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.

KR, Brighton & Hove CCG

“The course completely met all my objectives and more. Excellent training and I now feel more confident to be able to tackle complaints in the right way.”

Course dates and location

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.

Our next available course dates for individuals are:

16 July 2024

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

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.

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

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.

£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)

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16 July 2024

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Standard price: £589 VAT: £117.80; TOTAL: £706.80 ‘Not-for-profit’ price: £522 VAT: £104.40; TOTAL: £626.40

We have a two-tier pricing structure, offering discounted rates to charities and not-for-profit organisations: Not-for-profit price applies to charities and other not-for-profit organisations (including public sector and housing) Standard price applies to all other organisations

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