Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by Carina Claassens in June 2013. It has been rewritten and reworked with more current and up to date information.

Complaints are a given if you run a business, but where most companies are mistaken, is they think that complaints looks bad on your blog or website, but the truth is – your company can gain tremendous credibility if these complaints are handled and responded to with speed, grace and integrity.

We live in an era of transparency where everyone and everything is connected. You can do your best to put up a glorious façade but ultimately, once you land up on a complaint forum or social media platforms, the stamp is most often permanent.

Dealing with complaints
Most reasonable people understand that it is human nature to make mistakes and that nobody can be expected to work like robots. When you handle your mistakes well, you’ll be forgiven faster than you can say “Hello Peter”.  A few crucial points to keep in mind when handling complaints are:

• Always respond quickly - Never leave a complaint unanswered, as this does more damage than the complaint itself. Respond in a professional and patient matter, and whatever you do, don’t become passive aggressive or take it personally.
• Be apologetic without necessarily admitting blame - For instance, use sentences like “We are sorry to hear you had a bad experience” This is still apologetic, but it does not shine a spotlight on your company's mistake.
• Do not blame other employees within the company - This makes the company appear weak and unprofessional. You are supposed to be a team even in the worst of circumstances.
• Contact your unhappy customer personally – Instead of dragging the complaint out on a social media platform, rather ask the client for their details so you can personally resolve the issue with them.
• Have a solution – Always come up with a proper solution. Sometimes just rectifying the problem is not enough. Prepare to be generous in certain cases to get the customer on your side again.

Poorly handled complaints put your company on a slippery slope to destroying its reputation. Without credibility and trust you have nothing. If your clients do not feel like they are being listened to, they’ll take their business elsewhere. There is simply no point to dealing with customer complaints in secret. If you show clients that you have a head-on approach to problem solving they will feel more comfortable dealing with your company, because they value integrity.

Many times when a complaint goes unanswered, customers might take matters into their own hands and slam your company for all that its worth. Not too long ago there was the case of the disgruntled Cell C customer that went to extremes to express his dissatisfaction with the bad service he received by putting up a billboard worth R61 000 on the wall of the WorldWear Mall along the busy Beyers Naude Drive.

Those dreaded criticising comments on a blog or website can lead people to believe that there is a certain truth to all the comments on the site. That is ok, don’t be afraid to show a realistic and balanced view of your company. No company, product or service is perfect.

Why the truth is powerful
Being painfully truthful is one of the most overlooked yet most powerful marketing tools available today. Truthfulness can quickly set you apart from the rest, as it leads to credibility, and in an era in which most people exaggerate and embellish, it leads to responses and interaction, which is not always a bad thing.

The truth causes a company to act more responsible, handle complaints quicker and more efficiently as it can all be exposed in a flash.  As such, its service improves because of fear for being ridiculed online. The truth also helps companies understands its customers or clients better and make them aware of any needed improvements within the company.

Lorraine Coetzee is a Digital Media Project Manager for Sound Idea Digital | Lorraine@soundidea.co.za | @lorraine101 | Sound Idea Digital | www.soundidea.co.za