What and why do professional complainers complain and how to communicate with them - expert advice

A satisfied customer is better, a dissatisfied one is more useful. Businessmen know this. Budgetary organizations that carry out income-generating activities should also learn how to work with dissatisfied clients. Because with inept actions, a dissatisfied client can turn from a potentially useful client into a truly dangerous one.

The most important capital of any business is its customers, especially regular ones. To attract new visitors, subscribers, customers, users, funds, strength and skill are required. There is no need to attract a regular client - he is already yours, he will contact you again and again. And this is only half the benefit they bring. A regular client is loyal - in essence, he is a freelance representative of your organization. If he likes the service or product, he can share his impressions with acquaintances and friends. This means that it will attract new customers or buyers, since personal recommendations are the most effective.

A client becomes a regular as a result of long-term relationship building - this is not easy to get. And it only takes one incident to lose. If a person doesn’t like something: rudeness, inattention, lack of professionalism, violation of obligations, etc., he can simply go to competitors. Without scandals and explanations. Only 10% of those who are dissatisfied voice the reason – what exactly they don’t like. Others prefer not to waste time and nerves on the proceedings.

Therefore, a complaint is the very “litmus test” that helps to identify shortcomings in order to correct them in time. And the person who wrote the complaint is an assistant, thanks to whom you can significantly improve the work, which means maintaining and expanding your client base.

What do complainants want?

Some managers believe that by voicing what they didn’t like, people try to eliminate the cause of dissatisfaction. Partly yes, but this desire is secondary. It is not very important to a person that “such a disgrace will not happen again.” Punishing the perpetrators is also not a priority. The main goal is to solve the problem that has arisen. Here and now. Immediately. Compensate for specific rudeness, specific non-compliance, specific misunderstanding and other negativity that manifested itself in relation to a specific client.

If the cause of the complaint is eliminated in the future, good. But it is important that its consequences for the applicant are eliminated in the present: the defective product is replaced with a high-quality one, the service is provided as needed, the agreed work is completed without complaints. So, by filing a complaint, the consumer demands that the specified defect be corrected, but not in general, but specifically in relation to it.

The second reason why people write complaints is... the desire to remain a client and maintain normal relations. A dissatisfied consumer, as it were, gives the organization a chance to prove that the situation is not as bad as it seems to him, that what happened is just an annoying misunderstanding, and in fact it is he, the client, who is valuable and important. The angry petition remained unheeded - which means goodbye, you will have to look for a new place where they love, appreciate and understand. The answer came immediately, it was targeted, detailed and to the point - it means everything is fine, cooperation continues.

There is a third reason for complaint - the offense caused. The consumer reports that the problem that arose caused him moral harm - he did not get what he expected, and perhaps he even had difficulties. For example, a closed buffet spoiled the impression of a performance, poor-quality consultation led to an error in work, a rude tutor discouraged a child from studying. What does an offended person need? Of course, to speak out, and in such a way that he will be listened to. They listened and consoled. Then “the sun will shine brightly again, and the path to your institution will become pleasant and easy.”

How to deal with a complaint?

Work with dissatisfied customers should be built keeping in mind the three components of the motivation for filing a complaint, discussed above.

Many companies operating in competitive markets, where the competition for consumer attention is especially intense, build and approve an algorithm for handling complaints so as not to miss any opportunities and not make a single mistake. They tailor each procedure to the specifics of their activities. But there are also common components that we will consider.

How to complain correctly

To choose which authorities to file a complaint with, it is necessary to assess the nature of the violation and check the provisions of the law. General control over collection activities is carried out by the FSSP.

Based on the results of inspections, bailiffs can:

• revoke the certificate and remove the agency from the register,
• initiate an administrative case,
• impose a significant fine on the collection agency.

There are other departments that are able to stop lawlessness on the part of collectors and protect the interests of citizens and creditors.

Where to file a complaint

Bailiffs accept complaints about any violations related to the work of collectors. The FSSP reports violations by agencies that are and are not on the register, too frequent letters, night calls, extortion and other illegal actions. A complaint can be submitted in person, by mail or online.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the FSSP organized the reception of documents through special boxes installed in front of the entrance to the building.

