Soft skills training is essential for anyone who deals with customer complaints. There are a number of basic points which are worth including in regular briefings for customer service staff. Here are some of them.

Don’t take complaints personally. However angry the customer is getting, remember that it is not you that they are angry with. That said, there are limits to what you should be expected to put up with. If the customer oversteps the mark by, for example, using four letter words, you should explain that that language is not appropriate and you will discontinue the call if it is repeated. Do not match the person’s anger or raise your voice.

Never lie. This might seem a very obvious thing to say but it is often tempting to tell a ‘white lie’. However any untruth will inevitably gather momentum and cause difficulties further down the line.

Don’t feel that you can’t ask for help. It may be true that your specific and only job is to deal with customer complaints. However, make the most of all the resources available to you. It’s an opportunity to further your own personal development whilst broadening your knowledge of the organisation as a whole and learning more about your colleagues.