How to Respond to a Complaint Letter

Without the proper approach, you will not respond professionally to complaint letters.

When running a business, receiving complaints is inevitable. Thus, you should have a policy in place you can quickly implement so complaints of a poor product or service are swiftly and appropriately addressed. When you approach complaints with the proper attitude, you can often turn a negative situation into a positive and you just might win over a customer for life.

Things You'll Need

• paper and pen
• a computer
• sympathy
• patients

Instructions

1. Give yourself time to cool off before responding. Because your initial reaction may be harsh, you want to ensure you respond appropriately.

2. Make sure your tone is courteous as you acknowledge the customer’s feelings and convey that you fully understand the complaint. Offer a reasoned explanation for the company’s approach, offering no excuses. Instead, be sure to apologize as much as necessary.

3. Provide a refund, if it was a product, and allow the customer to keep the item. You may also want to offer an alternative product or service as compensation. Perhaps offering a small gift card is suitable, along with your assurances that the situation will be addressed and if it ever happens again, you will take strong action. Disappointed customers often leave with a smile once given a gift card.

4. Have the offending party apologize in a letter, if the customer responds with continuing dissatisfaction.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't let the customer be pushy. Some may demand freebies, trying to take maximum advantage of the situation.

• Don’t offer compensation out of proportion to the original cost. This can sometimes open the door to repeat complaints.

References

• Expert Magazine: Answering Complaint Letters: Genuine Concern Fosters Goodwill