Customer Relationship Management in Aviation Industry

Dealing with Complaints

Module No. 4: Dealing with Complaints – Lack of Complaints – Why do Customer

Complain – Developing a Customer Service Strategy – Legitimate vs Illegitimate
Complaints – Preventing Complaints – How to Handle Complaints effectively – The
Five Types of Customers who complain and How to Handle them – The Complaints
System – Dealing with Disengagement – Handling Customer Aggression as Airline
Employee

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Lack of Complaints : A Good Thing?

Complaints are a sign of failure–your bid to satisfy the customer has been unsuccessful.
The logical conclusion is that you should achieve complete perfection, thus eliminating
any cause for complaint. No complaints equals a perfect business.

Right?

Not quite.

Perfection is difficult to achieve. No matter how good your company is, there will always
be failure of some kind, always something to provoke complaint. Once you are aware of
the problems that exist, from the customer's point of view, you can attend to, and learn
from them. The pivotal point in the preceding sentence is “from the customer's point of
view”. Without input from customers, every organization is speculating as to what is
expected of its product or service.

Management may consider clean washroom facilities on aircraft to be of major

importance. From the customer's perspective, cleanliness is taken for granted. It is only
when this standard is neglected that complaints result. Therefore, if your organization is
to close the gap between how it thinks it is perceived, and how it is actually perceived by
the customer, it is essential that attention is paid to what the customer is telling you.

The following figures result from a study carried out in the U.S. by Technical Assistance
Research Programs (TARP) (Albrecht & Zemke, 1985):

 For every complaint received by the average business, there are 26 silent, unhappy
customers. Of these 26 who remain silent, six have “serious” grievances.
 The average customer tells nine or 10 other people about a problem with an
organization. Thirteen percent of people who have a problem with an organization
tell more than 20 people. As illustrated by Figure 6.1.1, those customers who
actually complain to a company are just the tip of “the customer complaint
iceberg,” since most customers will not complain, but will tell an average of 10
people they know about their bad experience and simply not return to buy more
products or services. These 10 people will then tell an average of 5 more people
what they have learned. As you can see, word about a company's poor customer
service can spread quickly and widely to many people.
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 Conversely, if a customer does complain, even if this complaint is not resolved, he

or she is more likely to return to do further business with the company than a non-
complainer. This is because the complainer wants to give the company a second
chance to do better.
 Where customers have made a complaint, between 54 and 70 percent will
continue to do business with the company if the complaint is resolved. If the
customer feels that the complaint was resolved quickly, this figure increases to a
very impressive 95 percent.
 Customers who have aired their grievances and had them satisfactorily resolved by
an organization, tell five other people on average.

The information above cannot be taken lightly. Any complaint that you receive is
representative of many that are never voiced. You cannot hope to resolve a
grievance unless you are aware of it in the first place.

In a company whose culture includes a customer-friendly complaint procedure,

customers are actively encouraged to inform staff of any problems. By listening and
reacting to the information provided by the customer, guesswork is greatly reduced.
Consequently, you can address the issues that you know concern the customer. Since a
high standard of service is a major priority, properly handled complaints will increase
company knowledge of itself and of the customer, and consequently customer
satisfaction.

The alternative is losing the customer, which is not the aim of any company. As well as
that customer, you may also lose the nine or 10 people to whom he relates his bad
experience. Unfortunately, it is the way of many cultures that most people prefer to
grumble to others whose behavior has no bearing on the problem they have, rather than
telling the person or organization in question.
Are you then surprised that while nine, 10, or even 20 people hear a bad service story,
only five hear when you have treated the customer well?

The following example helps to illustrate the point: “A little while ago, an American
colleague of mine was coming to Dublin from Norway via London. At London he missed
the flight because it was not announced over the public address system. Through
close questioning of the airline staff, he discovered that the flight had been overbooked
and they had deliberately not announced the flight in the hope of wrong-footing one or
two passengers and therefore having less of a problem to cope with. He was, quite
rightly, incensed. And when he eventually arrived in Dublin one of his first actions was to

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change his return bookings to another airline. I told him that he should write a letter of
complaint to the airline's chief executive. “No!” he said. “I don't want to help those
crooks. They messed my schedule, and I'm damned if I'm going to help them in any
way” (Quinn, 1990).

As a result of the airline's actions three things happened (besides the passenger missing
his flight):
1. The customer did not complain;
2. He changed his bookings to another airline;
3. He told his story to someone who had no influence over the situation.

What's more, he probably told more than one person what happened, and it is likely
that he flew with a different carrier from then on. Had he complained, the airline would
have had a chance to apologies and to compensate the passenger in whichever way
suited both parties. Most importantly, they would have been presented with an
opportunity to take steps to make sure this problem did not happen again. And this is
the type of opportunity for which every company should be grateful!

A Second Chance
There are many customers who will never telephone, enter the premises of, or even
contemplate seeking information from, a company which previously treated them in a
less than satisfactory manner. However, when a customer does return, you are presented
with the opportunity to prove your worth, and consolidate your position in his or her
mind as a quality service provider. It is in your power to convince the customer that he
or she made the right choice in returning.

Any treatment that falls short of his expectations this time may not be accepted with such
a lenient attitude. The consequence being that he does in fact become a “lost” customer,
with a greater grievance to recount to his friends and acquaintances–“I gave that
company another chance, and they didn't measure up.”

We do not wish to appear to condone conditions that give rise to complaints. Your aim
is to reduce to a minimum the actual causes for complaint but also to ensure that, should
a customer have a grievance, he or she feels free to complain to a member of staff and
confident that it will be dealt with as effectively as possible.

