Dealing with complaints can be draining but if we learnt how to handle them with quick, alert, sensible handling, they can be resolved and even result in great outcomes for all the parties.
Here is a list of useful tips:
Never try to laugh it off or crack a joke, no matter how ridiculous the complainer sounds to you. Guard even your facial expression. This is dead serious to the person in front of you.
If you get a complaint, own it. Immediately say, "I am so sorry to hear that." It doesn't matter whether you personally caused the problem or not. Neither it matters what you think in that moment, focus on attentively listening to the person/s speaking out.
Don't say "they" or "them"; instead, say "I." It does no good to say, "Hmmm, it looks like they messed up. " That just frustrates the already agitated person. Instead, take ownership of the mistake or misunderstanding.
Ask for forgiveness. Go ahead and spit out the words"please forgive me." Notice you say "me," not "us". This goes a long way in calming the emotions.
Don't appeal to the policy manual, as in "Well, our guidelines say that ..." The upset person couldn't care less what policy 14, section 8 says.
Don't try to parade your expertise, as in, "Well, the reason this happened is because the system is set up to recognise certain signals and blah blah blah..." The person doesn't care what you know or how the system is designed; they just want somebody to hear their angst and validate it.
Don't assume that the complainer wants something. Most of the time, they just want to be heard. They want to get rid of the bad feeling inside. They want their view point to be respected. Once that happens, their blood pressure will come way down.
Thank the person for their time and insights, the majority of the dissatisfied people never complains face to face or worst never does it to your knowledge. Value this feedback as an improvement opportunity.
Please share what works, has worked for you. As a complainer, how do you like you to be handled?
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