Mazda Training manual - part 150

The Importance of Complaints 

Curriculum Training 

7 

2.  The Importance of Complaints 

By the end of this session you will have: 
•  discussed the nature of complaints and why they occur 
•  examined the reason why complaints are opportunities for you to display excellent 

customer service skills 

•  discussed aggressive and irritable customers and the ways in which emotions can take 

control of situations. 

 

2.1 

The Nature of Complaints 

What is a complaint? 

Any expression of dissatisfaction by a customer, with a product or service, however small, 
whether considered justified or not. 

 

Why do complaints occur? 

What do you do that causes them? 

 

Your Notes 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Importance of Complaints 

 

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Curriculum Training

 

2.2 

Complaints as Opportunities 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quality of 

work 

About 20%

 

Treatment and 

Convenience 

About 65%

 

Right price for 

quality work 

About 15%

 

The Importance of Complaints 

Curriculum Training 

9 

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. 

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 

 

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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. 
•  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. 

 

AC1 – GOOD AND BAD EXPERIENCES 

 

 

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