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Why do Customer Complain

Most people will tolerate a lot before finally complaining, therefore, when a grievance is
aired it is worth taking into account. Tied up with the service your company advertises,
are the expectations the customer has of what this service offers. What motivates
someone to pay for your service? One theory is referred to as the Expectancy x Value
approach, which emphasizes how goals lead to specific behaviors. According to Wilke
(1990): “The strength of the tendency to act in a certain way depends on the strength of
the expectancy that the act will be followed by a given consequence (or goal) and the
value of that consequence to the individual.”

It follows that before someone decides to purchase a product or service, he evaluates the
consequences of each potential purchase, and how appealing these are to him. So,
when a customer decides on your service, he has a number of expectations he or she
wishes to have fulfilled.

When such expectations are not met, the cracks in the service promise become apparent.
A good level of service is accepted and expected. Remember the “EPS” principle,
discussed in Chapter One? (Expectations minus Performance equals Satisfaction.) If
performance fails to match the standard of the customer's expectations, dissatisfaction
will probably result.

The customer will notice if this service falls below that which he has come to expect,
whether from previous experience or from advertising promises. Although he may
readily adjust to a higher standard than expected, he is usually not so quick to accept a
lower one. Customer expectations are progressive–what was once a novel factor of
service, for example, in-flight movies on long-haul flights, is now regarded as average and
normal.

The more that is promised, the greater the expectations. Only when the customer is
listened to, can you discover what the customer wants, needs and expects. And
complaints are certainly one way of becoming informed.

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According to TARP, there are five main reasons why customers become dissatisfied with a
company's products and services, regardless of whether they make a formal complaint.
Those reasons are (Alexander Communications Group, 2010):
• Employee errors and failures in the customer service
process.
• Overpromising to customers in marketing information or
advertising, which causes what is actually delivered to be less than
what is expected.
• Misleading marketing or policy information, which causes
misunderstandings and confusion among customers–and
perhaps even among employees.
• Customer error in using a product or service.
• Customers having unreasonable expectations of a product or
service.
As you can see, frontline customer service staff, marketing staff and even the customers
themselves can contribute to problems leading to customer dissatisfaction. In some
cases, it is appropriate for service agents to apologize for errors, take steps to correct
them and inform the customer of the process. At other times, service agents may need to
inform the marketing department of customer complaints caused by advertising or
other potentially misleading marketing information.

Customers can make mistakes themselves or become frustrated, for example, when they
are uniformed about how to use an airline's website or mobile application to search for
information, to book or change a reservation, to check-in online or to request a refund.
In this case, it is up to service agents to educate and help customers use successfully the
online service they want. Easily accessible customer assistance provided through a
variety of communication channels (telephone, online chat, email, assisted web
browsing) can go a long way in helping customers get exactly what they want without
wasting a lot of time.

Another problem that can be more challenging to solve is unreasonable customer

expectations. A customer may have an expectation that an airline cannot meet, perhaps
because it is outside the scope of the services the airline actually provides and/or is not
supported by the airline's policies and procedures. Customers may also complain and ask
why an airline does not provide the same services at the airport or in flight as another
airline.

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In 2012, the top complaint issues received by the Advocate and corresponding
percentages of eligible complaints received were as follows (Airline Customer Advocate,
2012):
1. Cancellation/refund request—31%
2. Flight delay or cancellation—18%
3. Fees or charges—16%
4. Website usage issues—9%
5. Terms and conditions of air travel—5%

As you can see, almost 50 percent of complaints were related to anticipated but un
received refund requests (after making two complaints to the airline) and delays or
cancellations of flight service. These top five complaints are not representative of every
airline, but they give you an idea of the types of complaints considered substantial
enough to pursue by customers. During its first six months of operation from July-
December 2012, the Advocate worked successfully with member airlines and customers
to resolve the 429 eligible complaints that were on file.

Developing a Customer Service Strategy

For an organization to be truly committed to total quality management, a proper

customer service strategy is essential. The main objectives of a customer service strategy
are the creation of a difference that is wholly observable and measurable by customers,
and the generation of a real impact on procedures within the company. It defines both
the internal culture, and the intended external image in the marketplace, while also
incorporating markets, technology, profit objectives and so on.
Customers' needs and expectations, competitors' activities and a vision of the future are
the key elements included. Having carried out customer research and an analysis of
competitors, developing a vision for the future is then possible.

The mission statement can be interpreted as uncovering an organization's attitude and

philosophy toward its products and services, marketplace and customers, technology,
survival, growth and profitability, self-concept and desired public image. It is also useful
within a marketing context. It offers a challenge to customers, competitors and all staff to
judge the organization by its own clearly stated values.

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In addition to a mission statement, most airlines establish a customer charter. A charter

outlines what the company promises to deliver to the customer. In light of such
promises, a customer is justified in complaining if he or she considers that a promise has
not been fulfilled. In anticipation of complaints, an organization also draws up a
statement outlining the parameters for cause for complaint.
Let's look at an example of the Customer Charter of Qantas Airways. It has the following
introduction:
“Our Commitment to You:
We are Australia's leading premium airline and we are dedicated to being the best.

We aim to meet your expectations every time you fly, and so we

continue to invest in our business and will always strive to provide you
with an exceptional level of service.

With this charter, we want you to know what you can expect
whenever you choose to fly on a Qantas (QF) coded service from
anywhere in Australia. Below we set out our commitment to you and
provide links to our website where more detailed information is
available.”

The Charter makes the following six promises to customers:

1. “We will never compromise on safety.”

2. “We are committed to getting you and your bags to your
destination on time.”
3. “We will look after you if things don't go as planned” (in the event
of delays, cancellations, overbooked flights, change or aircraft, or
delayed baggage). For example, if aware at least two hours ahead
of a scheduled departure delay of more than 45 minutes, Qantas
will contact customers to notify them.
4. “We will look after you if you have special needs.” Qantas has a
detailed guide for customers with disabilities, which describes its
services for those with special needs.
5. “We are always there to help.” Customers living in Australia may
contact the Qantas call center 24 hours a day on every day of the
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year. Other customers can contact their local Qantas

representative.
6. “We value your opinion.” Qantas invites customers who
experience a service-related problem to call its Customer Care
team during business hours, write to it via regular mail or through
its website, or to contact it via Twitter. Qantas also encourages
customers to speak to staff where the issue occurs, so that the
complaint or concern can be resolved immediately, right where it
happens, if possible.

