Complaints: Customer or Outside Agents
We are very fortunate that this is not a big part of our job. We get outside agent complaints maybe every other month and client complaints 2-3 times/year (at most). This is because of our high standards and great agents. However, we will have to deal with this from time to time.
Outside Agent Complaints
- Collect as much information as you can ahead of time. Often, an agent will email or text with a vague complaint. Ask them for details via email or text and then schedule a call. Never try to resolve the complaint over text or email.
- On the call, your goal is to neutralize the complaint as quickly as possible. We don't train outside agents. Always start the call by listening. If you disagree with the OA, simply tell them you disagree and wish them the best. If our agent is at fault in any way, apologize for our agent. You've met your goal when the OA is somewhat calm.
- Is this severe enough to talk with our agent?
- The answer is usually "no". Even if our agent is at fault - they were short or not communicating well in some other way - this is not a teachable moment. Our agent will get defensive because a complaint was lodged against them.
- Sometimes, our agent acted in a way that warrants a discussion. If you think that is the case, first bounce everything off the ASM team. After that, strategize what you plan to discuss with them and keep it as brief as possible. Be aware that they will be defensive and plan accordingly.
Customer Complaints
These are even more infrequent than OA complaints, which is great (maybe 2-3 per year at most.) You must handle these more delicately than OA complaints because they are much higher consequence.
1) First and most importantly: Are we in the wrong?
Call our agent and listen. Find out exactly what happened. Consult with the ASM team. Are we in the wrong? Sometimes we're 100% in the right. Usually, we're in the right, but we could have done things a little better. Rarely, we're mostly in the wrong.
2) Do we have any legal liability?
Our legal liability is generally pretty low. We carry E&O with a $5000 deductible, so that's usually the extent of our liability. Our ICA says our agent will pay any deductible. So, the question is really, "If this person talks with a decent attorney, will that attorney advise them to sue?" The answer is usually "no". We can do nothing about a bad attorney and/or crazy client - you can sue anyone for anything, which is a cost of doing business.
3) Do we have liability if they file a TREC or TAR complaint?
This is much higher, but the consequences are lower. Figure out how it would play out if they file a complaint here.
4) Do we have a reputational liability?
Use
Warren Buffett's newspaper test to figure this one out. Don't worry about a bad review. If we pass the Buffett Newspaper Test, we're completely fine.
5) After you've done everything here, call the client. Listen.
And listen. And listen. Listen as long as you need to for them to get everything out.
When they're done, explain our side. If we were in the right, explain to them why we wouldn't do anything differently in the future (in as nice a way as possible). If we were in the wrong, explain what we should have done differently and what we're doing to correct things. Above all else, show that we care.
6) After this, call the agent to de-brief.
Chat about everything. Show them we're on their side. Is anything here teachable? If so, make sure and take advantage of it.
Lean on the ASM Team to navigate through this