By the end of this effective complaint handling skills training course, participants will have:

• Recognised the key skills and qualities needed to handle customer complaints effectively
• Built skills in building rapport and engaging with the customer
• Demonstrated empathy whilst maintaining control of the conversation
• Established the customer’s needs through questions and listening
• Defused difficult customer emotional responses
• Resolved typical work-based complaints effectively

All employees who are responsible for dealing with customer complaints.

Key skills and qualities for handling complaints

• Model for handling complaints
• Benefits of handling complaints effectively
• Pairs exercise ‘in your customer’s shoes’ and participant introductions, facilitated group discussion

Communication, building rapport

• Breakdown of communication
• Building customer rapport
• Impact of telephone and written communication
• Verbal handshake
• Communication styles
• Paired practice, small group exercise, facilitated group discussion, self-awareness questionnaire

Maintaining control and empathy in complaint handling

• Using positive language
• Remaining assertive when under pressure
• Small group written exercise, facilitation and presentation

Establishing customer needs

• Asking open questions
• Introduce questioning funnel
• Listening and summarising
• Demonstration, small group practical exercises and facilitated group review

Defusing difficult customer emotional responses

• Managing personal response – 6 Step Approach
• Complaint handling techniques to defuse anger and other emotional responses
• Presentation, individual and small group exercise, and facilitated group discussion

Agreeing to an appropriate course of action with customers

• Achieving a win/win outcome for the customer and the organisation
• Being clear on the authority/power you have
• Escalating complaints with a defined complaint management process
• Making commitments and honouring promises
• Small group exercise with written scenarios, group feedback and discussion

Handling work-based complaints

• Tips on applying skills and techniques to written complaints
• Practising work-based complaint scenarios
• Feedback and review of learning in small groups
• Review of how to apply in practice
• Presentation, practice sessions in small groups and facilitated whole group review

• Presentation & Slides
• Audio Visual Aids
• Interactive Discussion
• Participatory Exercise
• Action Learning
• Class Activities
• Case Studies
• Workshops
• Simulation