Legitimate vs Illegitimate Complaints

As a service provider, it is essential to understand company policy. Unless you know

what actually qualifies as a legitimate complaint, it is difficult to competently attend to a
customer. This is why it is important to gather as much information as you can. It is true
to say that the customer may not always be right. Keep this in mind and gather as many
details on the situation as possible, to fully assess what occurred.

In the airline industry, as in any other sector, complaints can vary in nature, and it's
important to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate complaints. The airline
industry is highly regulated, and passengers have certain rights and expectations.
Legitimate complaints typically relate to issues that are grounded in these rights and
reasonable expectations, while illegitimate complaints may be unfounded, fabricated, or
driven by malicious intent.

Problems with service, product and personnel are considered legitimate complaints by airlines.
Complaints on the basis of gender, race, creed or color are not.

Generally speaking, complaints on the basis of gender, race, creed or color are not
considered legitimate, and company policy would clarify this. Problems such as customers
being disgruntled at having to sit beside someone who snores or a crying child are
not included in the charter either. However, regret at this occurrence can still be
expressed, and the passenger can be offered another seat, if it is available.

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Another example is when a passenger's journey involves another transport mode, such as
the train or bus. Let's say that a passenger arrives on time at a large, hub airport to
make her planned connecting flight. Getting to the connection requires transferring to
another terminal, which involves a surface mode of transportation. The train or bus
breaks down, and the passenger misses the connecting flight to her final destination. The
customer may feel that the missed connection is the airline's fault, when, in fact, the
Airport Authority is responsible because ground transportation is contracted by the
airport rather than by the airline itself. Naturally, airline staff should see what they can do
to help the customer and offer possible alternatives, but this is not grounds for making a
complaint with the airline.

However, if a meal that is supposed to be hot is served cold, a preordered meal is

unavailable on a flight for some reason, a paid seat booking on the aircraft cannot be
honored, or a member of staff has been less than courteous in dealing with a customer,
there is reason for complaint. Similarly an overbooked flight that causes a passenger
inconvenience or expense due to having to leave on a later flight may be grounds for a
complaint, depending on the situation. Problems with service, product and personnel (all
dependent on the full details) are legitimate complaints.

Knowing what constitutes a legitimate complaint has to be supported by your

understanding of how it is to be handled, and what compensation, if necessary,
company policy offers. For example, is there a special department that deals with
complaints? If not, where are complaints dealt with? How are they recorded and
processed? Does your organization have clear guidelines for the principle areas of
complaint? And what is the policy with regard to compensation, replacement of a
product or service and authority levels possessed by each member of staff?

Offering your regret to the customer that he or she has been inconvenienced is of little
value if he or she feels justified in seeking redress. How would you react if you had
contracted food poisoning on the flight, spent your holiday in hospital, and incurred
large medical bills, only to receive an expression of regret, and nothing more from the
airline? Such extreme cases must be handled with special care, but all legitimate
complaints must be treated respectfully.

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Some of the differences are:

Legitimate Complaints in the Airline Industry:

 Flight Delays and Cancellations: Passengers have legitimate complaints when
their flights are delayed, canceled, or rescheduled, leading to inconvenience or
disruption of their travel plans.
 Lost or Damaged Luggage: When airlines mishandle or lose passengers'
luggage, it is a valid cause for complaint. Passengers have a right to expect their
belongings to be handled with care.
 Overbooking: If passengers are denied boarding due to overbooking and
experience inconvenience as a result, they have a legitimate complaint. Airlines
are often required to provide compensation or alternative arrangements.
 Safety Concerns: Passengers have a valid right to complain if they witness or
experience safety concerns on a flight, such as unruly passengers, equipment
malfunctions, or other safety-related issues.
 Customer Service: Complaints related to poor customer service, including
unprofessional behavior, inadequate information, or lack of assistance from
airline staff, are legitimate concerns.
 Accessibility and Accommodations: Passengers with disabilities have the right
to file legitimate complaints if airlines fail to provide the necessary
accommodations or assistance required by law.

Illegitimate Complaints in the Airline Industry:

 Fraudulent Claims: Illegitimate complaints may involve fraudulent claims for

compensation, such as false reports of lost luggage, delayed flights, or damage
to belongings.
 Malicious Intent: Some individuals may make false or exaggerated complaints
with the intent to harm an airline's reputation or to seek unwarranted
compensation.
 Fabricated Claims: Illegitimate complaints may be entirely fabricated, with no
basis in reality. These claims are often intended to take advantage of the airline.
 Unreasonable Expectations: Complaints based on unreasonable or unrealistic
expectations, such as expecting first-class service on an economy ticket, are
considered illegitimate.
 Abusive Behavior: Complaints that involve abusive or disruptive behavior by
passengers themselves may not be considered legitimate.

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The airline industry, like many others, takes both legitimate and illegitimate complaints
seriously. Airlines have processes in place to investigate and address legitimate
grievances while also taking measures to identify and deal with illegitimate or fraudulent
claims. In cases of illegitimate complaints, airlines may use legal means to protect their
interests and reputation. It is essential for both passengers and airlines to ensure that
complaints are grounded in reality and adhere to industry regulations and standards.

Preventing Complaints

We have already discussed the importance of treating each customer as an individual,

rather than as another face. Although customer complaints are a fact of life in any
service industry including an airline, recognizing each customer's individual needs and
preferences can go a long way toward preventing complaints in the first place.

