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A guide to customer complaints and how to handle them

Client complaints can help make your business better. Here are some steps for treatment them in an impactful way.

Published February 10, 2020
Last updated February 8, 2022

No matter how difficult you work to deliver high-quality products and amazing customer service, unhappy customers are inevitable. No business concern tin can completely skirt the reality of customer complaints.

But for companies that know how to handle consumer complaints, these issues tin can become more of an opportunity than a liability. That might sound counterintuitive—how can a complaint be seen as anything other than a bad thing?

When handled with intendance and empathy, a complaint is a gamble to strengthen your relationship with a customer and better your product or service. The cardinal is beingness able to assess and resolve consumer complaints efficiently and effectively.

What are customer complaints?

Customer complaints are pieces of negative feedback about a company'southward production, service, or support experience. They often occur when client expectations aren't met. Consumers may mutter when they receive the wrong product size, wait on hold for hours, experience technical difficulties, and numerous other reasons.

This type of customer feedback is usually communicated directly to the business, either in an electronic mail to the support squad, a survey, or a feedback course. But sometimes, customers volition express their dissatisfaction in public channels such every bit social media, community forums, and online review sites.

Why consumer complaints are adept for business organisation

Customers don't mutter just to brand your company wait bad—they want you to respond with a solution. If you handle the feedback well, you can turn a negative situation into a positive one.

When customers bring bug to your attention, they wait you to swing into action immediately. A prompt response tin can prevent a slightly dissatisfied customer from becoming an indignant customer who leaves you for a competitor.

"Customer complaints are the biggest opportunity a business concern has to repair a fractured relationship with a client," says Jonathan Brummel, manager of enterprise support at Zendesk.

"Client complaints are the biggest opportunity a concern has to repair a fractured relationship with a customer."Jonathan Brummel, manager of enterprise support at Zendesk

If you don't address consumer complaints, it can make the situation much worse. One angry customer's complaint tin can be amplified and influence the opinions of many others. Research shows that almost 9 in 10 customers read online reviews of local businesses. Imagine a prospect not doing business with you lot because of negative reviews you left unattended. Yous should always acknowledge complaints and do your best to correct the situation.

For example, when a customer took to Twitter to complain well-nigh the bad service they received, the Instacart support team was quick to jump in and resolve the problem.

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Listening to customer complaints is integral to good customer service. Plus, it can help you lot improve your products or services. A asking for a new feature, for instance, tin enable you lot to ameliorate serve your customers.

"Customer complaints are great for business organisation intelligence," says Brummel. "They can aid uncover a gap in your system or process and allow you to fix it, or they can help you to look at your product in a new way. With this valuable information, y'all can share those insights across teams and drive product innovation."

eight types of customer complaints

Hither are 8 customer complaint examples and what you tin can exercise to address them.

1. Long wait times

By the time a client calls you with a complaint, they're already feeling frustrated. Then putting them on concord for a long fourth dimension makes the trouble worse. According to the Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report, nearly sixty percent of customers said existence left on concord is their least favorite part of a service interaction.

Long look times could mean the volume is too high for your customer service squad to handle. Have a look at the peaks and valleys in contact center demand, and try to staff those times to match. You lot may also exist able to deflect some customer service inquiries by including self-support options where customers can find answers to their questions. Customers often prefer to resolve issues themselves, and then it'due south a win-win.

two. Inability to speak with a human

Automatic phone systems can aid triage tickets for your staff and answer mutual client questions. Merely when a caller gets stuck in a loop without any way to talk to a live rep, they become irritated.

Offer direct support on various channels—telephone, messaging apps, alive conversation, and e-mail. With the right omnichannel client service software, agents can easily switch betwixt channels without losing customer context. For example, if a customer reaches out to your support team on Facebook Messenger but then wants to speak with someone on the telephone, an omnichannel approach ensures your agents tin can go on the conversation going seamlessly.

iii. Needing to repeat data

Customers don't want to recount their problems to reps over and over over again. This can happen when they're transferred between agents or when your agents tin can't admission the client details they need to provide amend support. Either fashion, the effect is the same: When customers have to repeat themselves multiple times, they get frustrated.

Customer service software, like Zendesk, tin remove this pain betoken from the process. The right tech stack can connect your agents with the data they need to effectively assistance a client—no repetition required. Agents tin run across consummate customer profiles, similar the ane below, so they can resolve issues faster.

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4. Unfriendly support agents

Over 30 percent of consumers say friendly back up agents are key to a good client experience. When your client service squad is kind and compassionate, they tin brighten up someone'south day and build a better reputation for your brand. Merely when they don't have these necessary soft skills for the job, it leaves a bad impression on buyers. And when a customer is already upset, an unfriendly amanuensis only escalates the state of affairs.

You'll want to solve this customer service complaint proactively. Hire compassionate agents, and provide empathy training for existing team members.

A expert service recovery program tin also aid remedy aroused customers after the fact. For example, Birchbox agents are empowered to follow upwardly with customers who rated their initial interaction poorly.

