Handling written complaints
Course summary
This Handling written complaints course introduces the key skills of communicating clearly, concisely and confidently in writing – by letter, email and social media.
Participants will learn why people complain, and how to turn a complaint into a positive customer experience. They will understand how to prevent a complaint escalating by demonstrating empathy, and how to achieve a friendly, professional tone. They will also learn how to analyse, plan and structure an appropriate response.
This complaints handling course is packed with practical, insider tips and case studies from the customer service industry.
Course dates and location
All our training courses are being delivered virtually. The webinar systems used do not require software download.
Please note: we allow a maximum of three people per organisation on our Individual training courses.
Our next available course dates for individuals are:
- 7 May, 2024
We can deliver this course virtually for your organisation, on a date and time that suits you. If you have four or more people who would like to attend this course then group training could be the most cost-effective option. Contact one of our Training Coordinators on 020 7490 3030 or email for more information and a quote.
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Course outline
The course will cover:
- what creates a good customer experience
- why customer service matters
- how to turn a complaint into a good customer service experience
- writing style and language
- getting the right style and tone
- how to write clearly and concisely
- getting rid of jargon
- the importance of layout and presentation
- analysing a complaint
- identifying different types of complaint and complainant
- choosing and planning an appropriate response
- responding by letter
- conventions for greetings, sign-offs, layout and punctuation
- structures for accepting or rejecting a complaint
- demonstrating empathy and polite assertiveness
- phrases to avoid
- responding by email
- the differences between letters and emails in layout, tone and style
- the most common email pitfalls and how to avoid them
- responding to social media complaints
- trends in complaints on Facebook and Twitter
- guidelines for handling complaints on social media
- checking your work
- the importance of accuracy
- tools and techniques for editing and proofreading
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- what creates a good customer experience
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Who is this course for?
Our Handling written complaints course is suitable for learners with a range of experience – from novices to experienced customer service employees looking to refresh their skills.
It is a highly practical and interactive course with plenty of opportunity for delegates to practise their new skills.
The Centre works with people from all sectors including the public sector, voluntary sector, corporate sector and private sector. -
What will this course help me do: learning outcomes?
At the end of this complaints handling course you will:
- know what promotes a good customer service experience after a complaint
- apply industry best practices in responding to customer complaints by letter, email and social media
- analyse a complaint and structure an appropriate response, addressing every point
- avoid misunderstandings, and therefore rework, through appropriate language, style and tone
- present the response clearly and concisely in a way that is easy to read and understand
- use little-known writers tools and techniques to check your work
- know how to handle different types of complaint and use tactics to prevent escalation
- have an action plan to develop your complaint handling skills
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Other courses to consider
Other courses you may be interested in include Influencing skills and Customer care and telephone skills. We also have a range of Communication and Writing skills courses that complement this course.
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Course fee
- £522 plus VAT not-for-profit price (applies to charities and all other not-for-profit organisations, including public sector and housing)
- £589 plus VAT standard price (applies to all other organisations)
