While it is an impossible task to completely prevent client complaints, there are some ways to help reduce them. They include:

· Responding promptly to all complaints, even if they can’t be corrected immediately

· Correcting the problem within 24 hours

· Acknowledging every complaint, even minor ones

· Being compassionate

· Always keeping a friendly and positive demeanor

Keep the customer in the loop

Jim Thompson, owner of A-1 Building Services, LLC, Portage, MI, utilizes a system for handling complaints that incorporates the customer in the correction process:

· A manager is sent to meet with the customer within two hours a complaint

· The manager listens and apologizes, even if the complaint isn’t legitimate

· The manager and customer then do a walk-through, so the problem can be pointed out

· The manager writes up a report and the customer signs it

· The report is forwarded to the manager in charge of the building, who verifies the problem was corrected and signs off on it

· The next day the manager returns to the customer, shows them the problem was corrected and signs off on the complaint.

His original system left the customer out of the loop. By dealing with the customers in person, Thompson has noticed two advantages:

· It reduces the amount of calls and complaints down the road because the person sees that someone is attentive

· It prevents a customer from calling about every minor problem because they are aware of how involved the system is.

Anticipation is key

It’s important to anticipate customer’s concerns and train personnel to deal with them before the problem festers, said Jim Harris, Sr., president of Janitronics Building Services, Albany, NY.

This works extremely well for Darlene Knight, custodial service coordinator for the Oregon Department of Corrections, whose customers “never” complain.

“The key is to understand your customers and be clearly understood,” she said.

Preventative maintenance can include:

· Staff training on self-inspections and working with an eye for detail

· A rating system to rate quality assurance — a quality-rating scorecard should assess appearance levels on a scale of 1-10

· Courtesy visits

· Frequent inspections of the building or facility

· Customer questionnaires

“In an organization that initiates customer relations in a proactive way, complaints are rare,” said Harris.