Dealing with Facilities Management Complaints
The article outlines five key strategies for facilities managers to effectively handle complaints: always acknowledge complaints to prevent unsafe self-fixes, listen sympathetically to validate concerns, establish clear policies to prioritize and define responsibilities, investigate underlying issues beyond the surface complaint, and proactively seek feedback through surveys to improve satisfaction and complaint resolution.
5 Tricks for Handling Complaints
1. Don’t Ignore Them
Facilities managers (FMs) may not respond to a complaint for various reasons, such as poor customer service skills, embarrassment about the problem, or budgetary concerns. However, ignoring complaints can lead coworkers to attempt their own fixes, which may not be safe or effective. To ensure office happiness, safety, and comfort, acknowledge every complaint rather than selectively responding.
2. Lend a Sympathetic Ear
Showing sympathy to the person making the complaint can help them feel better, even if little can be done to resolve the issue. For example, an FM recounted a situation where a resident was unhappy about stadium lights during events. While nothing could be done about the lights, simply listening to the resident's concerns helped her feel better.
3. Know Where to Draw the Line
Facilities managers encounter a range of complaints, from minor to major and practical to impractical. Having clear policies and procedures helps guide the response process, allowing the team to prioritize and determine what is and isn’t their responsibility. For instance, noise from a copier disrupting meetings is a valid complaint, while the hum from an air conditioner may be less pressing.
4. Dig Deep for the Issues
Sometimes, a complaint may mask a deeper issue. It's important to understand the true nature of the problem to provide an adequate solution. For example, workers who complained about glare from windows were actually experiencing feelings of status loss after moving from enclosed offices to a more open space. The issue was resolved by relocating them to cubicles away from the windows.
5. Seek Feedback
Seeking feedback is crucial. Engage with coworkers or customers and send out surveys to gauge satisfaction and identify issues before they escalate into formal complaints. Surveys can also measure how well complaints are being handled, helping to improve the overall process.
What’s your team’s protocol for responding to complaints? What are some of the most memorable complaints you’ve received?