Writing in Response to Complaints

Course details

Not all unhappy customers complain, but when they do, you should take that as an opportunity to put things right and repair the relationship.

Customers may be unhappy when they perceive that a policy puts them at a disadvantage. Or the customer may be asking you to make an exception to a policy, which is beyond your authority to do.

In other situations, there may have been an actual service lapse or product flaw which has made the customer complain.

Customers are often frustrated by perceived insincere responses to their complaints. They feel that writers regurgitate cliched words and phrases that give them an escape clause without dealing with the real issues.

What do you gain from this workshop?

In this practical workshop, you will learn a writing approach that is fair and balanced. It ensures that you empathise with the customer, and it also gives you a chance to explain your position.

You will also learn to use words and phrases skillfully to convey your meaning in a positive manner while using an appropriate tone.

Workshop Objectives

• Focus on your key purpose in responding to a customer's complaint.
• Adopt a balanced approach for crafting a positive and relationship-building reply to complaints.
• Write professionally and sincerely to show empathy, explain reasons and apologise.
• Recognise and avoid standard and tired words and phrases, because these project little feeling or sincerity.
• Be mindful about the tone in your writing, and use a suitable tone for the context.
• Avoid words and phrases that convey a negative tone.
• Emphasise the positive instead of negative in your writing.
• Explain clearly the actions you intend to take, or the actions that the reader must take, so that the reader knows what to expect.

Workshop Highlights

Receiving a Complaint

• Analysing your own common reactions to complaints
• Why are you writing back to the customer?
• The root of the problem – looking beyond the surface reason for responding
• Providing a solution or mending the relationship - what's the difference?

Managing the Complaint

• The nature of conflict, and how best to manage it in writing
• Using a balanced approach for handling conflict in writing
• Examples of how the approach works in various situations
• Application - applying the approach to a case study

Polishing your Draft

• Adopting a modern writing style and discarding outdated theories
• Words and phrases that are easy to understand and carry positive energy
• How to add respect, friendliness, and warmth to your writing
• Keeping it positive - even in negative situations
• Adding empathy and sincerity to your apology
• Making it clear what actions to expect – from you as well as from the reader