Mazda Training manual - part 139

Dealing with Complaints 

Curriculum Training 

41 

Spend a few minutes going through what NOT to do when handling complaints. 
•  Do not get defensive – the customer does not want to be complaining and does 

not enjoy it. 

•  Don’t refuse to take responsibility – do not say “It’s not my fault.” or “It’s nothing 

to do with me.” 

•  Never say “We’re doing our best.” – this suggests you lack the ability to correct it. 
•  Make sure everyone in the dealership is trained to handle complaints – just one 

bad experience with a poorly-trained employee will reflect on the whole 
dealership. 

 

Ask delegates if they have their own rules about what NOT to say to customers. 

 

Refer delegates to their pre-course work on the principal complaints 
they receive. 

 

 

 

AC6 – COMPLAINT HANDLING IN PRACTICE 

 

 

Split the delegates into groups of 3 or 4 to put together complaint-handling 
scenarios based on those identified as part of the pre-course work. 

Each group has to examine one of these complaints and put together a scripted 
scenario where one group member will the play the customer, the other playing a 
Mazda person. 

After preparing the scenario it will be acted out in full group and discussed. 

It is important that the APOLOGISE – EMPATHISE – REASSURE formula is used. 

 

Your Notes 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dealing with Complaints 

 

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Curriculum Training

 

3.7 Customer 

Conversations 

In the end, customers pay our wages.  If our customers complain, they are giving us the 
opportunity to put things right – so they will come back to us. 

So all complaints must be handled as being equally important.  
•  Whatever you think, to the customer the complaint is the most important thing in their 

life at that moment. 

•  Customers must be dealt with fairly and with complete objectivity. 
Discuss the fact that the complaint is always important to the customer – even if only 
a minor thing to you. 

 

AC7 – THE CUSTOMER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON 

 

 

 

Split the delegates into groups of 3 or 4 to decide on how they should deal with 
customers who complain. 

How can they make sure the complaint is dealt with seriously? 

How can they show that it really matters to the dealership? 

 
•  What can you do to make sure that your customer is in no doubt that you are taking 

their complaint seriously? 

•  How can you make it clear to the customer that they are the most important person in 

the world while you are dealing with them? 

 

Your Notes 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dealing with Complaints 

Curriculum Training 

43 

Building a Good Relationship 

Explain that this section builds upon the work already done on the Basic course. 

To be able to provide excellent service, we have to establish the right environment, have 
the right attitude AND build a good relationship with our customer. 

This is the state in which people feel comfortable in each other’s company. 

There are four key ways of building this good relationship: 
•  Matching 
•  The right voice 
•  The right body language 
•  Respecting their world. 
Explain that matching involves mirroring the way the customer says things, and how 
they say them. 

 

Let’s try this out. 

 

 

AC8 – BUILDING A GOOD RELATIONSHIP 

 

 

 

Split the delegates into pairs (with a final group of three where necessary). 

Get them to discuss the course so far, in a relaxed way. 

After about a minute, tell them to FREEZE in the position and facial expression they 
were in.  Point out the similar body language (such as leaning forward or looking 
interested) that you will almost certainly find. 

Now ask one member of each pair/group of three to break the good relationship 
deliberately, by making them uncomfortable.  

After a further minute, ask the groups to state how that lack of good relationship 
made them feel. 

Finally, discuss the following notes briefly in the whole group: 

 

Dealing with Complaints 

 

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Curriculum Training

 

Matching 

•  Matching a person’s behaviour gets you into a good relationship with them, while 

mismatching leads to conflict. 

•  Matching makes the most of the similarities you have with them and plays down the 

differences. 

•  Matching language is important – for example, technical words for technical people and 

non-technical terms for the non-technical. 

•  If you don’t have a good relationship with someone, you won’t reach a mutually 

satisfactory outcome. 

 

The right voice 

•  Changing the speed and volume of your voice, to match their speed and volume, builds 

a better relationship with them. 

•  Harmonising voice tone and tempo brings good results. 
•  But don’t try to mimic them – that leads to conflict. 
 

The right body language 

•  Notice the way people sit, stand, walk, lean and shift their weight from one foot to the 

other. 

•  Notice their facial expressions. 
•  See if you can respond by making similar changes to your body language. 
•  Again, don’t come across as a mimic – be subtle. 
 

Respecting their world 

•  We all have a built-in set of values and beliefs that we hold dear. 
•  You don’t have to hold the same values and beliefs as others, but you must respect the 

fact that they are important to them. 

•  Judging, criticising and disagreeing with others can only lead to conflict. 

Your Notes