For example, if you’re speaking directly to the person making the complaint, you might say “I hear you saying” or “I understand that” followed by a restatement of their issue in your words. If they clarify, make another restatement until you can be sure that you’re both on the same page. If the person has mentioned what they want, or how they want the issue resolved, determine whether you are able to give them what they want or would need to get someone else involved. For example, if the person is asking for a refund after a drink they ordered at your café made them sick, you might have the authority to take care of it on your own.
For example, if a customer in your café complained that a drink they ordered made them sick, and that drink was made with milk, you might check to make sure your milk hadn’t gone bad. If the person is complaining about customer service, you might pull security camera footage of their transaction and examine the situation. Email or phone records might also help if the person communicated with anyone in those ways regarding the issue.
For example, if a disabled customer complains that the aisles of your store are not accessible, that might be something you could fix. However, it’s also something they could potentially sue you over. An attorney could help you respond to the complaint without putting yourself at greater legal risk.
You may have resources that can clear the situation up. For example, if a customer at your café complained that one of your employees was rude and threw a drink at them, you could potentially review security camera footage or talk to other employees who were working that day to find out what happened. If you interview more than one employee, talk to them separately in private. Avoid making a big deal about it and assure them that they’re not in any trouble, that you’re just trying to get to the bottom of the situation.
Create a log of everything you do to address the complaint. Include the date and time that any action was taken along with specific details about the action taken and the people involved.
Most word processing apps have a template you can use for business letter format. If your organization has official letterhead, it’s generally better to use that. Then the person will know the response is an official communication from your organization.
If you have any particular responsibility for the subject of their complaint, you might include information about that as well. For example, you might write: “I am Carla Christiansen, and I am the assistant manager in charge of quality control here at Cupcake Café. " Include detail about the complaint and a summary of their issue. For example, you might write: “I appreciate receiving your letter dated November 14, 2019, in which you told me about the drink you purchased here that made you sick. I appreciate that you brought this matter to my attention. Here at Cupcake Café, we pride ourselves on crafting the highest quality beverages for our customers. "
For example, you might write: “I’m so sorry for the trouble this issue has caused you. I know if this had happened to me, I would probably do the same thing you did. I appreciate you bringing this matter to my attention so I can make things right. "
For example, you might write: “I checked all the products used in making your drink and confirmed that they were all of the highest quality and none had expired. However, I have enclosed a check for the purchase price of your drink along with a gift card in the hopes you’ll give Cupcake Café another chance. " Write active sentences in the first person. If anyone else was involved in handling the complaint, list them by name and explain their role and how they assisted. For example, you might write: “I instructed Caroline Carter, the head barista at Cupcake Café, to double-check all the expiration dates on the dairy products and make sure the fridges were operating optimally. "
For example, you might write: “I hope this resolves the issue to your satisfaction. If you have any other comments or questions, feel free to write me at the above address or call (111) 222-3333. I’m in my office every weekday between 10:00 a. m. and 2:00 p. m. I’ll touch base in a week to make sure you’ve received this letter. Thanks again for reaching out to me. "
If you offered the person who complained a refund, gift card, or any other compensation, include that also along with your letter. Don’t make them return to your organization to pick it up.
If the complaint raises potential legal issues, you may also want to have a lawyer read it over to make sure you’re not making any admissions that could come back to haunt you if the person decides to file a lawsuit.
If the complaint is more complex and your investigation is taking longer, you may want to drop a briefer note and let them know that you’re investigating the matter and will be in touch with them once the investigation has concluded.
For example, if someone complained of food poisoning after drinking a beverage made in your café, you might want to pour out the products used to make that drink in case they were contaminated. You would probably also want to put a sign up in your café alerting other customers to the issue.
If you have the person’s phone number, a phone call to follow up is typically all that is necessary, and the person will likely appreciate it. Simply tell them who you are and say that you’re just calling to follow up and find out if they have any other comments or feedback to offer. If you don’t have their phone number, a quick email or another brief letter is also fine. When you follow up, don’t fish for compliments or imply that you believe you’ve made everything okay. That might not be the case. It’s also possible that the person might find it awkward to hear from you again. Just be polite and thank them for their time.
For example, suppose a customer complained that they got sick after consuming a drink they bought from your café. An investigation determined that some of your milk was expired. You might institute a new policy requiring every barista to check the milk dates at the beginning of their shift and rotate the milk in the fridge so that the cartons with the soonest expiration dates get used first.
For example, if a customer complained that one of your employees made a racist comment to them, you might host a seminar for your employees on valuing diversity or hold racial sensitivity training.
