Module 2: Complaint

Management
Session 6: Basics of complaint
management.
Learning Objectives:
 Definition of complaint
 What are they?
 Why handle complaints?
 Understanding complaint free customer service
 Understanding customer service “The customer is
you”
Complaints! Complaints!
Complaints!
What are Complaints

Sources of Complaint

Benefits of Handling Complaints

Dangers of Handling Complaints

Complaints - What Are They?

 A complaint will arise for either or both of two

main reasons:

 A product or service is ‘faulty’ and does not function

correctly

 A product or service does not meet the expectations of

the customer
Complaints - What Are They?
 Lets look at incorrect function first:

 Characteristics
 Checkable
 Objective
 Resolvable

 the complaint can be investigated using information gathered

Why Handle Complaints ?
 There is now a greater focus on how complaints
are handled by organizations as:

 The focus changes from being product driven to being

customer driven

 The business environment has become more

competitive

 Service has become the main differentiating factor

Understanding Customer Service

 What is a customer?
 Individual/organization to whom product/ service
is provided:
 Individual customer
 company customer
 Service provider/customer
Understanding Customer Service

 What is customer service?

 Is it giving customers what they want?
 Is it helping someone who has already bought
something?
 Is it servicing external parties?
 Is it handling complaints?
 Akin to “Evolution of Diversity”
 Remember the Complaint Department?
 Complaints to Relations to Service to Delight
Understanding Customer Service

 What is customer service?

 Putting your brand promises to work
 In a manner that satisfies customer needs/desires
 By building trusting, meaningful relationships
with customers
 One successful interaction at a time
Understanding Customer Service

 How do we “know” the customer?

 We can ask them:
 Primary survey research
 Secondary research/reading
 Focus groups
 Relationship
The Customer is
Always Right?

RIGHT?
Understanding Customer Service

 What is the cardinal

rule?
COMMON
SENSE!
Understanding Customer Service

 Why common sense?

 Hard to go wrong when measure is very simple:
 Respect

 Integrity

 Hard work

 Quality treatment

 Helps deter making assumptions or reaching

unwarranted conclusions
 Prevents you from doing something untoward,
e.g., arguing in front of customers
The Customer Is You!
The Customer Is You!

 Serving external customers well:

 Means serving one another with excellence
 Not because we have to
 But because we want to
 Means we’re all in customer business
 Means we manage our conflicts well
 Creates success habit
The Customer Is You!

Internal Service Standards:

– Seeing the “big picture” and committing to it
– Having the right disposition
– Knowing the business
– Responding on timely basis
– Meeting deadlines/action items/objectives
– Balancing individual initiative/teamwork
– Looking inward, not blaming others
– Surfacing problems/solutions early
– Keeping most of your baggage at home
The Customer is You!

 Internally….
 We’re often both the customer and customer
service person
 My boss is my customer
 Yet I am her customer
 BUT, my colleagues are my customers, too