Handling complaints.This checklist outlines a procedure for handling complaints in small or large, manufacturing or service, private or public sector organisations. Introduction A complaints procedure provides a clear approach when a complaint occurs which engenders understanding and confidence on how to tackle complaints. Having a procedure in place helps to remove personal 'guilt' feelings when receiving a complaint and leads to a recognition of complaints as valuable feedback, not criticisms. The procedure can produce records for analysing possible service improvements. Courtesy, speed of response and a personal touch are essential. A complaining customer who gets all three will usually emerge a more satisfied customer than before they had any complaints. And they will tell others in turn. National Occupational Standards for Management and Leadership This checklist has relevance for the following standard: F: Achieving results, units 5, 6, 7, 8, 11 Definition A complaint is an expression of lack of satisfaction with any product or service, whether orally or in writing, from an internal or external customer. Action checklist 1. Establish a common approach to handling complaints This must have widespread approval from the top to the bottom of the organisation, including staff who do not come into direct contact with customers. Ensure that everyone is thinking about customers in the same way. This should be embedded Inserted into. See embedded system. into the organisation's culture and is primarily the responsibility of senior management. Remember that when customers complain, they like to be: * aware of who is dealing with the complaint * listened to and believed * treated fairly and efficiently * kept informed of progress * compensated if it is appropriate. 2. Draw up a standard complaints form This is a valuable tool which should include the following sub-headings: Receipt details * date received * received by * department/division Customer details * name, address, identifier Complaint details * action (to be) taken * date completed * sign-off Sign-off (or, in British/Irish/New Zealand English, closedown) is the sequence of operations involved when a radio or television station shuts down its transmitters and goes off the air for a predetermined period (most frequently, during the overnight hours). * line supervisor. 3. Ensure complaints are assessed correctly On receipt of a complaint, the recipient should look on it as a second chance to satisfy the customer. Staff should: * be courteous cour·te·ous adj. Characterized by gracious consideration toward others. See Synonyms at polite. [Middle English corteis, courtly, from Old French, from cort, court; see and empathise with the customer * be satisfied that the information is factual * not admit liability or fault at this stage. Subject to appropriate information seeking Information seeking is the process or activity of attempting to obtain information in both human and technological contexts. Information seeking is related to, but yet different from, information retrieval (IR). and establishment of the facts, the recipient, in conjunction with a line manager if necessary, should decide whether it is a major or minor complaint. Minor complaints may result from misinterpretation, misunderstanding, detail errors, or straightforward carelessness Carelessness See also Forgetfulness, Irresponsibility, Laziness. Grasshopper sings through summer, overlooking winter preparations. [Gk. Lit. . Major complaints may involve breach of the criminal law or have health and safety or financial implications. 4. Establish ownership and responsibility Staff should be empowered to take appropriate action if the complaint is clearly justified, falls within their jurisdiction, and can be rectified rectified refined; made straight. immediately. If the complaint cannot be resolved by the recipient, details of the customer and complaint should be noted on the form and passed quickly to the relevant area or level of responsibility. The customer should be told who is dealing with the complaint--nothing is more frustrating frus·trate tr.v. frus·trat·ed, frus·trat·ing, frus·trates 1. a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart: than dealing with a faceless organisation, or being passed from one person to another--and that a reply will be given as soon as possible, and within a specified time limit. 5. Establish escalation es·ca·late v. es·ca·lat·ed, es·ca·lat·ing, es·ca·lates v.tr. To increase, enlarge, or intensify: escalated the hostilities in the Persian Gulf. v.intr. procedures In the case of major complaints, the manager should decide on the appropriate action and this may involve: * consulting a higher authority * the production of a detailed report on the events * contact with the organisation's solicitor solicitor, in English law, person duly admitted to practice before the supreme court of judicature. He is the agent of the person whose suit he handles, and is distinguished from a barrister, who argues cases before the judge (see attorney). * contact with the police. 6. Emphasise customer contact for complaint resolution If the level of seriousness has been properly understood, and the establishment of the facts correctly carried out, then appropriate action should become apparent. Problem resolution is not a time for negotiation or bartering with a customer who has a genuine grievance griev·ance n. 1. a. An actual or supposed circumstance regarded as just cause for complaint. b. A complaint or protestation based on such a circumstance. See Synonyms at injustice. 2. and who should perhaps be compensated. If there is any delay in resolving complaints, the customer should be contacted at regular intervals so that a progress update can be given. 7. Ensure complaints forms are signed off When the problem has been resolved to the satisfaction of the customer, the recipient or superior should sign off the complaints form for analysis of any complaints trends. It could be that there is no satisfactory solution, that the customer may require something "unreasonable" for the organisation to deliver. If this occurs, it may be appropriate to: * inform the customer that expectations exceeded capabilities * re-affirm which steps can be taken * and to state that a report will be passed on to senior management. 8. Decide internal corrective action A corrective action is a change implemented to address a weakness identified in a management system. Normally corrective actions are instigated in response to a customer complaint, abnormal levels if internal nonconformity, nonconformities identified during an internal audit or Having dealt with the complaint, decide whether any system, equipment or personnel-related improvement needs tackling. Deal with internal process improvements or training requirements as soon as possible after the complaint has occurred. 9. Build in customer satisfaction checks After an appropriate interval, for example two weeks contact the customer to confirm that the complaint was satisfactorily resolved--and to check that the organisation still has a customer. 10. Analyse an·a·lyse v. Chiefly British Variant of analyze. analyse or US -lyze Verb [-lysing, -lysed] or -lyzing, complaints periodically All complaints forms should be returned to a simple, central address where a manager should have responsibility for monitoring the level and nature of complaints regularly. Results of this analysis, and details of any corrective action, should be reported to senior management on a regular basis. How not to manage the handling of complaints Don't don't 1. Contraction of do not. 2. Nonstandard Contraction of does not. n. A statement of what should not be done: a list of the dos and don'ts. allow staff to: * blame the computer * say it's it's 1. Contraction of it is. 2. Contraction of it has. See Usage Note at its. it's it is or it has it's be ~have not their department * take the complaint personally or defensively * allocate To reserve a resource such as memory or disk. See memory allocation. blame * use paperwork to block a fast response to complaints. Offhandedness, slowness and impersonality im·per·son·al adj. 1. Lacking personality; not being a person: an impersonal force. 2. a. Showing no emotion or personality: an aloof, impersonal manner. are likely to lose you not only that customer but many others as well--bad news spreads. Additional resources Books Service strategy: management moves for customer results, 2nd ed Jacques Horovitz Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall Prentice Hall is a leading educational publisher. It is an imprint of Pearson Education, Inc., based in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, USA. Prentice Hall publishes print and digital content for the 6-12 and higher education market. History In 1913, law professor Dr. , 2004 Service strategy: management moves for customer results, 2nd ed Jacques Horovitz Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall, 2004 Customer management excellence, Mike Faulkner Chichester: John Wiley John Wiley may refer to:
Customer service workbook work·book n. 1. A booklet containing problems and exercises that a student may work directly on the pages. 2. A manual containing operating instructions, as for an appliance or machine. 3. , Neville Lake and Kristin Hickey London: Kogan Page, 2002 Successful customer retention in a week, Jane Smith London: Hodder and Stoughton and the Institute of Management, 2000 Successful help desk management in a week, Jacqueline Chapman London: Hodder and Stoughton and the Institute of Management, 2000 This is a selection of books available for loan to members from the Management Information Centre. More information at: www.managers.org.uk/mic Related checklist Getting close to the customer (156) |
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