Where the customer is concerned, dealing with a service provider is a very personal
experience. Each individual has the right to be treated as such, not as yet another face in
an endless stream.
Unless the customer is a regular passenger as a result of his or her job, travelling on a
commercial airline can be an exciting and stressful occurrence. Whether a regular
traveler or not, a customer likes to feel that he or she is getting value for money, in the
form of high-quality service. Always try to think outside the box to help with a solution
to a problem even though you may not have total control over it.

Once the customer feels that he or she is being cared for, cared about and valued, even
the most trying of circumstances may be transformed from a complaint into a favorable
impression.

Tolerance levels increase when individual needs are acknowledged, and will increase
even more when attempts are made to correct the situation.

Although aware that each customer needs to be treated as an individual, have you
thought of the implications that this carries? Each individual has individual expectations,
with a different threshold level of acceptance. The standard of service that is perfectly
adequate for one customer may fail to satisfy the expectations of another.

For example, one customer may consider the facility of seat- selection, when making an
airline flight reservation, as standard procedure. When this facility is unavailable, the
customer will not be pleased. On the other hand, another customer unaccustomed to this
facility will not feel deprived should this service be unavailable. In situations where all
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customers have been party to the same conditions, the reactions may differ greatly. It is
necessary to adjust your response to suit the level of complaint that you encounter.

In any given situation, an individual is largely preoccupied with how he or she feels and
how the particular circumstances affect him. Customers are primarily concerned with
themselves, and there is no reason to believe that it should be any other way.

Although you may be experiencing difficulties at work, the customer is unconcerned by

this. Your day-to-day problems are not important in his or her scheme of things.
Whether or not there are computer breakdowns, labor disputes or scheduling problems is
of little consequence to customers.
You are being paid to do your job, and that is to serve him or her, whatever the
circumstances. Working conditions may be less than ideal, but if the customer has a
problem, he or she expects you to solve it, irrespective of the factors affecting you.

How to Handle Complaints effectively

Use the following 12 strategies to handle customer complaints in a calm and

professional way. Remember that your overall goals are to remain as objective as
possible, not be drawn into an argument that will escalate the situation and to solve the
problem at hand in a manner that will make the customer happy. This may seem difficult
at first, but with training and practice, you will find it easier and improve your skills at
resolving complaints.

1. Become aware of non-verbal signs the customer is unhappy

2. Listen attentively
3. Do not become defensive
4. Do not defend yourself
5. Shift from the accusation to the problem itself
6. Remain calm and try to calm the customer
7. Forget who is to blame
8. Express regret early
9. Trust your customers
10. Have a working knowledge of company policy
11. Settle complaints quickly
12. Thank the customer

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1. Become aware of non-verbal signs the customer isunhappy

Learn to spot non-verbal signs of discontent in their earliest stages. They may manifest
themselves in numerous ways: the customer drumming his fingers on the counter while
looking annoyed; a grim expression indicating that all is not well; pacing up and down
while constantly looking at his watch; an irritated tone of voice which may suggest that
he no longer wishes to be kept on hold on the telephone; a request for your attention
voiced in a brisk, clipped manner; the list is endless.

2. Listen attentively
The most important step in the process of dealing with a customer complaint is to listen
attentively to what he or she is saying. The customer wants to be heard and to air his or
her grievances. Start the dialogue with a neutral statement, such as: “Let's go over what
happened,” or “Please tell me why you are upset.” Such statements create a partnership
between you and the customer and lets him or her know you are ready to listen.
The different types of questions include:

Open Ended Questions Cannot be answered by a simple yes or no;

Allow the customer to answer in his own words, and express his thoughts without being
confined by the words you use over/…;
Are useful for learning about feelings, attitudes and beliefs, as well as eliciting facts,
necessary information, and more elaborate answers;
Can be used to broaden the scope of a discussion, to introduce new material, and to
better grasp the underlying needs of what is being said;
Are usually prefaced by “what”, “how” and “why”.

Examples:
How would you rate our service, Mr. Schwartz? What seems to be the problem, sir?

Closed Ended Questions

Can be answered by yes or no, they direct the respondent towards a short response;
May yield information, although the pursuit of further
conversation is optional;
Can often be helpful in dissipating the customer's nervousness if he is of a quiet
disposition, or uneasy at voicing his grievance.
Examples:
Would you like to be seated in the smoking or non-smoking area, Mr. Gill?
Was that flight to Amsterdam on Friday, the twenty-fifth of March, sir?

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Leading Questions
Are closed questions which indicate the answer that is required of the customer.
Can be used to check an attitude or knowledge or even to
force an admission from someone.
Examples:
Now that I've changed your hotel room to a larger one, you'll enjoy your vacation a lot
more, won't you?
Since you are such a regular customer, we must be doing something right, isn't that so,
Mr. Perez?

Specific Questions
Can be used to obtain definite fact or specific information;
Are suitable for eliminating irrelevant information, clarifying the information at hand,
and focusing a customer on what he is trying to tell you.
Examples:
Where did you hear of this special service, sir? When did you last fly with us, Mr. Choong?

3. Do not become defensive

Complaints are a learning opportunity for the company. They notify you of something
that has gone wrong, of some way in which service fell short of expectations.
Unfortunately, complaints are often treated as criticism. Criticism can be perceived by
the receiver as constructive or destructive, and the latter is usually the case. In many
situations, the person on the receiving end of criticism considers it as a direct, personal
attack. Complaints are often viewed in this way, as some staff members can find it
difficult to see a complaint about service in an objective light. They mistakenly see such a
grievance as an aggressive, personal attack, specifically aimed at them.
Staff perception has to change–in the majority of cases, the customer is dissatisfied with
a service aspect of the company, not you as an individual service provider. Even where
the staff member is the cause of the complaint, it is important to view the matter
objectively.

