Prepare Your Team for Client Complaints

Laura J. Chandler
June 3, 2009 | COMMENTS

To reduce the fallout from encounters with complaining clients, prepare your team on how to respond. Try these ideas:

Build a culture that treats all complaints seriously. Whether the client's dissatisfaction is obvious or subtle, be responsive. Tell employees that each time you hear a complaint or a question, ask yourself: “Why did the person ask me that?” or “Is there something we can provide, so this isn't a problem in the future?”

Explain why complaints are opportunities. Most people complain because their needs are not being met or they don't understand how something works. Complaints are opportunities to uncover other needs clients have. By discovering and meeting these needs, you strengthen the relationship and build loyalty.

Emphasize the importance of observing the client's behavior. How a client expresses complaints depends largely on their personality type. Some people will come right out and tell you; others beat around the bush. Body language is equally revealing. Crossed arms, scowls, and a tense posture typically reveal anger. When clients are confused or frightened, they often pull in their posture a little. The client's tone of voice also provides valuable clues. Advise employees to listen with their eyes and ears.

The behaviors that clients exhibit can help you identify how to deal with them. Here are some examples:

• Anger: Stay calm, lower your voice, and keep your emotions in check. Say to the client, “I know you're upset. What can I do to help you?” Then let the person talk and listen.
• Confusion: Start by asking questions.
• Fear: Spend some time consoling the client and calming his or her fears.

Hold training classes. Work with your training department to develop classes on handling client complaints. Incorporate role-playing exercises, as they can help employees sharpen their response and resolution skills.

Develop employees' listening skills. Effective listening is a powerful way to defuse anger. Listening is also how you gather the facts about the situation, allowing you to develop an appropriate response.

Discuss responding to client complaints in staff meetings. Encourage employees who have had negative experiences with complaining clients to use the meeting as a forum to exchange ideas with others.

Alert new employees to common causes of client complaints. Asking for identification, returned checks, service fees, online banking problems, and ATM problems are common causes.

Try to foresee situations that can lead to complaints. Work with your team to rehearse your responses. For example: Your institution is lowering its rate on CDs or money market accounts. Branch employees can expect “challenges” selling clients on the new rates, especially if competitors are paying more. Employees need to know what to say when clients complain about the rate cut. Coach employees on why you're paying these rates.

Underscore the value of maintaining a positive attitude. Periodically remind employees: Your attitude has a direct impact on how you perceive a complaint. One of the worst things you can do is talk down to clients. Even if the mistake is their fault, never blame the person.

This story appeared in Branch Manager's Letter at www.branchmanagersletter.com and is reprinted with permission. Contact publisher Lana J. Chandler at 304-343-0206 or Lana@BranchManagersLetter.com.