How to respond to customer complaints (with 6 templates)

Knowing how to deal with customer complaints effectively can help you transform unhappy customers into lifelong brand advocates.

In this article, you’ll learn the strategies and best practices for handling customer complaints. You’ll also get access to pre-made templates that you can use to address customer complaints professionally and efficiently.

How to respond to customer complaints

Responding to customer complaints helps maintain your brand’s reputation and build customer loyalty. Here are five steps to address customer complaints in a way that keeps customers happy and finds quick resolutions.

1. Acknowledge the complaint quickly

As soon as you receive a complaint – whether it’s by email, social media, phone call or in person – reply as quickly as possible. Prompt acknowledgment shows the customer that you value their time and want to resolve their issue. Aim to respond within a few hours, if not immediately.

2. Listen and understand

Take the time to listen carefully and thoroughly grasp a customer’s complaint or issue. Your efforts will show customers that you truly value them.

Here are some ways to ensure you fully understand the problem at hand:

• Use active listening. If the customer complains in person, focus on them and use verbal cues like “I see” and “I understand” to show you’re engaged and following the conversation.

• Ask open-ended questions. Encourage the customer to give you more details by asking open-ended questions. Questions like “Can you explain what happened?” and “How did that impact your experience?” invite more detailed responses than you’d get with yes or no questions.

• Paraphrase and clarify. Once the customer has finished speaking, paraphrase their main points to ensure you’ve understood correctly. Ask clarifying questions if key details are unclear. It’s better to ask for more information upfront than to make assumptions that lead to further misunderstandings.

• Document the complaint. Accurately document the complaint, including all relevant details and steps you’re taking to address it. Clear documentation gives any team members who handle the case all the information they need so customers won’t have to repeat themselves.

3. Empathize with the customer

Acknowledge the customer’s issue and validate their feelings. Use phrases like “I can imagine how frustrating that must have been” to show you understand the impact of the problem.

Recognize that their complaint is legitimate without being defensive or dismissive. By humanizing the interaction, you show the customer you care about the situation and want to find a solution.

It’s also important to personalize emails and texts. For instance, using the customer’s name can make the interaction more genuine and less transactional. It shows that you’re talking to them as an individual, not just a case number.

Before moving on to the next steps, summarize the complaint and verify all the details with the customer. This final confirmation proves that you’ve understood the issue correctly and provides an opportunity to clear up any mistakes.

4. Apologize sincerely

Apologizing helps rebuild trust and demonstrates that your company takes responsibility for customer complaints.

Here are some tips on how to offer a strong and heartfelt apology:

• Be genuine. Avoid generic or clearly automated apology emails. Your tone should be sincere, empathetic and human-sounding. Customers can often sense when an apology is just a formality.

• Take responsibility. Accept responsibility for the issue without blaming the customer or external factors. Use “I” or “we” statements to show ownership. For example, you could say “We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused” rather than “I’m sorry you feel that way”.

• Be specific. General apologies can come across as dismissive or insincere. Instead, address the issue directly in your apology. For instance, you might say “I apologize for the delay in your order delivery and the inconvenience it caused” rather than “Sorry for any inconvenience”.

• Avoid excuses, but offer explanations. Don’t make excuses for the issue. It’s important to explain why something happened without sounding defensive. For example, “We experienced unforeseen delays in our supply chain, causing the delivery delay. We’re working to ensure this doesn’t happen again”.

5. Offer a solution

Alongside your apology, offer a clear path to resolving the issue. Consider including a specific action plan or compensation for the problem if appropriate. For instance, if there was a mistake on an order, you could correct the item with expedited shipping at no additional cost to the customer.

At this stage, it’s important to let the customers know what the next steps will be. If it’s not a simple fix, tell them you’re looking into the matter and indicate a time frame for when they can expect a more detailed response. A time frame sets clear expectations for the customer so they don’t feel like you’re brushing them off.

You could also explain what steps you’re taking to prevent the issue from happening again. If the customer knows you’re actively trying to prevent a reoccurrence, it will restore their faith in your services.

6 customer complaint response templates

Most customer complaints fall into similar categories like product issues, delivery delays or billing problems. Creating template responses for common complaints can help you streamline your response process and ensure professional, timely replies.

Here are some email templates that cover the main types of customer complaints:

1. Waiting too long for a customer service response

Customer service response delays can cause frustration, especially when customers feel like you’re ignoring their concerns. While quick responses are key, they aren’t always possible – so it’s important to know what to do and say when things go wrong.