4. Do not defend yourself

In order to diffuse the situation, you must find something in the criticism with which you
can agree. When you do this you appear reasonable, and the customer no longer feels
that he has to fight for his opinion to be heard. Do not defend yourself. When you
attempt to defend your position, you usually provide the customer with even more
material for attack. He may feel that he really has to prove to you that your company
failed to fulfil its promise to him, and now you appear to be treating his complaint as
though it is not justified. So much for the proudly publicized service ethic!

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Avoid offering excuses, as again, they are defensive behaviors. The customer may feel
that his intelligence is being insulted by fumbling, unconvincing excuses. Your aim is to
please the customer, while also appearing capable at your job. Excuses merely
undermine the capable image which you wish to project. They suggest non-assertiveness
and incompetence.

5. Shift from the accusation to the problem itself

Practice responding to accusatory questions and statements. These are the most difficult
to cope with since the automatic reaction is defense. Even with much thought and
planning, most answers you can formulate are likely to sound defensive.
However, an important point for consideration is that it is not necessary to answer the
accusation. You can ignore it, while still responding. The focus has shifted from answering
the accusation to the problem itself.
Therefore, the encounter has become problem-centered, rather than image-centered
(that is, its focus is on solving the problem and not on attacking the service provider–
you). You can reflect on what concerns the customer, and you can agree with him to
whatever extent is appropriate, depending on each situation. As
long as you avoid defending yourself, you can continue to respond in a constructive, non-
defensive manner.

6. Remain calm and try to calm the customer

As mentioned earlier, although the majority of complaints are about an aspect of the
service, not you as an individual service provider, from time to time you may be the
aspect of service with which the customer is dissatisfied. Something you have said or
done may provoke a very strongly negative and agitated response from the customer.
You may not have intended such an outcome and indeed, you may be completely
unprepared for the reaction.
Whatever the circumstances, it is your responsibility to calm the customer and resolve
the situation. It is essential that you do not become involved in an attack-counterattack
cycle. Nothing can be resolved in this way. Although it may be difficult to keep your
temper in check, it is an expected part of your job that you do so. Remain focused on the
problem which the customer has with your behavior, (however insignificant and petty it
may seem), and do what you can to rectify it.
If at some point, it becomes obvious that nothing will be resolved within this situation, it
may be time to call on the help of a supervisor. He will be able to view the matter from a
more objective standpoint, and should deal with it in a manner that does not cause
embarrassment to any of the parties involved.

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7. Forget who is to blame

When a complaint is brought to your attention, focus on how it will be resolved. Trying to
discover who is to blame, or who bears the responsibility for the perceived error is an
exercise in futility.
Directing your energies towards finding a solution may decrease the amount of time
spent trying to resolve the complaint, and is less likely to further aggravate the
customer.

8. Express regret early

Whenever a customer has a problem, it is–or should be–a cause for regret. A problem
looked at from any other perspective is not a display of true concern for your customers.
Once the customer has made you aware of his grievance, facilitate a good rapport by
expressing your regret at the very beginning. Although he may wonder why you let
something like this happen in the first place, he usually becomes calmer when his
problem has been acknowledged. For example, you could say: “I understand why you
are upset. I would be too. I am sorry that your bag was damaged. I will see what we can
do about it.”
It is important to note that regret can be expressed without admitting liability (this could
be important from a legal point of view in certain circumstances). However, fear of
admitting liability should not be used as an excuse to avoid expressing your regret that
the customer has experienced a problem in dealing with your company. Recognizing that
the customer has a grievance is not the same as accepting blame.

9. Trust your customers

It is a good idea to be aware that some complaints may not be genuine. However, be
careful not to suspect every customer who approaches you with a grievance. They do not
all have ulterior motives. Most complaints are genuine. It would be a mistake to develop
a system of handling complaints whose main thrust is doubting the customer.
A customer who feels that his complaint is being treated with the proper respect, is
easier to satisfy. If the reaction he initially encounters is one of distrust, how impressed
do you think he will be? Remember–you want customers to complain. A system that
respects the customer, and treats his grievance fairly, will be more successful in resolving
complaints than one that makes him feel like a criminal.

10. Have a working knowledge of company policy

Once you have well and thoroughly understood what the customer's problem or
concern is, you will need to present him or her with a plausible solution. To do so, you will
need to know what you can and cannot offer the customer, given your organization's
policies.

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11. Settle complaints quickly

Once you and your customer have agreed on a solution, you will need to take
immediate action to carry it out. Explain every step that you are going to take to fix the
problem to the customer. If the customer has contacted you by telephone, ensure that
he or she has the information to call you or another customer service agent back and get
an update. This will give the customer a feeling of
control, because he or she will know how to contact you again if needed.

12. Thank the customer

Thank the customer for bringing the complaint to your attention. It serves as an indication
of your concern for the customer. The act of complaining creates tension. By thanking
him, you show your appreciation of the effort he made

List and describe strategies for resolving customer complaints

quickly and effectively, including attentive listening and
questioning techniques.

Resolving customer complaints quickly and effectively is crucial for

maintaining customer satisfaction and loyalty. Attentive listening and
effective questioning techniques play a significant role in the
resolution process. Here are strategies for resolving customer
complaints:

Active Listening:

 Pay full attention to the customer: Give the customer your

undivided attention, maintain eye contact, and avoid
distractions.

 Don't interrupt: Let the customer express their concerns fully

without interruption. Interrupting can make them feel unheard
or dismissed.

 Show empathy: Display empathy and understanding by using

body language and verbal cues to convey that you appreciate
their perspective.
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Paraphrasing:

 Repeat back the issue: After the customer has explained their
complaint, paraphrase their concerns in your own words. This
demonstrates that you've understood the problem correctly.

 Confirm understanding: Ask the customer if your paraphrase

accurately reflects their issue. This confirms that you're on the
same page.

