Mazda Training manual - part 132

The Importance of Complaints 

Curriculum Training 

13 

The previous slide shows the importance of treating the customer well, even when quality is 
not perfect.  This is why the proper handling of complaints is so important. 

A customer complaint is the perfect opportunity for your business to actually increase 
customer loyalty.  

It is also the situation in which customer service is frequently found to be lacking.  

The otherwise excellent skills of service people can often fail them in these situations.  
They can make them worse by: 
•  being defensive 
•  failing to understand the customer's state of mind – in particular, that they will be under 

stress: 

–  as a result of the problem 

–  because they are forced to complain about it. 

Explain the following and gain agreement about the effect on the customer. 

As you go through the notes ask delegates to give any examples from their own 
experience.  Encourage them to take their own notes. 

Service breakdowns and failures do inevitably occur. 

 

 

 

Customers will sometimes be frustrated by our failure to deliver our promises or their 
expectations, and will therefore complain. 

 

 

 

They dislike complaining – it makes them uncomfortable and gives them stress – and they 
fear that the problem will still not be solved, even though they complain. 

 

 

 

They understand we are not perfect, but they demand that we put things right. 

 

 

 

They will therefore judge our methods for dealing with their complaints. 

 

 

 

 

The Importance of Complaints 

 

14 

Curriculum Training

 

2.3 

The Emotional Impact 

•  Complaining customers frequently feel emotional when they contact us.  
•  An inadequate resolution of the complaint may result in more anger and frustration.  
•  Failure to sort it out is more damaging to the relationship than the original breakdown. 
 

 

11 – Producing Goodwill 

 

 

•  On the other hand, a successful complaint resolution can produce tremendous 

goodwill. Instead of being disappointed, a customer whose complaint is fully resolved 
will feel satisfaction and relief.  

•  These feelings, in turn, will usually translate into increased customer loyalty, with all the 

future benefits that will give. 

 

Reinforce these notes by giving examples, such as: 

 

If you go to a restaurant and the knife and fork you are given are dirty, this will lead 
to a complaint. 

If the waiter comes over when they see something is wrong, apologises and 
immediately changes the cutlery, and checks that everyone else at your table has 
clean knives and forks – you will feel happy about the service. 

If the waiter changes the cutlery but makes you feel in the wrong for having 
complained, you will be upset. 

 

 

AC1 – GOOD AND BAD EXPERIENCES 

 

 

Split the delegates into teams of 3 or 4 people. 

Tell each team that they have to think of TWO scenarios, NOT related to their work, 
based on their own experiences where service was delivered.  

 

In the first scenario the person who dealt with them handled the situation badly, and 
in the second they handled it well. 

The Importance of Complaints 

Curriculum Training 

15 

Consider two situations, not related to your work: 

1. 

Where you were treated poorly and the service you received was not good enough 

2. 

Where you were treated well and the service you received was very good. 

 

Think about what caused you to feel that way and the reasons why it happened.  
•  What were the differences? 
•  Why was one good and the other bad? 
•  What could the bad service person have done to improve? 
Write your thoughts below. 

 

Bad Experience 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Experience 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summarise this part of the course using the following notes: 

Customers will always have complaints – it is the way in which you deal with them 
that matters. 

If you handle them properly the customer will be pleased, and see you as providing 
good customer service. 

 

 

 

 

The Importance of Complaints 

 

16 

Curriculum Training

 

2.4 Aggressive 

Customers 

In the next session we shall examine the best ways to deal with complaints, and agree the 
practical steps you can take to calm down difficult situations.  These include dealing with 
customers whose complaints turn to aggression. 

To be able to deal with them you must first understand WHY customers are likely to 
become aggressive. 

Discuss the reasons with delegates. 

Ask: 
•  Why do customers become aggressive? 
Look for answers such as: 
•  Constant errors made 
•  Being ignored 
•  Being treated rudely. 

Your Notes 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ask delegates if they think there are any differences between customers who are 
aggressive and those who are just irritable. 

Is it just a matter of degree? 

Explain that complaints tend to get worse if not dealt with promptly. 

 

Customers may complain, and become irritable, if their concern is not dealt with 
immediately. They may then become aggressive if the situation continues in the 
same way. 

 

When customers react to poor service in extreme ways, by showing more than just simple 
dissatisfaction, do not think rationally. 

They tend to be emotional and see the problems they are having as personal to them. 

They may even think that they are being treated badly for personal reasons. 

What sort of effect do you think that a mishandled complaint can have on your customers?