Use this template response for complaints about long wait times:

The message begins with a heartfelt apology, acknowledging the specific issue and recognizing the customer’s frustration. Next, it admits that expected standards weren’t met and gives a reason for the delay, promising to help the customer within a specific time frame.

2. The customer didn’t receive shipping information

If a customer doesn’t receive shipping information, it leaves them in the dark about the status of their order. To maintain trust, you should always communicate about orders in a timely manner, including tracking details and updates.

Here’s a template response for customer service complaints about a lack of shipping information:

Since this is a simple issue, it’s easy to reply concisely. To alleviate the customer’s concerns, simply apologize and provide the missing shipping information.

3. Unavailable products or services

Unavailable products and services can make customers feel let down or inconvenienced, especially if they’re counting on that item or service. To address complaints about unavailable items, be transparent about the shortage and provide alternative solutions. Offering small compensations like discounts can also help alleviate their dissatisfaction.

Here’s how to respond to a letter of complaint about unavailable products and services:

The above response is effective because it personalizes the interaction and begins with a sincere apology, showing empathy. It’s transparent about the steps you’re taking to restock the product, which helps maintain trust. Offering an immediate alternative solution shows proactive efforts to meet the customer’s needs despite the unavailability.

4. Incorrect order or missing/damaged item

Receiving a broken, missing or incorrect product directly impacts the customer experience and can lead to a lack of trust in your company.

To address complaints of this nature, it’s important to provide a clear resolution upfront – like a replacement or refund. Again, offering a small compensation for the inconvenience will demonstrate your commitment to delighting your customers.

Here’s a typical response letter to a complaint about an incorrect order:

This response begins with a sincere apology, immediately followed by a promise to rectify the mistake by shipping the correct item immediately. The goodwill gesture shows that you respect your buyer and value their custom.

5. Delayed shipping

Delayed shipping can disrupt a customer’s plans when they’re relying on timely delivery for special occasions or business needs. In responding to such complaints, it’s important to acknowledge the issue and provide an updated timeline for delivery.

Here’s a template response for delayed shipping customer complaints:

This response immediately acknowledges the mistake and expresses regret, helping to mitigate the customer’s frustration. It’s also transparent about the cause of the delay and what you’re doing to prevent it from happening again, which can help convince customers that it was a one-off event.

6. Poor customer service

Poor customer service can undermine customer satisfaction and trust in your company. Over time, it can lead to a negative perception and a loss of business and loyal customers. To avoid this, you need to address complaints with timely corrective actions.

If you prove to the dissatisfied customer that poor customer service is the exception rather than the rule, they’re more likely to give you another chance.

First, acknowledge the negative feedback and apologize for your customer’s subpar experience. Provide a clear resolution such as a personal follow-up, additional training for staff or a coupon for a future purchase. If you show commitment to improving your service, you’ll prove that you value the customer’s experience.

Here’s a template response for complaints concerning poor customer service:

Customer complaints responses best practices

Here are some best practices to help ensure that your responses alleviate customer concerns, provide solutions and boost customer retention:

• Stay calm. When handling a complaint, being calm and composed helps de-escalate the situation. When dealing with an angry customer, a steady tone can prevent the conversation from becoming heated and guide you toward a more productive resolution.

• Get the facts straight. Accurate information is key to resolving complaints effectively. If a customer mentions multiple issues with service delivery, taking the time to confirm the details will avoid misunderstandings so you can target the real problem.

• Prepare an action plan. Developing a clear, step-by-step plan tells the customer what you’re doing to solve their problem. For example, if a customer is unhappy with a billing error, outline a plan for reviewing the invoice, issuing a refund and preventing future errors.

• Be polite. Courtesy eases tensions and shows respect toward the customer. Even if they’re upset about a negative experience, being polite helps you find a solution quicker while maintaining professionalism.

• Choose a casual or professional tone. Tailoring your tone to fit the situation and your company culture can improve your responses. A professional tone might be appropriate for a formal complaint about a financial service, while a more casual tone could be suitable for a minor inconvenience.

• Act on customer feedback. If you constantly receive feedback about a particular issue, it’s a sign that you need to change something. Acting on feedback can improve your service and shows that you care about your customer’s feelings and ideas.

Final thoughts

Effectively addressing customer complaints is the key to maintaining trust and loyalty when things go wrong. By responding with empathy, transparency and quick solutions, you can turn bad experiences into opportunities for growth.

Pipedrive’s customer service CRM keeps all of your support team’s interactions under one roof, streamlining communication and ensuring that no one slips through the gaps.