ACADEMY EDITORIAL / 15 NOVEMBER 2026
A customer complaint often arrives with two needs: something needs to be resolved, and the customer wants to know that someone has understood the problem. A calm, organised response helps you address both.
Listen before deciding
Allow the person to explain what happened. Ask questions that clarify the facts without sounding like an interrogation. Reflect the issue back in plain language: “You expected the document yesterday, and you have not received an update. Have I understood correctly?”
Acknowledge the impact
You can recognise inconvenience or frustration while you investigate the details. Avoid arguing about tone or immediately blaming another team. Focus on the service issue and the information needed to move it forward.
Explain what you can do
Identify which actions are within your authority and which need a decision from someone else. Be honest about the next step. A promise that cannot be kept creates another service failure, even if it sounds reassuring in the moment.
“I will check the document status with the delivery team and update you by 15:00 today. If it is still outstanding, I will explain the revised plan.”
Keep a useful record
Record the issue, the agreed action, the responsible person and the follow-up time. Keep the notes factual and relevant. Clear records help colleagues continue the conversation without asking the customer to repeat everything.
Close the loop
Send the promised update even when the final resolution is still in progress. When the matter is resolved, check that the customer knows what was done. Look for recurring themes that might point to a process needing improvement.
Try this at work
Practise responding to a delayed delivery complaint. Write one sentence acknowledging the impact, one explaining your next action and one setting a realistic update time. Ask a colleague whether the response is clear and credible.