Oxford Learning Institute
University of Oxford
Responding to complaints
Complaints may be received in person, by telephone, by email or by letter. This document
gives some principles that should be borne in mind when responding to complaints, however
they were made.
1. Check whether your college or department has a policy for dealing with complaints – it
might specify who should respond and/or a response time.
2. Check any departmental policy or standards relevant to the complaint (such as service
level agreements) – sometimes complaints are not based on reasonable expectations.
3. It is essential to respond to all complaints with sympathy and understanding, regardless
of the appropriateness of the complaint or the decision about remedial action.
Remember that the person who has made the complaint is another human being who
deserves respect. Focus on issues and solutions, not personalities or emotions.
4. Always demonstrate a willingness to understand a customer's feelings and situation,
whether or not you actually agree with their stand-point. This will go a long way towards
soothing anger and disappointment, even if you are unable to provide a response which
fully meets their expectations or their initial demands.
a. Use phrases like, "I understand that must be very upsetting for you," rather than
"Yes, I agree, you've been badly treated." Remember that you can understand
without necessarily agreeing with the point
b. Try to make contact by phone, even if you are sending a written response – this
is often more reliable and effective when trying to diffuse conflict and rebuild trust.
5. Before sending your response
a. check again that it reflects relevant policy (see 1 and 2)
b. read it back to yourself and ask "What would I think if I received this? How would
I feel?" If your answers are less than positive you should re-write the letter
6. Finally, remember that positive things can arise from complaints:
a. when a complaint is dealt with properly, it often makes the person who
complained a much stronger ally than they were before the incident that gave rise
to the complaint
b. a complaint often identifies a weakness in procedure and thus offers an
opportunity to improve
See overleaf for a simple template for a response to a complaint. It should be used as a
guide and altered to suit the situation.