A complaint is a customer who still cares enough to tell you. Most unhappy customers just leave. Answer it fast, answer it specifically, and fix something.
The five parts of a good reply
Every good complaint reply does the same five things, in this order.
- Thank them for telling you. They could have left without a word.
- Say back the problem in your own words, so they know you read it.
- Apologise for the specific thing that went wrong.
- Say what you will do, and by when.
- Give them a direct way to reach you if it is not fixed.
That is the whole method. The rest is tone, and tone mostly means being specific. A reply that names the late order, the wrong size or the missed call reads as human. A reply that could fit any complaint reads as a form.
Template: a mistake that was yours
Hi Sara,
Thank you for telling me about this. Your order arrived four days late, and the tracking link I sent did not work. That is not the service you paid for, and I am sorry.
I have refunded the delivery cost today. You will see it in three to five days. I have also fixed the tracking link for future orders.
If anything else is not right, reply here and it comes straight to me.
Jo
Template: a complaint about something you cannot change
Sometimes the customer is unhappy about a policy, a price or a limit you will keep. You can still answer kindly.
Hi Sam,
Thanks for your message. I understand that a 30-day return window feels short when you were away for most of it.
I cannot extend returns past 30 days, because the items go back into stock as new. What I can do is offer a 20 percent credit on your next order, valid for six months.
If that helps, reply and I will set it up today.
Notice the order. The no comes after you show you understood, and it comes with a reason and an option.
When the customer is wrong
It happens. They misread the description, or they are angry about something they agreed to. Do not argue the point in the first line.
Start with what is true for them: they are disappointed. Then give the facts plainly, without "as stated in our terms". Then offer the smallest thing you can, even if it is only a call to sort it out.
People forget the facts of a dispute. They remember how they were spoken to.
What to avoid
- We apologise for any inconvenience
- As per our policy
- Unfortunately there is nothing we can do
- Your feedback is important to us
Each of these says nothing. The first one is the worst, because it apologises for nothing in particular.
Make the next reply easier
If the same complaint arrives twice, write the answer down. Keep a short page of your usual replies, your policies and what you are allowed to offer. Then a hard message at a bad moment does not get a rushed answer.
Replies that know each customer are one of the jobs planned for Nive. Until then, a saved page of answers and a one-page voice guide keep your replies calm and consistent.