Dealing with Complaints

This workshop is suitable for participants who have:

•   direct contact with clients,
•   dealings with suppliers, contractors, vendors, consultants etc.,
•   leadership tasks in the areas of production, repair or after-sales services,
•   functions that immediately effect the clients' perception of quality delivered (e.g. quality managers, production supervisor, sales directors).

The way you manage complaints has a large impact on your clients' view of your organisation. It is an integral part of quality assurance. Implementing a complaint management system and a professional handling of incoming complaints by staff members, needs leadership support. Participants will:

•   analyse strengths and weaknesses of their current system,
•   design efficient ways for processing complaints,
•   describe interfaces, processes and structures,
•   try methods for handling difficult situations,
•   work out goals for developing their complaint management system or for their area of responsibility.

When the training is conducted in English, regional and cultural aspects regarding complaints will be integrated.

Selected Methods

•    Analysing critical success factors,
•    Define modules for an active complaint management system,
•    Aligning client groups and quality standards,
•    Clear terms: complaints, reclamations, client satisfaction, complaint satisfaction,
•    Clarifying processes: kinds of complaints and different ways of handling them,
•    Structuring organisational needs: reception, transfer, documentation, processing and evaluation,
•    Assessing failures and causes: types, reasons, correction, costs,
•    Leadership function: Organisational and personnel development,
•   „Point of Contact“ management and interfaces,
•    Understanding and decreasing complainant dissatisfaction,
•    Comprehending complaints and the complainant's motives,
•    Structuring client talks (call flow and scripts),
•    Managing stress and aggressions,
•    Utilizing different channels, e.g. hotlines, call centres, websites,
•    Emotional and rational motives for complaints,
•    Turning complaints into approvals,
•    Dealing with objections,
•    Settling obligations,
•    Role playing or simulations to change behaviour patterns.

Duration: 2, 2½ or 3 days

Location: In selected own rooms or in a hotel of choice

Group Size: one team or about 10-20 individual participants