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Description

Customer Complaints: Investigating the Case, Responding and Retaining the Complainant

Turning a complaint into a source of improvement rather than a file to close as quickly as possible

  • 2 days — 14 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Intermediate
  • Up to 6 participants

A poorly handled complaint costs more than the original problem. The acknowledgement is late, the reply copies a template that does not address the case, the goodwill gesture goes to whoever pushes hardest, and nothing is fed back to the departments where the defect originated. The same cause then reappears in next month's correspondence.

Two days focused on the complaint file and on written responses: qualifying the cause, investigating with the departments concerned, drafting a reply that acknowledges the facts, justifying a refusal, framing goodwill gestures and using recurring causes to feed an improvement plan.

Learning objectives

  • Qualify a complaint and assess what is at stake for the customer and for the organisation
  • Investigate a case by gathering the facts from the departments concerned
  • Draft a written reply that acknowledges the facts and sets out the decision
  • Justify a refusal in terms the complainant can understand
  • Frame goodwill gestures according to shared rules
  • Use complaint causes to feed a continuous improvement plan

What makes this programme different

Real written replies are rewritten and then compared during the session
A qualification grid and a goodwill gesture scale are built by the group
The internal investigation workflow is mapped out to identify bottlenecks

Programme

1The complaint as a signal

What a customer who complains is telling you

  • Distinguishing between dissatisfaction, complaint and dispute
  • Effects of silence and of complaints that are never voiced
  • What complainants expect in terms of acknowledgement and redress
  • Acknowledgement of receipt and the response time announced

2Investigating the case

Establishing the facts before replying

  • Qualifying the cause and the level of severity
  • Gathering evidence from the departments concerned
  • Analysing responsibilities and the room for decision
  • Keeping the customer informed during the investigation

3Drafting and delivering the response

A written decision that can be understood

  • Structure of a response letter or email
  • Acknowledging the facts without conceding excessive liability
  • Wording a reasoned refusal
  • Delivering an unfavourable decision verbally and responding to follow-up contacts

4Goodwill gestures and continuous improvement

Moving beyond case-by-case decisions

  • Rules for granting a gesture and inconsistencies to avoid
  • Handling repeat complaints and unreasonable demands
  • Analysing recurring causes and feeding them back to departments
  • Following up the corrective actions decided

Who is it for

Complaint handlers, quality and customer service managers, contact centre team leaders and anyone drafting written responses to customers or service users.

Prerequisites

Handling customer or service-user complaints as part of your role.

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.