We?ve all heard plenty of experiences being described as emotional rollercoasters. However, Huntswood's latest complaints research, the Complaints Outlook 2021 has found that the complaints journey really does fit this description.

In our Complaints Outlook 2019 research we identified ?feeling valued? as the most likely indicator of customer retention after a complaint. Our latest research has looked further into the emotional experience and explores how organisations can create emotional engagement with their customers, driving both long-term retention and customer advocacy.

Frustration, anger and upset

Our research identified that across the customer journey, frustration was the emotion most often felt by customers. However, when the complaints process was difficult or customers were left in the dark about the progress of their complaint, many began to feel angry and upset.

The problem with angry, upset customers is that this makes each interaction more challenging. Heightened negative emotions change the way humans behave and our ability to interact effectively and rationally with others. Journeys that generate these feelings in customers, effectively make the job of organisations and their complaint handling colleagues more difficult. Relatively simple changes, such as offering a variety of complaint channels and making these options simple to find, can have a significant impact on reducing negative emotions and enabling more constructive first interactions.

Feeling valued

It's not just avoiding the negative emotions that organisations need to focus on. Building positive experiences means generating positive emotions in customers and turning a potentially difficult situation into one where customers feel valued. Generating these positive emotions means showing customers that they are understood and respected. This is not only through the empathy shown by complaint handlers, but also the process they follow and the journey that customers experience. For example, allowing customers to complain through their channel of choice recognises the varying reasons for customer preferences, rather than devaluing these by funnelling them through the firm's preferred option.

Actionable insights

We identified six key customer needs throughout the complaints journey, where organisations can improve the likelihood of customers having a positive complaints experience. For each of these themes, we have identified best practices that organisations can implement - alongside the commercial benefits they can achieve if done well.

By focusing on the emotional experience of the customer, the complaints rollercoaster can be transformed into a positive interaction which strengthens the relationships between organisations and their customers.

Pre-register here to receive Huntswood's Complaints Outlook report, coming out in January 2021.

You can also register here to attend our webinar with UK Finance in February 2021, where we will discuss the complaints research findings.