Open Ended Questions

 Cannot be answered by a simple yes or no;
 Allow the customer to answer in his own words, and express his thoughts without
being confined by the words you use over/…;
 Are useful for learning about feelings, attitudes and beliefs, as well as eliciting
facts, necessary information, and more elaborate answers;
 Can be used to broaden the scope of a discussion, to introduce new material, and
to better grasp the underlying needs of what is being said;
 Are usually prefaced by “what”, “how” and “why”.

Examples:
How would you rate our service, Mr. Schwartz? What seems to be the problem, sir?

Closed Ended Questions

 Can be answered by yes or no, they direct the respondent towards a short
response;
 May yield information, although the pursuit of further
 conversation is optional;
 Can often be helpful in dissipating the customer's nervousness if he is of a quiet
disposition, or uneasy at voicing his grievance.

Examples:
Would you like to be seated in the smoking or non-smoking area, Mr. Gill?
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Was that flight to Amsterdam on Friday, the twenty-fifth of March, sir?

Leading Questions
 Are closed questions which indicate the answer that is required of the customer.
 Can be used to check an attitude or knowledge or even to force an admission
from someone.
Examples:
Now that I've changed your hotel room to a larger one, you'll enjoy your vacation a lot
more, won't you?
Since you are such a regular customer, we must be doing something right, isn't that so,
Mr. Perez?

Specific Questions
 Can be used to obtain definite fact or specific information;
 Are suitable for eliminating irrelevant information, clarifying the information at
hand, and focusing a customer on what he is trying to tell you.

Examples:
Where did you hear of this special service, sir?
When did you last fly with us, Mr. Choong?

Reflective Statements:

Use reflective statements to show empathy and understanding:

Phrases like "I understand how frustrating that must have been for
you" or "I'm sorry to hear you had this experience" convey empathy
and concern.

Apologize and Take Responsibility:

 Offer a sincere apology: Even if the issue is not directly the

company's fault, a sincere apology can go a long way in
diffusing tension and demonstrating concern.

 Take responsibility: Acknowledge the customer's issue and

assure them that you're committed to resolving it.

Offer Solutions:

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Provide solutions or alternatives: Based on the information gathered,

offer solutions that address the customer's concerns. Be flexible and
accommodating when possible.

Set Realistic Expectations:

Communicate clearly: Set realistic expectations regarding what the

customer can expect in terms of resolutions, timeframes, or
compensation.

Follow Up:

Follow up after resolution: After the issue is resolved, follow up with

the customer to ensure their satisfaction and to check if they have
any additional concerns.

Document the Complaint:

Maintain records: Keep detailed records of the complaint, the steps

taken to address it, and any agreed-upon solutions. This
documentation can be valuable for future reference.

Training and Empowerment:

Ensure employees are trained: Provide your employees with training

on effective complaint resolution techniques. Empower them to make
decisions that benefit the customer within defined guidelines.

Escalation Procedures:

Define escalation procedures: Establish clear procedures for

escalating complaints that cannot be resolved at the frontline. Ensure
that there are channels for addressing more complex issues.

Feedback and Improvement:

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Use customer feedback: Collect and analyze customer feedback and

complaints to identify patterns and areas for improvement in your
products, services, and processes.

Resolving customer complaints quickly and effectively not only

addresses the immediate issue but also contributes to customer
satisfaction, loyalty, and the company's reputation. Effective listening
and questioning techniques are essential skills for customer service
representatives to ensure a successful resolution process.

The Five Types of Customers who Complain and How to Handle

them
We have just covered some general strategies on how to handle customer complaints
properly and professionally. However, not
all customers will have the same communication style when complaining to you. There
are five types of complainers, each of whom is motivated by different beliefs, attitudes
and needs. Following is a description of each type and how to respond to them.

Meek Style
Meek customers will generally not complain unless encouraged to do so. However, their
facial expression and body language will tell you that they are probably unhappy or
displeased with the situation. You must work hard at soliciting their comments and
complaints. You must then act appropriately to resolve their complaints. As with other
customers, give meek customers your full and undivided attention, and thank them for
bringing the problem to your attention.

Aggressive Style
The aggressive customer, who is the opposite of the meek customer, readily complains,
often loudly and at length. When dealing with an aggressive customer, enable them to
finish completely what they have to say before responding and then ask: “What else
concerns you?” Agree that a problem exists and indicate what will be done to resolve it
and when. Avoid being aggressive in return. Also know that the aggressive customer
does not respond well to excuses or reasons why the product or service was
unsatisfactory.

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High-Roller Style
These customers expect the best and are willing to pay for it. They are generally likely to
complain in a reasonable manner, unless they also have an aggressive side to their
personalities. This customer is interested in results and how you are going to provide
them. Listen actively to the customer and question him or her carefully to determine the
cause of the problem. Similar to the aggressive customer, the high-roller is not interested
in excuses, so avoid making them. Focus instead on identifying the problem and then
proposing a solution.

Trying to Get Something for Nothing Style

These customers have the underlying goal of trying to get something extra they have
not paid for and are therefore not entitled to receive. They do not actually want to have
their complaint resolved. This type of customer will often repeat the phrase “Not good
enough!” when you propose possible solutions.
Dealing with this customer is tricky, and you must strive to remain objective. Ensure that
what you offer the customer as a solution is in line with your organization's policies and
you are not providing special treatment you would not offer another customer. Consider
asking the customer: “How can I make things right?” when they say: “Not good enough”
for the first time. However, be aware of their actual goal and that you may not be able
to provide what they ask for. Explain why you cannot provide it and propose an
alternative you feel is likely to make the customer happy.