In addition, the debtor has the right to complain to the following departments:

• the prosecutor's office
  is a supervisory body that considers appeals for any violations of the law. For example, file a complaint with the prosecutor if the bailiffs refused to check the work of the collectors;
• financial ombudsman
  - specialists of this service are authorized to resolve any disputes related to the financial obligations of citizens;
• in the Ministry of Internal Affairs
  - if the actions of debt collectors contain signs of a criminal offense;
• to Roskomnadzor
  - if the collection agency violates the rules of calls and sending SMS, posts the defaulter’s personal data on the Internet, informs colleagues and neighbors about the debt;
• to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation
  - if the violation was committed by a bank or microfinance organization.

Report the collector's actions to the head of the organization at the central office. It also helps to contact SRO NAPKA if the collection agency is part of it.

It is not prohibited to contact several departments at once. For example, if a collector calls, stands guard at the entrance, meetings are accompanied by threats, notify the police, file a complaint with the FSSP and NAPCA.

If you find it difficult to choose an authority to appeal, consult our lawyers.

Finding out the reason for the dissatisfaction - what exactly they are complaining about.

Not every person can clearly and clearly indicate what specifically does not suit him. It should be remembered that a petition is usually drawn up immediately after an incident, when it is difficult to objectively assess the situation due to a flurry of negative emotions. Let's look at a typical case. A visitor to the clinic filed a complaint about the rudeness of an employee issuing sick leave certificates. But the real problem lies in the “backstory”: in the 30-minute queue at the reception desk, where the computer constantly froze, in the hour-long wait for an appointment with the doctor (since this specialist was on his first day back from vacation). Before the man began to receive a certificate of incapacity for work, the employee left her office for a few minutes to take work documents. Upon her return, she was presented with rude complaints, which caused an appropriate reaction. The result is a complaint about improper treatment. However, we see that in this case the person was dissatisfied with the work of the entire clinic, and the conflict with the employee simply overwhelmed his patience. In fact, the visitor “craves satisfaction,” but not because of the conflict that has arisen, but because of the entire poor organization of the work of the medical institution.

Therefore, before sending a response to a complaint, it is always very important to clarify the situation that caused it to be written. This can be done by contacting the dissatisfied customer and asking additional questions.

Which bodies are responsible for accepting written complaints?

The most reliable and faithful defender of consumer rights is Rospotrebnadzor. If the issue is the introduction of a restriction on early loan repayment, then it is necessary to file a complaint against the bank with Rospotrebnadzor. Registration of refund of loan commission (if it was established illegally, but paid on time); a complaint about the transfer of a debt to a collector without client notification - all these are issues that are dealt with by Russian consumer supervision.

The Bank of Russia has developed a simple website. With its help, any client whose rights have been infringed can complain about the organization to the Central Bank (for example, if bank employees refuse to provide the client with the necessary information).

There are often cases when a banking organization, wanting to attract more clients, conducts advertising campaigns. Thus, future consumers in this area are misled (they count on low interest rates on loans, but in the end the conditions for receiving them are inconvenient for the client). And a reasonable question arises: where can you complain about the bank?

Another guardian of order in the financial sector is the Federal Antimonopoly Service. The FAS is responsible for accepting complaints about banking actions in the event that a bank misleads customers - it uses advertising for this or imposes compulsory insurance on a specific company cooperating with a banking organization.

Before you seek justice and restore violated rights, you need to clearly decide to go to the end, because the bank is rude to not only one client, so it is necessary to eradicate it.

Gratitude: thank you for being with us.

A person expressing dissatisfaction spends his time, nerves and energy in order to identify an existing shortcoming. He shows concern. He is on your side, telling you what can be improved. So he deserves gratitude. The client has not ceased to be yours, despite the misunderstanding. It gives you a chance to prove that you are better, to “resolve” the situation - and this is the second reason for expressing gratitude.

There is a third reason to say “thank you” - the complainant clarifies the situation not in a higher authority, but, as they say, “on the spot.” This means that his goal is not to punish you, but to make a reprimand.

