How to reply to a customer complaint
Reply the same day, thank them for telling you, say sorry for how it felt without arguing the details, and tell them exactly what happens next and when. Keep it short and move the conversation to a phone call if it is serious. Most complaints are won or lost on speed and tone, not on who was right. Copy-and-paste wording for email, text and the phone is below.
The four-step reply
- Thank them for telling you. They could have told Google instead
- Say sorry for the experience, in plain words, without a "but"
- Say what you will do, and by when. A date, not "we will look into it"
- Give a direct way to reach you: your name and your mobile or direct email
Notice what is missing: the explanation of why it was not really your fault. Save that for the phone call, if it is needed at all. In writing it reads as an excuse, however true it is.
Email reply to a complaint
"Hello Mrs Clarke,
Thank you for letting me know, and I am sorry your appointment on Tuesday did not go the way it should have. Waiting forty minutes past your booked time is not what we want for anyone.
I would like to put it right. I will call you tomorrow before 12 to talk it through, or if you would prefer, you can reach me directly on this email.
Thank you again for telling us.
Priya, Owner"
Text reply to a complaint
"Hi Dan, thanks for telling me about the tiles and I am really sorry. That is not the standard we work to. I can come and look at it Thursday morning. Does 9am work? Chris"
A text should do one job: get a time in the diary. Anything longer than a few lines belongs in a call.
On the phone
"Thanks for picking up. I have read your message and I wanted to speak to you myself. Can you talk me through what happened?" Then listen all the way to the end before you say anything about what went wrong on your side.
When the customer is wrong
It happens. Stay calm, and separate the feeling from the facts: "I am sorry you were disappointed. I have checked the booking, and the price we agreed was £180, which is what was charged. I have attached the message where we confirmed it." Be polite, be factual, and do not refund just to make the discomfort stop unless you have decided it is worth it.
When it is already a public review
If the complaint has gone on Google or Facebook, the reply is written as much for the next reader as for the customer. That has its own rules, covered in how to respond to a bad review, with ready wording in review reply templates.
Do complaints slip through in your business?
- Complaints arrive by text, email, Facebook and voicemail, and nobody sees them all
- You find out someone was unhappy from a review, not from them
- A reply was promised and forgotten
- Staff are not sure who should answer
Most complaints that turn into bad reviews started as a message nobody answered. Getting every message into one place is the fix.
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The best complaint reply is the one that goes out within hours. That needs every message from every channel landing in one inbox, with an alert when something new arrives and a reminder if nobody has replied. It is one of the jobs we use GoHighLevel for, together with one place for all your enquiries and a gentle review request once the problem is fixed.
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Common questions
How quickly should I reply to a customer complaint?
The same working day if you can, even if the first reply only says you are looking into it and when you will call. Speed tells the customer they matter before you have fixed anything.
Should I apologise if it was not my fault?
You can say sorry for how they feel or for the experience without admitting fault for every detail. "I am sorry this has been frustrating" is honest and calms most conversations down.
Should I offer a refund straight away?
Not automatically. First find out what they want. Many people only want to be listened to and see the problem fixed. Decide on money once you know the facts.
Is it better to reply by email or phone?
Acknowledge in writing so there is a record, then call for anything serious. Tone is far easier to get right in a conversation than in a long email.