Managing Consumer Complaints

This practice- and research-based book caters to the needs of executive managers who see customer satisfaction as their primary goal. The authors identify the need for an effective complaint management strategy that prevents the loss of dissatisfied customers. Dissatisfied customers are at risk of migrating; accordingly, neglecting professional complaint management poses a considerable threat to customer relationships, sales and profits. The book offers a comprehensive management concept, which emphasizes direct contact with the complainant by employing complaint stimulation, acceptance, processing and reaction. Further, it discusses the relevant ‘backstage’ tasks involved in using complaint information to achieve quality improvements and cost reductions through complaint analysis, controlling and reporting.

This book investigates customer perceptions and expectations of complaint channels. In addition to the conventional channels, the adequacy of online social networks as new complaint channel is analysed. The managerial recommendations to improve customer satisfaction are based on a survey and reveal critical determinants of customer channel choice and their expectation and perception of each complaint channel.

Across the global economy, customers' expectations are continually rising - but many companies fail to deliver against those expectations. With the rise in social media, customers are becoming more vocal in expressing any dissatisfaction, which can both lose existing customers and alienate potential new ones. Complaint Management Excellence provides practical advice, tools and techniques for managers to adopt when managing any complaints that come into their organisation. In order to arrive at a culture where complaints are welcomed, the underlying values, processes, structure, strategy and people within an organization all need to be aligned with, and respect, customer needs. Not only does this improve the long-terms prospects for the company itself, but can have a tremendous knock-on effect in terms of boosting employee morale and engagement. With case studies from companies as diverse as John Lewis, Waitrose, DHL, Hilton Hotels, the Starwood group (including Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton hotels) and BT, Complaint Management Excellence explains what customers are really looking for when they make a complaint, how to avoid conflict and how managers can lead culture change to ensure the best experience for all customers and clients.

Consumer complaints in the Internet forum have posed as a big threat for companies. However, little attention has been given to this issue so far. The users in the Internet forum can be categorized into three groups: complainers, repliers to the messages, and observers who only read the complaints or replies. This study explores how a company's response to complaints online affects the evaluation of the company by the observers, who are major users of the Internet forum. More specifically, this study examines how a company can select a response strategy to protect its reputation according to the context of the complaint. Psychology and Communication on the Internet Content Analysis of Web site Conceptual Model and Hypotheses Study 1 Study 2 Managerial Implications and Recommendations