At the Oxford ARLA conference the Property Ombudsman shared some useful thoughts on handling complaints.
Some of them included the following:
- Keep the complainant informed
- Ensure the complaint handler is not the person who caused the complaint
- Keep good telephone notes
- Don’t admit liability even if payment is made
- If an offer is made then ensure that it is made in “full and final settlement”
These are a useful guide for any business to follow in the handling of complaints.
Another interesting statistic that was quoted was that good complaint handling can increase profits by 2-3%!! I’m not sure how this was measured but from our experience as professional indemnity providers we see that dealing with issues promptly and efficiently can save them growing and escalating further down the line.
So next time you get a complaint. See it as an opportunity to increase your profits and impress!!
