A response to a complaint

Definition

There are many different ways to respond to a complaint. The best way to respond to a complaint depends on the situation and the relationship between the person making the complaint and the person who is being complained about.

In some cases, it may be best to simply acknowledge the complaint and say that you will try to do better in the future. In other cases, it may be best to defend yourself against the complaint.

It is also important to keep in mind that some people may make complaints just to get attention or to cause trouble. These people are usually not worth your time or energy.

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Tips

Here are some tips for responding to a complaint:

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- Acknowledge the complaint and thank the person for bringing it to your attention.

- Try to see the situation from the other person's perspective.

- Apologize if you have done something wrong.

- Explain what you will do to fix the problem.

- Follow up with the person after you have taken action.

Thanks for reading! I hope these tips help you the next time you need to respond to a complaint.

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Example

To: pierre_houches@me.com

From: Customer Service Team – TC Insurance

Subject: Your recent policy renewal

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Dear Mr Houches,

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Thank you for your recent renewal of your insurance policy with Top Car Insurance.

It has been brought to our attention that at the end of your renewal call you registered a complaint and stated that you were dissatisfied with the service you had received.

We value your custom and I assure you that we take all customer feedback seriously. On behalf of the company I would like to apologize for the length of time it took for you to receive your final quote for this renewal. I am also sorry for the inconvenience caused when the discounts you received were not automatically applied.

We have taken your suggestions on board and will review our renewals process for existing customers. We understand your point that the process should not take as long for existing customers as for new customers buying a new policy.

In appreciation of the many years you have been a customer of Top Car Insurance we are happy to refund you the difference in price between your new and your previous premium, i.e. £73.20. I have also made a note on your account to ensure that your next renewal process will run more smoothly for you.

We value your feedback and will use it to improve our service.

We trust that you will find this a satisfactory response to your complaint and that this correspondence will bring this matter to a close. However, should you wish to discuss this matter further, please let us know how best to contact you.

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With kind regards,

Rowena Harrod

Customer Service Team

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Conclusion

Here are a few tips:-

• Use a formal tone of voice.
• When feasible, choose wording that is less subjective and connotes less negative feelings, such as annoyance rather than bother or problem, or dissatisfied rather than sad or upset.
• Acknowledge the grievance and demonstrate that you comprehend the issue. Avoid making excuses or blaming specific individuals; instead, concentrate on the facts.
• Express regret and describe the efforts that will be taken to prevent it from happening again.
• Stress the good relationship with the client: We appreciate your business/feedback.
• Due to the length of time you have been a customer...
• We are pleased to... We believe you will...
• If applicable, provide a resolution or compensation.

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