1. Real Estate Journal September 2015 25
FEATURE
BY RENEE ANESTIS
No one likes dealing with difficult clients. Here’s how you can handle
complaints as gracefully and successfully as possible
7 steps to handling complaints
Real estate is a customer focused industry
and agents take pride in the services they
provide for their clients. But let’s be honest,
no matter how good you are at your job
or how much care you take when dealing
with clients, at some point you are bound
to be faced with a complaint or negative
feedback. The challenge is to handle the
situation in a way that leaves the person
with a positive impression.
According to REINSW Helpline Consultant
Robert Anderson, first and foremost you
should assess the complaint and see if it is
genuine. “Listen to the problem and assess
whether it is something that you have
control of, or is it just someone not getting
what they want,” he said.
REINSW Helpline Consultant Ann
Banister said that it is also important
to have effective systems in place to
counteract complaints from escalating.
“By implementing systems within the
agency you can ensure that there are
procedures in place to deal with every
eventuality. Agents and office staff all
need to be given the words to handle all
situations and not left to their own devices,
especially if they are new to the industry,”
she said.
While it can be hard to receive criticism,
it can also be the key to your success. Be
sure to evaluate the feedback objectively
and recognise that negative feedback
is in fact a positive, as well as a great
opportunity for growth.
No matter how you receive negative
feedback, or where it comes from, as long
as you take the time to correctly handle
a response, what will truly show in the
long run is your professionalism.
1. Listen
Listen to the person and figure out
why they are upset. Listen to what they
want from you to resolve the issue.
All too often we are defensive when
dealing with complaints and negative
feedback, and this only inhibits our
ability to truly understand why the
person is not satisfied.
2. Understand
Put yourself in their shoes. Until you view
the issue from their perspective you cannot
have a complete picture of the reason for
the complaint. Always think, ‘how would
I feel if I was in their shoes’.
3. Don’t attack
Being overly defensive will be viewed
negatively. Your job is to learn about their
concerns in a calm and friendly manner
while conducting an open discussion
regarding the issues complained off and
how they can be resolved.
4. Provide a resolution
Divert the person’s attention by focusing
on how you intend to resolve the matter.
Always offer a resolution where possible.
5. Apologise
A heartfelt apology can go a long way
towards repairing a tainted relationship.
Let them know you’re sorry they were
inconvenienced, disappointed or upset.
Being able to apologise can speak
volumes about your character. And then
thank them for giving you the chance
to work it out with them.
6. Don’t ignore feedback
Take the initiative to respond. It shows you
are taking the time to improve your service.
7. Respond quickly
When you’re facing negative feedback,
particularly online, time is not on your side.
The longer you wait to respond, the angrier
the person will get – and the more likely
it is that others will pick up on the issue
and spread the negative buzz.
Agents and office staff
all need to be given
the words to handle all
situations and not left
to their own devices,
especially if they are
new to the industry.