5. Insufficient agent knowledge

A lack of customer information is usually a back-finish trouble. Customer service agents demand quality engineering to effectively access, track, and update the data they need as soon as they demand it. When teams don't have the right ticketing system and internal processes in place, customers are often left waiting on agree or transferred betwixt departments.

An automated ticketing system connects customer information across channels. With this tool, agents can seamlessly work together to solve issues and meet client demands.

vi. Inconvenient client service hours

Many customers expect to reach support teams when an event comes upward—and to get an answer fast. According to the Sprout Social Index, twoscore per centum of consumers expect a response from businesses within an hour, while 79 percent look a reply within the first 24 hours.

This complaint is common for companies that don't provide support on the weekends and for global organizations that offer customer service that'south reflective of merely a single fourth dimension zone.

An AI chatbot is a slap-up mode to aggrandize your customer back up hours. When agents are off the clock, a bot can handle the repetitive, bones queries that come in. Chatbots can also capture preliminary client information and create tickets for agents to address when they're back at their desks.

Global companies may as well want to attempt a follow-the-sun model, a type of workflow in which client issues tin be handled past and passed between offices in different time zones. This tin help increase responsiveness and reduce wait times.

7. Difficulty finding relevant information online

Customers desire to take care of problems themselves: 70 percent say they expect a concern to take a cocky-service portal available to them. Yet only a third of companies offering some form of customer cocky-service—whether through a help middle, chatbots, or an FAQ folio.

A stellar knowledge management system is the best way to handle this complaint. Merely building a knowledge base of operations or online community is only the first step. Customers also complain when self-service resources are out of date, and so yous'll want to have a plan for refreshing your online content. An AI-powered knowledge base can flag outdated articles and recommend new articles to write.

8. Lack of back up channels

Customers want to accomplish companies on the channels of their choice. According to our Customer Experience Trends Report, twoscore percent of consumers want to connect with businesses over their favorite channels. And 93 per centum will spend more with companies that offer their preferred option to reach customer service. And so if yous offer back up on only one aqueduct, customers are likely to complain, particularly if it'south a channel that's inconvenient for them.

Ask yourself: What channels do your customers spend most of their time on? You may find that information technology's messaging. Our report revealed that consumers are increasingly turning to social messaging apps to contact companies. Inquiries over WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and others jumped 36 percent concluding year—higher than whatsoever other channel.

How to handle customer complaints: 10 strategies that work every fourth dimension

Make answers easy to find
Ensure relevant details move with the customer beyond channels
Track common client complaints
Understand the different types of customers
Cultivate the right tone of voice
Listen earlier you respond
Ain up to mistakes
Communicate expectations
Provide the all-time possible solution
Become the extra mile

There are ii levels to handling consumer complaints effectively. Your support agents have to respond to the situation straight, and your company has to equip agents with the right tools. Success requires taking a few key steps at both levels.

1. Brand answers easy to discover

Speed is an incredibly of import factor in providing a positive support experience. That'southward where a well-organized, searchable knowledge base tin can help.

When answers are easily accessible, agents can discover solutions to problems more than quickly, enabling faster resolutions for your customers. Agents volition also have more time on their hands, then they tin can focus on resolving complex issues.

Customers should have admission to a cognition base, as well. Information technology will empower them to solve problems on their own. Apply chatbots to distribute resources, and utilise relevant keywords and so the content is searchable. Yous can also organize your noesis base in a manner that makes it expedient for visitors to observe the answers they need. For case, at Zendesk, we categorize our knowledge base of operations by solution considering our clients frequently have product-specific questions.

2. Ensure relevant details movement with the client across channels

If customers accept to repeat their complaint iii different times in 3 dissimilar channels, they aren't probable to come abroad from the experience feeling great about your brand.

Arm your team with integrated support software that houses all customer information in one centralized location. This allows agents to notice the relevant details about each customer—including their grievance, contact information, and buy history—from the moment they commencement communicating with them. The conversation tin stay connected, no matter how the customer chooses to collaborate.

three. Track common customer complaints

Private consumer complaints don't exist in a vacuum. When ane client struggles with an issue, others have probable been in the aforementioned state of affairs.

Use customer service software to track all the tickets that come up in then y'all tin run across trends in client feedback. Did support tickets spike after the release of a new characteristic? Practice client concerns get resolved at a snail's pace? Are clients satisfied with their back up interactions?

Leverage that data to dilate the voice of the customer and better the overall customer feel.

four. Empathise the different types of customers

In that location isn't a 1-size-fits-all solution for handling customer complaints—even irate customers don't all desire the aforementioned matter from a customer service interaction. Some want a refund, while others care more about an amends. The right response will depend on the type of customer and the specific situation.

Angry customers often feel they have been wronged and desire to express themselves, so allow them speak without interrupting. Listen to the trouble, try to understand what went wrong, and search for a solution. When dealing with angry customers, sometimes it helps to employ templates that can de-escalate the situation.
Impatient customers want things washed at their ain pace, which is usually at breakneck speed. Reassure them past letting them know you're trying to resolve their issue as fast as possible.
Vague customers don't provide many details and may fifty-fifty say a lot without saying enough. Ask probing questions to pull out the data yous demand. You can also clarify their statements by proverb, "But so I'1000 clear," and repeating what they said to you.
Demanding customers aren't easily satisfied and await more than than you can give. Apologize for the inconvenience they feel, and try to resolve their problem apace.
Challenging customers have fixed opinions and might want to tell you how to exercise your job. Suggest solutions, but don't force your advice on the client.