Chronic Complainer Style

A chronic complainer is never satisfied, always believes there is something wrong and
enjoys complaining. As frustrating as this can be, he or she is still a customer and cannot
have their concerns simply dismissed. You will need a lot of patience to deal with a
chronic complainer. Listen carefully and completely to his
or her complaints, be sympathetic, offer a sincere apology and make an effort to correct
the situation, if you can.
Fortunately, unlike customers who want to get something extra to which they are not
entitled, the chronic complainer will accept and appreciate your efforts to make things
right. This customer wants an apology and will appreciate it when you listen to them.
Chronic complainers actually tend to be loyal customers, in spite of complaining
constantly, and are likely to tell others about how you responded positively and solved
the problem.

The Complaints System

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Having a system of handling complaints is essential in order to give every staff member
guidance. Walker (1990) suggested a system which can be adapted to suit your needs:

1. Log the complaint (preferably onto a specifically designed form):

•
Who received it?
• How it was received (telephone, letter, direct);
• Nature of complaint (full description);
• Date/time of complaint (so you can meet your stated performance standard);
• Any interim “fix-it” action required.

2. Inform the customer that you are dealing with the complaint, the likely timescale
and any immediate action taken.
3. If you are not the person who can solve the problem, send a copy of the details to
the person who can. (If interim action has been required you will probably have
already spoken to him.)
4. Note any action taken at the time of the complaint to attempt to solve the
problem.
5. Once the problem has been resolved complete notes of the action taken.
6. Write/speak to the customer to tell him what action has been taken:
• To solve his problem;
• To resolve any underlying causes of his problem;
• To provide compensation.
7. Send the person who received the complaint a copy of the form showing the
action taken, and where appropriate, a copy of the letter to the customer.
8. Ensure the complaint has been analyzed and fed into a central data system.
Keeping a record of complaints is worthwhile so that trends can be identified.

Where complaints are answered in letter form, careful consideration must be given as to
their wording. Although it is easy to resort to a standardized letter format, the customer
will appreciate an individualized letter. Remember, letters can contain “You” messages, so
beware of how you phrase them. Use “I” messages in an effort to avoid patronizing, or
appearing to blame the customer.
As with all complaints there may be legal implications, so be aware of that possibility
with regard to each specific complaint. Where compensation claims are expected and
cannot be avoided, guidelines must be clearly laid out. However, you can sometimes
react spontaneously to the situation at hand, knowing the parameters within which you
can operate.

Dealing with Disengagement

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As we have stressed so far in this module, you should always strive to remain polite and
professional in any exchange with a customer. When you feel a customer is becoming
verbally abusive, using foul language or attacking you personally, resist the urge to
retaliate with abuse or to use such phrases as: “Didn't your parents teach you any
manners?” Try to remain as objective as possible.

It's important to handle difficult customers professionally. Learning how to stay calm and
how to stay cool under pressure can help you get through challenging situations with
grace and professionalism.

Following are some strategies for dealing with abusive customers (Roennevig, 2013):

1. Talk slowly and calmly. If your client is especially angry, then talk slowly and calmly,
and use a low tone of voice. This will subtly help lower the tension, and ensure
that you don't escalate the situation by visibly getting stressed or upset yourself.
2. Empathize with the customer's feelings. Tell the customer that you can
understand his or her frustration and that you too would be upset in the same
situation. Acknowledging the customer's feelings will often calm him or her down
and provide reassurance that you sincerely want to help.
3. Allow the customer to vent. Do not try to talk over or interrupt a customer who is
venting his or her frustrations. This will only make him or her angrier. Let the
customer finish what he or she is saying, even if it involves a long, drawn out rant
about you or your organization. Remain silent for a few seconds after the
customer has run out of things to say, then state your position. If the customer
interrupts, say that you have listened politely to him or her and would be grateful
if he or she could extend the same courtesy to you.
4. Explain that you are here to help. Ask the customer to calm down in a respectful
manner and explain that you are there to help. Tell the customer you will be best
able to address their concerns if the discussion is conducted in a civilized fashion.
5. Be honest. Be honest about what you can and cannot do and what compensation
you can provide, given your organization's policies. Do not make promises you
cannot keep, as this will only make the customer angrier when he or she finds out
the truth. If you are unsure about how to deal with situation, ask your supervisor
or colleagues for more information. Again, you should strive to maintain a
working knowledge of your organization's policies and procedures for resolving
complaints and providing compensation.
6. Escalate the situation and ask for help. Occasionally a client or customer may
become verbally abusive towards you or your team. Know in advance what you
will tolerate, and what you will not. If things escalate, you may need to be assertive
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and stand up for yourself, or even walk away from the situation to give the client
time to cool down.
If it becomes clear that you are unable to deal with the customer effectively
yourself, do not be afraid to pass the problem onto your supervisor or manager
or to a colleague who is more experienced at negotiating with angry customers.
7. Issue a warning, if necessary. If the customer repeatedly uses foul or threatening
language, advise him or her that you do not have to, nor will you, tolerate being
spoken in that way. Repeat that you are there to help, but give a warning that if
the abusive behavior continues, you will end the call (if you are on the telephone)
or call security or the police if you are speaking to the customer in person.
8. End the conversation, if necessary. If after issuing a warning, you are unable to
reason with the customer or calm him or her down, it is time to end the
discussion. If you are on a call, explain politely that you feel you can go no further
with the conversation and that you are going to hang up. If you are dealing with
the customer in person, say that you will call security if he or she does not leave
the premises.

Handling Customer Aggression as Airline Employee

Airline staff are trained to understand that an individual who is angry and aggressive
and who is blaming others for not getting what he or she wants could be warning signs
and symptoms of anger and possibly aggressive behavior. One of things airline staff
learn to appreciate is that no matter how sudden an emotional outburst appears to be,
there will always be a reason behind the reaction. As part of training for customer
service agents, several role playing scenarios are conducted both on the ground as well
as in-flight to simulate situations in which staff deal with angry, upset or otherwise
difficult customers. This gives agents practice in using strategies to deal with angry
customers and to diffuse potentially volatile situations before they escalate. These
strategies include conflict resolution and negotiation techniques.