Therefore, the response to any complaint should contain gratitude: “Thank you for informing us about what happened in a timely manner. Thanks to such requests, “Organization Name” has the opportunity to adjust its work and make the service more convenient for our clients.”

An apology is sincere and specific.

There are unfounded complaints. But there are fewer of them than are justified. The client is dissatisfied with the product, work or service, which may be why he has problems, and therefore the contractor or seller should apologize for his mistakes. This is a rule of good manners and building partnerships based on mutual respect.

But remember that the apology must contain an indication of the specific reason for the dissatisfaction: poor quality of service, lack of goods, failure to complete the work on time, etc. Then the client will understand that this is not a simple reply, that he was heard and understood correctly.

For whom the complaint book was canceled

It is worth noting that the new trade rules eliminated the obligation to have a book of complaints (or a book of reviews and suggestions) only for retail trade organizations, that is, online stores and in-store stores.

If you have a restaurant, hairdresser, dry cleaner, travel agency or other service-related business, you should still have a book of reviews and suggestions. A book of reviews and suggestions is mandatory for organizations that work with consumers.

There are no special instructions for maintaining a book of complaints - the main thing is that it is available and issued to the consumer upon request. There are no requirements for the form either - you can buy a book of complaints at a stationery store or use a simple notebook. Usually the book is placed in the consumer's corner.

If there is no book of complaints, the business may be fined under Art. 14.4 Code of Administrative Offences:

• Individual entrepreneur - in the amount of 10,000 to 30,000 rubles;
• LLC - in the amount from 20,000 to 50,000 rubles.

You need to respond to entries in the complaint book depending on the actual contents. If it’s just a review of your work, a thank you, or a suggestion for business development, you don’t have to respond. To protect against possible claims and proceedings of inspection bodies, companies review the book daily and leave a small answer there. Something like “Thank you, accepted, we will consider and take into account.”

It is more difficult if the book contains a complaint with consumer demands - such an entry may be recognized by the inspection authorities or the court as a claim. For example, this could be a requirement to return money for damaged goods or to have equipment repaired. Such a record is a legally significant statement by the consumer. If you do not respond within the time limit established by law, the company may be fined.

Solutions are available to choose from.

Often, a conflict situation is smoothed out with proper apologies. But it happens that the problem requires certain actions by the seller or contractor, especially when it comes to the quality of goods, services, or work. The algorithm of actions for this case is specified in paragraph 1 of Art. 18 and paragraph 1 of Art. 29 of the Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights[1], however, these actions are not always carried out. But the law offers several options for solving the problem, as if suggesting “ways” to maintain good relations: free elimination of shortcomings, a corresponding reduction in price, compensation for expenses incurred, etc.

If you offer the client a choice of several options for resolving a conflict situation, this will only benefit the further strengthening of “relationships of friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation.”

General rules and requirements

To begin with, we note that the control (supervisory) body is obliged to post and keep up to date on its official website, among other things, information about the procedure for pre-trial appeal of its decisions, actions (inaction) of officials (Part 3 of Article 46 of Law No. 248-FZ) .

How to file a complaint

According to Art. 40 of Law No. 248-FZ, a complaint is submitted to the body authorized to consider it electronically through the State Services website or a similar regional portal.

But if the complaint contains information and documents that constitute state or other secrets protected by law, it is submitted not through the specified sites, but in the manner established by the regulations on the type of control.

An authorized representative of a controlled person can file a complaint if this right is delegated to him using the Federal State Information System “Unified System of Identification and Authentication” (FSIS ESIA).

What kind of electronic signature is needed?

Deadline for filing a complaint

The deadline for filing a complaint may vary:

If the deadline is missed for a good reason, it can be reinstated. To do this, you must submit a corresponding petition.

Withdrawing a complaint

Before a decision is made on the complaint, it can be withdrawn. But then it is no longer possible to re-apply on the same grounds.

Suspension of a controversial decision

The complaint may contain a request to suspend the execution of the appealed decision. Then, within 2 working days from the date of registration of the complaint, one of the decisions will be made:

• on suspension of execution of the appealed decision;
• about refusing this.

