8 Steps to Respond Professionally to Customer Complaints

"It will never happen again!". Have you ever made this promise to a customer or prospect? If you have, this is your sign to never say it again. If you haven't, you might be wondering, "well what's so wrong in saying that?".

Let's talk about something we all deal with: customer complaints. Nobody likes getting them. But as an Operations Manager, I've learned over the years that how we handle those tricky moments can make or break a customer relationship.

I've been on the front lines of customer service for over 20 years now, and I'd like to say that I've seen it all. From the calmly frustrated to the downright heated, I've learned that every complaint, no matter how big or small, deserves our full attention. 

Over the years, I've developed a sort of "de-escalation process" that works wonderfully. This process for you might change over the years, but the first step will always remain the same.

Step One: Let the customer vent.

Don’t interrupt, don’t try to explain. Just let them vent.

I remember one call I answered years ago when I first started in the answering service industry. A customer was completely upset. Their service had been interrupted, and they were understandably frustrated. My heart started racing a bit, I won’t lie. But I took a deep breath, reminded myself to stay calm, and just listened. I let them vent—really get it all out. It's like releasing pressure from a valve for them. Once they had a chance to express their frustration, they started to calm down. That's when they started really explaining what their issue is.

Start every call with a smile on your face. Sounds crazy? Not really. A study done by the University of Portsmouth found that people can even identify the kind of smile a person had just by hearing their voice! Your tone of voice carries so much weight. Even though the customer can’t see you, they can hear your smile.

Step Two: Actively Listen to Their Problems

Once they’ve had their say, actively listen. This means really paying attention to what they’re saying. You definitely don't want to interrupt here because it'll sound like you were just waiting for your turn to talk. So, take notes if you need to!

Step Three: Restate and Clarify their Issue

Repeat the issue back to them in your own words. This shows them that you’ve been listening and helps to clarify the problem. The key here is "in your own words". Repeating the issue over and over again, like a broken record, can actually upset the caller more. It's poor customer service.

Step Four: Empathize with Your Customer

This is where you connect with the customer on a human level. You don't have to have experienced the exact same situation, but you can acknowledge their feelings. Just saying, “I understand how frustrating this must be,” goes a long way.

Step Five: Own It

Finally, if the issue is on your end, own it. Don’t make excuses, don’t blame anyone else. Just take responsibility and assure your customer that you’re going to do everything you can to fix it. 

And if the issue is not on your end? Still own it. Why? Because it doesn't matter to your caller! Ideally, they'd understand who's really at fault. But if your business was affected like theirs and you were upset, can you confidently say you'd be 100% rational? That's probably a "No", and that's okay because we're human! 

And this brings us to our final step.

Step Six: Don't Overpromise

Honesty is the best policy. It really is. Which is why you shouldn't make promises you can’t keep. It’s better to under-promise and over-deliver than the other way around. Be realistic about what you can do and when you can do it. Sometimes, the best way to resolve an issue is to drill down to the root cause. And that's why you should never say "It won't happen again!". Because it will. And that's okay.

If you're struggling to get to the root cause of the issue, it helps for me to keep asking “why” multiple times to really understand what’s going on.

Step Seven: Remember to Always Add Value

Beyond just fixing the problem, I’m a big believer in adding value. What can you do to go above and beyond for the customer? Maybe it’s offering a discount on their next purchase, or providing them with helpful resources, like a tutorial video on their recent purchase.

I remember one time, we were working with a client who had an issue with their phone service—something completely outside of our control. But even though it wasn’t our fault, we knew it was impacting their business. So, we took the initiative to contact their phone provider on their behalf to facilitate a resolution. It wasn’t something we had to do, but it was something we could do, and the customer certainly let us know how pleased they were with our initiative.

Another way we add value is by having helpful content readily available on our website. We all know that even the best services can sometimes have hiccups. But by providing resources that address common issues, we empower our customers to find solutions quickly and easily. And, of course, we always make sure that our team is available to provide personalized support when needed. We don’t just point them to a video and disappear; we let them know we’re there to help every step of the way.

The "Feel, Felt, Found" Framework Helps You Deal with Customers

One of the most valuable tools I’ve learned is the “feel, felt, found” framework. It’s a simple but powerful way to show empathy. You acknowledge the customer’s feelings (“I understand how you feel”), share a similar experience (“I’ve felt that way myself”), and then explain the solution you found (“Here’s what we can do to fix this”). It creates a connection and shows the customer that you’re on their side.

Another thing I’ve found helpful is relating personal experiences. Not in a way that minimizes the customer’s issue, but in a way that shows you understand their frustration. For example, I might share a story about a time when I had a similar problem with a different service provider. It helps to humanize the interaction and build rapport.

When relating to your customer, never undermine your own business while empathizing! There is always a way to acknowledge the customer’s frustration without throwing your company under the bus.

Step Eight: Follow-Up with Your Customers

Finally, always follow-up. A simple email or phone call a few days later to check in and make sure everything is working smoothly can make a huge difference. It shows the customer that you care about them and that you’re invested in their success.

I remember a fantastic experience I had with Sweetwater after buying a microphone. Their product specialist followed up with me to make sure I knew how to set it up and even gave me some pointers on other gear I might need. It was a small gesture, but it made a big impression because it made the shopping experience so easy. Now, if I need some audio equipment, you already know where I'll be heading to immediately.

Before You Get Started Resolving Customer Complaints...

Handling customer complaints isn’t always easy, but it’s integral to building strong customer relationships. By staying calm, listening actively, empathizing, and adding value, we can turn even the most challenging situations into opportunities to shine.

True service is not just solving problems—it’s about building bridges. By connecting with our clients and their third-party vendors, we share our expertise to empower them, so together, we can deliver the best possible support to those who need it most.

If you're curious about other tips on handling business calls, check out our blogs:

9 Tips for Exquisite Phone Etiquette in 2025

3 Alternatives to Forwarding Business Calls to Your Cell

Now, another way you can re-focus your attention on growing your business while handling customer complaints is by working with an answering service. A good answering service will handle your callers professionally so you can get back the time to grow your business. Curious to learn more? Read about the 7 ways you can grow your business with an answering service.