with it? We have listed below the five steps you should take when dealing with a customer complaint and some general tips on how to handle the situation most effectively. 

1. Follow a clear complaints policy

Before any work starts, customers are often reassured by the fact you are a Which? Trusted Trader. They know that if anything goes wrong, there is a mechanism in place to address any problems. It’s always a good idea to give customers a copy of your terms and conditions and the Which? Trusted Traders Code of Conduct before the start of any job, so they know what to expect from you.

Keeping the channels of communication open during and after a project can often prevent problems turning into official complaints. Try to deal with your customer directly, whether that’s face to face or over the phone, as you’re less likely to misunderstand each other.

2. Open a dialogue

Address the issue as soon as possible. If your customer is unhappy, any further delay will increase their irritation. Becoming angry or fighting back will only make the situation worse, so stay calm, empathise with them and allow the customer to feel seen and heard.  This will, in the long-term, increase customer loyalty.

Contact your customer and try to arrange a meeting to discuss the issue and agree a resolution. Encourage your customer to be as specific as possible about the exact nature of the complaint and how they want you to resolve it. In turn, you need to be as specific as possible about what you will do to address it, including what remedial work will take place, and when and what will be involved. All this needs to be put in writing.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and encourage the customer to ask as many questions as they need as well. The clearer the complaint is, the easier it will be to handle.

 3. Be confident but respectful

Always remain polite and professional. Customers may find it awkward to raise complaints and they rely on you to make the process run smoothly. Ensure they understand your complaints procedure, what happens next and the timelines involved. Even if it’s a serious problem, such as when the customer can’t or won’t pay, it’s important to remain respectful and friendly. At the end of the day, it’s your business, and you want it to have a professional and approachable reputation.

4. Keep written records

Make a written note of the complaint in your complaints log, then acknowledge the complaint to your customer in writing and offer a course of action to resolve the problem. To comply with the Code of Conduct, this needs to be done within 28 days of receiving the complaint, and all remedial works need to be completed within eight weeks. 

The complaint log is your best way of recording all the actions around the complaint. It’s important to keep this up to date, as this can serve as evidence should the matter go to the ombudsman or to court.

5. Listen to what your customer is saying

Sometimes the source of the complaint will be obvious, but the customer may have trouble articulating exactly what they need from you and you will need to help them reach a resolution. Addressing this complaint can only strengthen your business as you probably won’t make the same mistake again, and if it’s not something caused by your company explicitly, you can keep an eye out for similar situations moving forward. 

If you would like more feedback from the customer during or after the complaint is resolved, check out our guide on how to ask for customer feedback. Strengthening your business should always be a top priority, and receiving the correct feedback can only improve your company moving forward.

Common customer complaints to avoid

Being aware of the complaints customers often have when working with traders can help you to ensure you have strong systems in place to sidestep these issues. Some common complaints include:

• Poor communication – customers should feel confident that you will keep them informed of timelines, costs, expectations and, critically, any changes to their expectations. Keep lines of communication open throughout the process and respond promptly to any queries from the customer.
• Lack of transparency – make sure your customer is aware of the scope of work required ahead of time, and create a detailed invoice that breaks down the costs required.
• Leaving a mess – once the work is complete, do your best to leave the space you were working in as clean and tidy as possible. This is the final impression customers will have of you before you leave, and it can make a big difference. 

Creating customer loyalty from a complaint

Strange though it sounds, if you handle a complaint well it can actually increase customer loyalty. Proving to a customer that you will still go the extra mile for them and deliver excellent customer service when something goes wrong means they know you will treat them fairly. This does mean you have to hold your hands up to any mistake immediately and do everything you can to put it right.

This works both ways - if you try to dodge responsibility, take too long to make restitution or fail to provide excellent customer service in any way, those failures are what people will remember.

You can also use the complaint as motivation to check on your own processes and procedures. This doesn’t mean you should start a witch-hunt to decide who or what is to blame, but rather make an honest appraisal of what went wrong and see if there is any way of avoiding that happening in the future.

Alternate Dispute Resolution service

As long as your customer has used your services during the time you’ve been accredited as a Which? Trusted trader you can use our alternative dispute resolution service if you are unable to resolve the complaint yourself.

This service is to provide a resolution between a business and a customer should they be unable to reach a resolution between themselves.

Which? recommends that companies communicate clearly with their customers, and do their best to resolve any complaints amicably, but we understand that sometimes a third party support is helpful to ensure a resolution is reached. 

Find out more about how the system works in our guide to alternative dispute resolution.

What happens if you receive a negative review?

Receiving negative reviews is naturally disappointing, particularly if a customer has not formally complained or given you the opportunity to put things right.

As with all reviews, we will moderate negative reviews to make sure they comply with our terms and conditions. This can involve checking IP addresses, speaking to the reviewer on the phone and requesting documents relating to the work, such as proof of purchase.

If the review meets these requirements, it will be posted on your profile and you'll be notified about it, giving you the chance to see the complaint and respond. Your account manager will also contact you to discuss it.

You may still be able to take steps to resolve the issues the customer has raised. For more advice about dealing with negative feedback, read our guide to how to deal with negative feedback on social media.

Respect the spirit of your Which? Trusted Traders endorsement

As well as knowing – and implementing – the technical requirements involved when a complaint is made against you (as detailed in section 16 of the Which? Trusted Traders Code of Conduct), we also expect you to act within the spirit of your Which? Trusted Traders endorsement. This means caring for your customers: if something didn’t quite go to plan and a complaint is made against your business, you’ll want to put this right. 

If you have any further questions, you can always contact your account manager who will be happy to help you work through the complaint process. And if you are yet to become a Which? Trusted Trader, join the scheme now and make your business stand out amongst the rest and reach a much wider audience.