The person who filed the complaint will be informed about this within 1 business day from the moment the decision is made.

Bonus is a source of loyalty.

We already know that the person making the complaint “lives” with resentment. He has suffered moral damage, and a bonus will help smooth out the situation: dessert at the establishment’s expense, a small souvenir (for example, a mug or flash drive), a discount on a subsequent order, a free option, an extension of the service period. Perhaps he already has both a mug and a flash drive, but... the sign of attention is pleasant. Therefore it is especially valuable. Businessmen have long understood that compensation is an inexpensive but excellent way to turn an angry customer into a loyal one. So a well-thought-out bonus system is very effective.

Check: no complaints about the work with a complaint?

The final stage of handling a complaint is very important, but many people forget about it. After the conflict has been formally resolved (a response to the complaint has been sent, shortcomings and shortcomings have been eliminated), it is necessary to obtain feedback from the client. This is especially true if the authority to handle the complaint has been delegated to one of the employees. It is important to find out whether the consumer is satisfied with the solution to his problem, and also to thank him again for his timely request and express hope for further cooperation. Then the person will have no doubt that you value him as a client.

Contact by mail or on social networks - a complaint or not?

The pre-trial claim is included in the so-called legally significant communications that the company must take into account in its activities.

In paragraph 65 of the Resolution of the Plenum of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation dated June 23, 2015 No. 25, there is an explanation: unless otherwise established by law or a direct prohibition in the agreement between the parties, then a legally significant message can be sent, including by e-mail or other type of communication, when it is possible to reliably establish who the message came from and to whom it was addressed.

Simply put, if the contract does not directly prohibit the use of email, SMS services or instant messengers, but the company has such contacts and they are openly published, for example, on the official website, the consumer can file a pre-trial claim against them. Failure to respond may result in a fine.

We do not plan to remove the complaint book from the consumer corner.
True, clients themselves very rarely leave their suggestions in it. They actively use other tools: they fill out a feedback form on the website in their personal account, go into online chat or call the company’s contact center. We also analyze incoming information from external sources: social networks, sites with reviews, opinions of users of services with maps in Yandex and Google.

Tatiana Belskaya

Deputy Director of the Customer Service Department of Baikal-Service TK LLC

Mistakes that are costly.

There are three most common mistakes when dealing with complaints. Let's sort them out.

Delay in processing the complaint.

Some people believe that over time the resentment will pass and the conflict will “resolve” on its own, and therefore is in no hurry to respond to the appeal of a dissatisfied consumer. This is mistake. Of course, the client will not think day and night about how disgustingly he was served, hatching a plan for revenge. However, when he again needs a certain service or when he wants to purchase a certain product, the first thing he will feel when he remembers your establishment will be negative. Most likely, he will no longer want to contact you - fortunately, he has a choice.

And while waiting for an answer, he will share his bitter experience both orally and in writing - on the Internet. When feelings are fresh, it is very important to express them and receive a response. Since there is no response from the seller or performer, it will come from other people. They will listen to him and sympathize with him, secretly learning the name of the organization that was at fault - stories about the ordeals of consumers are very popular. And now... what's going on there? Yes, this is the reputation of the institution!

Another scenario is also not in your favor. Without waiting for an answer, the offended client will contact the controlling organization, and then there will be no way to get away with an apology.

Rude behavior.

Scenario “Look at yourself!” unacceptable when dealing with complaints. What do you need: to let off steam or resolve a conflict situation? It is human nature to make mistakes. And even if, for example, he adamantly demands to sign up for an ECG, “because you said that you have to come today,” having confused the abbreviation with FGDS, you should not be rude to him, pointing out the mistake. A calm explanation will be more effective - the brawler will feel ashamed and from now on, most likely, he will be politeness itself.

It's hard to be polite to everyone. But if a person loves his job, then he loves his clients. This is especially true for employees working in the service sector and in direct contact with visitors. You can have countless conversations with staff on the topic: “Customers are our everything, your salary depends on them,” but if people see that the money is going mainly to improve the financial situation of management, irritation will accumulate in them. It is not difficult to guess who this irritation will subsequently spill over. Remember the modern folk wisdom: “What should a specialist do for such a small salary? Nothing. And do a little harm." And no training, no debriefing will help. If an employee does not feel valued and cared for, he will not value or care for those who are even temporarily dependent on him. The behavior model is copied.

