3.2Complaint handling method
The essentials in 30 seconds
- ÉCOUTER in 7 steps: Listen, Understand, Offer, Urgency dated, Track, Evaluate, Thank — zero forgotten.
- Offer an A/B choice, never a verdict: a single option is fought, a choice is adopted.
- Close the loop: track in the CRM and call back to check — 80% of customers never get one.
Threaded mini-case — Rania handles in ÉCOUTER
Rania's customer has waited for a lost parcel since Tuesday, an urgent gift. Rania listens and reformulates (“lost since Tuesday, urgent gift, is that right?” — yes), then offers the choice: free express reshipment OR refund + gesture. The customer chooses express: parcel shipped the same evening, SMS tracking, delivered Thursday, callback scheduled Friday. Friday: “is everything back in order?” — yes, case closed and validated.
Sequel of case 3.1 — Rania moves from welcome to handling.
1. ÉCOUTER: the facts and the experience
Listen (silence + notes), Understand (questions + reformulation + yes), Offer (solutions + choice), Urgency handled (dated deadline), Track (CRM), Evaluate (check-back call), Thank (closing). ÉCOUTER: 7 letters, 7 steps, zero forgotten.
Rania skips no step: without the reformulation “yes”, she might treat beside the point; without the callback, she would never know whether Thursday kept its promises.
2. Offer a choice, track, call back
“Here is what I can do: A or B, which do you prefer?” The choice hands power back to the customer. A single option is accepted or fought; a choice is adopted. Then track (facts, decision, deadline in the CRM) and call back (“is everything back in order?”).
The check-back call turns a closed complaint into proven loyalty. And on apologies: always acknowledge how they feel, and apologise sincerely for the company's real wrongs — systematic empathy, proportionate apologies.
🔎 Concrete example — Lost parcel handled in ÉCOUTER
Rania makes them choose, date, validate.
L: 2 min listening + notes | U: “lost since Tuesday, urgent gift, is that right?” yes
O: “free express reshipment OR refund + gesture: which do you prefer?” → express
U: “shipped tonight, SMS tracking, delivered Thursday” | T: CRM + Friday callback
E: Friday “received?” yes | T: “thank you for your patience” → closedResult: the customer chose, was followed up, validated.
Reflex: Friday's callback makes the ambassador (3.5).
Section vocabulary
- Complaint handling
- A structured approach to resolving dissatisfaction: listen, understand, acknowledge, resolve, follow up.
Simple example: Rania applies ÉCOUTER from the first call to the callback.
What it is not: improvising a quick answer on the phone.
Reflex: follow the 7 steps without skipping any.
- Apologising
- Offering sincere apologies when the company is at fault (empathy, not necessarily legal admission).
Simple example: “I am really sorry for this inconvenience” when the mistake is proven.
What it is not: flat automatic apologies for everything.
Reflex: always acknowledge feelings, apologies match real responsibility.
- Solution (A/B choice)
- A concrete answer fixing the problem, offered as two options to hand power back to the customer.
Simple example: Free express reshipment OR refund + gesture.
What it is not: a single take-it-or-leave-it verdict.
Reflex: always phrase “A or B, which do you prefer?”.
- Resolution follow-up
- Checking that the solution is applied and that the customer is finally satisfied (often neglected).
Simple example: Rania's Friday callback: “received?”.
What it is not: closing the case once shipped, without validation.
Reflex: schedule the callback as soon as you handle.
In practice — Hands-on - Handle complaints methodically
- Listen: let customers fully explain their problem without interrupting them.
- Understand: ask questions and reformulate to pin down the situation and the real grievance.
- Acknowledge / apologise if the company is at fault (or at least acknowledge how they feel); offer a concrete, fitting solution.
- Follow up: make sure the solution is applied and that customers are finally satisfied.
Ready-to-say script — offering the choice and dating (1 min)
“Let me sum up: parcel lost since Tuesday, urgent gift — is that right? Here is what I can do: free express reshipment tonight, or a refund plus a goodwill gesture. Which do you prefer? … Perfect: shipped tonight, SMS tracking, delivered Thursday. I will call you back Friday to check.”
Say after the validated reformulation, noting the choice and deadline in front of the customer (or aloud on the phone).
Copy-paste template — ÉCOUTER card
L — LISTENED (facts + feeling noted): _______________
U — UNDERSTOOD (“let me sum up…” → yes): _______________
O — OFFERED (choice A: ___ / choice B: ___) → choice: ___
U — DATED URGENCY (deadline + tracking): _______________
T — TRACKED in CRM (facts, decision, deadline): _______________
E — EVALUATED (callback on: ___) → validated: yes / no
T — THANKED + closed: _______________Small business / tight budget
With no CRM: the ÉCOUTER card on a notebook is enough — what matters is the choice offered and the dated callback, not the tool.
SME in Algeria
Rania offers realistic options (local delivery times, payment on delivery) and confirms the callback on the customer's preferred channel.
Counter / phone
At the counter, write the A/B choice on paper in front of the customer; on the phone, spell out the deadline and have them repeat it.
Team / manager
The manager checks weekly: how many cases have their callback scheduled? It is the most skipped step.
✓ Best practices
- Apply ÉCOUTER in 7 steps, skipping none.
- Offer an A/B choice, never a verdict.
- Always call back to validate.
✗ Common pitfalls
- Skipping steps (especially the callback).
- Imposing a single take-it-or-leave-it verdict.
- Closing without the customer's validation.
Key takeaways
- Method: listen → understand → acknowledge/apologise where needed → offer a solution → follow up.
- Apologise sincerely when the company is at fault; otherwise acknowledge how they feel.
- The concrete, fitting solution is the heart of handling; follow-up seals the resolution.
- Handling a complaint means solving the problem and winning back trust, not being right against the customer.
48h challenge — apply tomorrow
On your next complaint, offer an explicit A/B choice and schedule the check-back call — note the customer's reaction.
- I can recite ÉCOUTER and its order without hesitating.
- I offer an A/B choice instead of a verdict.
- I did the 48h challenge or scheduled its date.
Frequently asked questions
Should you apologise even when the company is not at fault?
Separate feelings (always acknowledged: “I understand your frustration”) from apologies for a wrong (only for a real fault, and then sincere). Neither defensive lockdown nor flat reflex apologies: systematic empathy, proportionate apologies.
What if the customer refuses the proposed solution?
Understand why (“what would you expect?”), look for a compromise within reasonable limits, stay firm and courteous if the request is abusive (3.4), escalate beyond your level. You cannot always satisfy everyone — but always handle seriously.
Lost parcel, customer in a hurry. What does Rania offer?