Let's consider an example of how these strategies could be applied. A couple misses
their flight due to a traffic jam that prevents them from arriving at the airport on time.
The husband becomes angry; demanding that the agent put them on another flight with
another airline at the airline's cost. However, it is unreasonable for the agent to do so,
since the airline can offer them another flight later in the day with a change fee applied.
Needless to say, this does not satisfy the husband. As the situation escalates, the wife
becomes distraught and explains that they are going to miss her mother's funeral if they
do not leave the same day.
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As the agent calmly listens to the wife, the agent understands the emotional situation the
couple are in and tries to empathize. After the couple calms down somewhat, the agent
offers to waive the change fee on compassionate grounds. Further, the agent asks if the
couple would like to use the airline's private lounge while they wait, where they can enjoy
refreshments and other complimentary services for the next flight. The couple agrees,
and the agent rebooks them for the later flight.

In conflict situations, it will often be possible to negotiate a reasonable solution that will
make the customer happy. However, as previously discussed, some customers may
become highly aggressive when they do not get what they want. Air Canada's Health
and Safety Executives define an aggressive incident as follows: Any incident, in which an
employee is abused, threatened or assaulted by a member of the pubic in circumstances
arising out of the course of his/her employment.

Generally, people become aggressive or abusive because they are unable to get
something they want, or some wish or desire is blocked. This causes frustration.
Aggression may take the form of:

 Shouting and swearing

 Abuse, including sexual and racial
 Threats
 Menacing looks
 Threatening or abusive gestures

Remember, self-control is essential to communicate with difficult people. However,

airlines and other public transportation service providers have policies that clearly state
that, in any situation, physical and/or verbal abuse towards employees is not tolerated. In
situations where abusive behavior is occurring, staff are trained to immediately call for
assistance to a manager or the police.

There is a code word that airline staff are all trained to recognize, which indicates that
potential harm or injury to a staff member may occur. Use of the code word is a signal
that police should be called immediately to assist and protect the staff dealing with a
verbally or physically abusive customer.

Lesson Summary

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We discussed how all conflicts and complaints are the result of someone's
expectations not being met. If performance fails to match the standard of the
customer's expectations, dissatisfaction will probably result.
We also stressed that rather being avoided or dreaded, complaints from
customers should be welcomed as a chance to right what is wrong and to
improve customer service. Truly customer-centric organizations do not just
respond to them, they actively seek them out and welcome them.

We summarized the five main reasons why customers become dissatisfied with
a company's products and services, regardless of whether they make a formal
complaint:
• Employee errors and failures in the customer service process.
• Overpromising to customers in marketing information or
• advertising
• Misleading marketing information
• Customer error in using a product or service
• Customers having unreasonable expectations of a product or service

We concluded that not all customer complaints are legitimate. Generally

speaking, complaints on the basis of gender, race, creed or color are not
considered legitimate, and company policy would clarify this. Problems with
service, product and personnel (all dependent on the full details) are legitimate
complaints.
Finally, we reemphasized the importance of treating each customer as an
individual, with unique needs and preferences, as a proactive strategy for
achieving customer satisfaction.

How to deal with an unhappy customer, you need to put yourself in a

customer service mindset. This means that you set aside any personal feelings
you might have that the situation is not your fault or the customer in
criticizing you, and focus instead on the customer and the current situation.
You also learned about the strategies for dealing effectively with a complaint.
These include:
• Listening actively and asking probing questions,
• Facilitating a good rapport by expressing your regret at the beginning,
• Avoiding the tendency to assign blame,
• Shifting from the accusation to the problem itself,
• Knowing what you and cannot offer in terms of compensation,
• Settling the complaint as quickly as possible, and
• Thanking the customer for bringing the complaint to your attention.
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We also presented the five types of communication styles of customers who

complain, each of whom is motivated by different beliefs, attitudes and needs.
These styles are “meek,” “aggressive,” “holy roller,” “wanting to get something
for nothing” and “chronic complainer.”

Finally, we stressed that having a system of handling complaints is essential in

order to give every staff member guidance–as well as to give customers the
ability to have legitimate complaints dealt with expeditiously. Customer-
centric airlines will use other ways to get general feedback that goes beyond
individual complaints, such as surveys conducted by external research firms
and questionnaires completed by customers individually.

We discussed that although many customers will respond well to your efforts
to help them and resolve their concern or complaint, some customers can
become verbally or even physically abusive when they do not get what they
want. Abusive behavior is defined as being verbally or physically threatening,
using impolite or foul language, and being emotionally out of control. It may
take the form of:

• Shouting and swearing

• Abuse, including sexual and racial
• Threats
• Menacing looks
• Threatening or abusive gestures

Airline staff are given specific training on how to recognize the signs a
customer may become abusive and how to deal with difficult customers. This
includes using negotiation strategies to arrive at a solution that makes the
customer happy or at least reasonably satisfied. Although airline staff can
expect to deal with difficult customers as part of their jobs, they are not
expected to tolerate verbal or physical abuse under any circumstances. When it
does occur, they will get help from a manager and call the police, if necessary,
to deal with a potentially harmful situation they cannot handle on their own.

Questions
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1. Explain why complaints are to be welcomed in order to improve customer service

and retain satisfied customers.
2. Summarize the type of complaints received by companies and airlines.
3. Distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate complaints.
4. List and describe strategies for resolving customer complaints quickly and
effectively, including attentive listening and questioning techniques.
5. Explain how to diffuse a potentially volatile situation involving an angry or upset
customer.
6. Explain the importance of effective negotiation skills in resolving conflicts with
customers.
7. Describe strategies for dealing with a verbally abusive customer.
8. Identify situations in which a customer service representative should disengage
from a conflict with a customer and seek support.

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