Is it possible to make polite service mandatory? Theoretically yes. But this will only be a formality - rudeness will be replaced by indifference. What is worse is unknown.

Justification as an evasion of responsibility.

An excuse is not just an attempt to shift responsibility, it is also a complaint in response to a complaint. Can a self-respecting organization complain to its clients and educate them about its problems? No! You can’t make excuses, even if you really want to. The consumer is not interested in “frozen computers”, “vacation schedule”, “workload of a specialist”, etc. - the result is important to him. He is not a crying vest. He came to receive a product or service, but he has enough problems of his own. Therefore, the message: “Sorry, please, that you had to wait so long in line - our computer froze and we could not work quickly,” will not suit him. “The computer must be repaired on time, and if it is broken, connect a backup one,” the client will think and will be right in his own way.

Information about the causes of the problem may be present in the response to the complaint, but not as an excuse (the computer did not work well, and we could not do anything about it), but as an explanation (the computer did not work well, it was replaced, it works well).

Who has the right to conduct unscheduled inspections

Tax office

Emblem of the Federal Tax Service of Russia

It is unlikely that a client will complain that you are evading taxes. But the fact that they didn’t give him a cashier’s check or didn’t send him an electronic copy is quite enough. In this case, tax authorities may well initiate an unscheduled audit . What if you work without an online cash register or use it incorrectly?

Rospotrebnadzor

Rospotrebnadzor - emblem

Checks compliance with consumer rights. Rospotrebnadzor has the broadest powers. They can check the quality of goods and services, the work of sellers, the condition of premises (retail outlets, warehouses and delivery points), equipment and much more. But don’t forget: the subject of the inspection must directly relate to the essence of the buyer’s complaint.

Prosecutor's office

Emblem of the Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation

The prosecutor's office has the broadest powers - they can check anything at all . In the law, the powers of the prosecutor are formulated approximately as follows: the functions of the prosecutor’s office are monitoring compliance with laws, including in relation to legal entities and individual entrepreneurs. Cool, really. That is, purely theoretically, a client can write a complaint to the prosecutor’s office for any reason.

But that doesn't usually happen. Buyers go to the prosecutor's office only when other authorities are inactive or find nothing. For example, a person complained to the police, and in response - silence. He went to Rospotrebnadzor - also zero emotions. Then the client, with a high degree of probability, will go to the prosecutor's office. There he will write a complaint both against you and against the inactive regulatory authorities.

Police

Russian police emblem

The police are checking you for illegal activities. They have the right to conduct test purchases, including jointly with other regulatory authorities. Police checks are lax towards online stores. But sometimes they do. If trucks are constantly approaching your warehouse, and even on the sidewalk, residents of nearby houses may well turn to the police.

The managers threw a party in the office and made noise after 23:00 - you can also expect a visit from the police.

Department for Combating Economic Crimes of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation

Emblem of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia

These check economic crimes. This is usually an illegal business activity. If a client suspects that you are working without permits or are evading taxes, he will report this to the Department of Economic Crimes. OBEP can work either independently or in conjunction with the Federal Tax Service.

Roskomnadzor

Roskomnadzor - emblem

But this body is directly related to the operation of the online store. The truth is not in terms of doing business and quality of customer service. It checks compliance with laws in the field of communications and communications. To simplify, Roskomnadzor makes sure that you do not post prohibited content on your resources . This is a very broad concept that includes a bunch of points. You cannot violate copyrights, incite ethnic hatred, promote drugs, pedophilia, and that’s all.

If a client saw something on the wall of your VKontakte group that seemed offensive to him, he may well file a complaint with the RKN. And they are obliged to react. In the best case, they will contact you and demand that you remove prohibited content; in the worst case, they will block the page. True, with rare exceptions, only by court decision.