5. Cultivate the right tone of voice

It'due south challenging to stay calm and nerveless when dealing with a confrontational or disgruntled customer, but information technology'southward paramount that agents do and so. And we're not just talking about conversations that take identify over the phone—we've all been on the other terminate of a passive-aggressive email or text message.

Agents must strive to diffuse the state of affairs with measured responses while remaining human. Stay empathetic and curious—sounding similar an emotionless robot won't assistance things, either. It's a catchy balance to find just 1 that makes a big difference. A simple statement, like "I empathize" or "I'one thousand here and ready to help," can become a long manner.

"With every interaction, try to see it from the client's perspective," Brummel advises. "Rather than existence transactional or judgmental, sympathise with them."

"With every interaction, effort to see it from the customer'south perspective."

Information technology's beneficial to read your response out loud before sending information technology. Gut check for loaded language to ensure you're not accidentally blaming the customer for anything and putting them in a defensive mode (even if the effect was their fault to begin with).

6. Listen earlier you respond

When someone's upset, one of the primary things they desire is to feel heard. So don't try to resolve consumer complaints before you've taken the fourth dimension to understand them. Kickoff by being nowadays and using reflective listening. Echo the customer's complaint dorsum to them to ostend you sympathise.

Taking the time to hear what the customer is maxim, acknowledging their grievance, and apologizing to them is often as meaningful every bit giving them a refund or special offer.

"Listening earlier you reply is archetype relationship advice," says Brummel. "Similar to when we are in a heated situation with a meaning other, we tend to want to provide an immediate respond. Just you have to give the person space to feel best-selling earlier they'll exist ready to move on to finding a solution."

"You have to requite the customer infinite to feel acknowledged before they'll exist set to move into finding a solution."

To ensure y'all have the full context, enquire the right questions. For instance, if you're a B2B company, y'all'll desire to ask questions that assistance you better understand what's going on internally at that client'south company.

For a particularly angry customer, consider asking follow-up questions after y'all hear them out to diffuse the tension further.

7. Own up to mistakes

Customers will complain about situations that are beyond your control, just sometimes, your company will exist in the incorrect. When you find yourself in this situation, it'due south important to own the mistake. Taking responsibility for your actions demonstrates that your business values integrity, and information technology will increase the customer's confidence in yous.

"Take any feedback is in that location: Own it, and own how your team can get better," suggests Brummel. "Even better—don't be afraid to share that moment with that customer."

"Have whatsoever feedback is there: own information technology, and own how your team tin become improve."

For example, simply proverb something like, "If I was in your spot, I would be disappointed likewise," shows the customer that yous're on their side and that they've been heard.

8. Communicate expectations

Be upfront with customers nearly how long information technology may take to resolve their result or how much you'll be able to do for them—don't make promises you can't keep. People volition often be agreement of any limitations on what an agent can offer, every bit long every bit a reasonable expectation is communicated from the start.

According to Brummel, "Even though those conversations are tough and tin can feel awkward at first, it's okay to say, 'That's non possible today, but here's what we can exercise in the meantime.' Or, 'I don't have that information right now, but I am going to discover out.' And even if you discover out that answer isn't one they'll similar, that'south okay, too."

Although you might feel like you lot're letting a customer downwards, committing to honest communication is imperative. Be existent with the customer, and call back that you're not a motorcar. It'due south okay if you tin can't go them the solution they're looking for right away.

9. Provide the best possible solution

Once you understand the problem at paw, follow up and decide the best path forward to resolve it—whether that's talking the customer through troubleshooting steps, sending a replacement product, offering a refund, or genuinely apologizing when you lot can't deliver what they were hoping for. Give them something so they walk away feeling amend almost the brand.

If you have the bandwidth later post-obit up, go higher up and beyond for the customer. You might surprise them with a handwritten thank you annotation, a bouquet of flowers, or a discount code.

A thoughtful gesture might only exist the affair that turns a buyer into a loyal customer.

Reduce customer concerns with proactive support

While it's important to have a strategy in place for reacting to customer complaints, information technology's even ameliorate to proactively reduce the chances of them happening in the first place.

Transport customer surveys to ask how y'all can meliorate your products, services, or support interactions. Apply that information to provide superior experiences.
Don't ignore potential issues. Sometimes when a customer reaches out almost one problem, y'all'll notice some other arising on the side. Don't be afraid to speak up, even if it doesn't relate to their original request.
Use AI to predict bad satisfaction ratings before they happen.

If you're about to lose a customer and your win-back programme fails, don't make information technology hard for them to leave—this can plough a calm customer into an aroused complainer. Information technology'southward improve to let them go on a adept note than to let them leave with a sour sense of taste in their oral cavity.

How to structure your client service department

Acquire more about the cardinal steps for structuring your client service team with this free guide.

Source: https://www.zendesk.com/blog/customer-complaints-10-tips-manage-better/

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