Inspections of the Ministry of Emergency Situations

Emblem of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia

Firefighters rarely check online stores, especially based on customer complaints. It is unlikely that a customer would think of complaining about the lack of a fire alarm in your store. But in exceptional cases this is very possible. Maybe someone just wants to annoy you, but there is nothing to cling to. And the machinations of competitors cannot be completely ruled out.

In general, firefighters check compliance with fire safety. Depending on the purpose, retail, office and warehouse premises are subject to a number of fire requirements. Sit in your apartment and trade directly from there - there is nothing to worry about. If you rent premises, you are required to install an alarm system, buy fire extinguishers and train staff.

Organization of work with personnel.

Not every person is able to adequately respond to manifestations of dissatisfaction, especially if this manifestation is expressed in a rude form and is not always addressed. Therefore, organizations that value customers teach staff to work with complaints correctly - that is, without aggravating the conflict. The work is carried out in two directions - preventing conflict situations and analyzing them in order to eliminate them.

It is ideal that work with consumers proceeds “without a hitch.” However, many duties are quite complex and it is not always possible to perform them solely “according to the regulations.” In this case, measures to prevent conflict situations are effective.

It is necessary to identify the “weak link” in a particular procedure and develop an algorithm for action in the event that something goes wrong. For example, for reasons depending on the supplier, the production time for the ordered goods may be missed. In this situation, you can either increase the production time, taking into account the “delivery error”, or find a more responsible partner, or warn the client in advance about a possible problem and apologize. But it’s not worth presenting the customer with a fait accompli by blaming “bad guys” - as we said, such excuses are not accepted.

Often, personal factors are added to the production factors that cause conflict. How often do employees complain about customer behavior that is inappropriate from their point of view! So, in the example discussed above, an employee of the clinic, who went out for a short time on a work issue, received an undeserved remark from an angry visitor - the woman fulfilled her duties conscientiously. But even in this case, she, as a representative of a medical institution, did not have the right to respond to rudeness with rudeness, since, as we have already said, a rude response only aggravates the situation.

To prevent rudeness towards customers, many companies use so-called secret shoppers - they send supposedly conflicting customers who deliberately provoke employees and evaluate their response. The next stage in developing “stress resistance” is working with trainers who develop the skills of “correct behavior” among staff. Of course, such methods are too expensive for public sector employees. However, a manager can create patterns of some common conflicts and work to resolve them. Let's say someone is dissatisfied with the absence of a specialist at the workplace - a polite address, an apology, and, if necessary, an explanation will help solve the problem, but in no case should you argue. You can even rehearse the situation by asking two employees to pretend to be a client and an employee, and the rest to suggest possible ways to resolve the conflict.

The manager should also remember that a quick solution to a problem is often hampered by the lack of the necessary authority on the part of the employee. Let's say a client is dissatisfied with the quality of the service provided. The administrator could mitigate the conflict by signing up the visitor to receive this service again immediately, but he does not have the right to do this without the consent of his boss, who is on vacation. Expanding the competencies of workers directly related to service could significantly reduce the number of complaints.

Where to complain about the manager

Before filing a complaint, you need to decide who to file it with.

Be very careful about the addressee of the complaint. This could be the head of a department, the head of an organization, or a supervisory body. The correct choice of the addressee is the key to the promptness of consideration of the complaint and the quality of its consideration.

Don’t forget about the “ladder” principle - complaining one by one from a lower-ranking official to a higher-ranking one. You should not immediately complain to the governor or president. It would be most effective to write a complaint in the following order:

Each situation is individual - do not hesitate to ask questions:

1. in comments;
2. in the online consultant window at the bottom of the page ↘️
3. in the form at the bottom of the page.

• immediate supervisor (manager);
• head of the organization (director);
• supervisory (control) body or service;
• prosecutor's office

We offer our sample complaint, in which we tried to take into account all typical situations. You can correct and supplement the specified sample - the complaint does not have a mandatory prescribed form.

The information contained in this article does not apply to relations related to the protection of consumer rights.

Before writing and filing a complaint against a manager, we recommend that you:

• receive free legal advice on civil rights, which will save your time;
• read the following materials on our resource: how to write a complaint correctly and how to submit a complaint correctly.