Why Complaints Are Actually Good for Business
Most unhappy clients never say a word. They just leave and tell their friends. For every person who complains, 26 others have the same problem but stay quiet. They cancel, leave a bad review, and never tell you why.
A client who tells you about a problem is doing you a favor. They are showing you what went wrong so you can fix it. How you handle it decides if you lose them or make them a loyal client for life.
Studies show that clients whose problems get fixed fast end up being even more loyal than those who never had a problem. Here is how to make that happen.
Listen Before You Respond
When a client complains, your first thought is to defend yourself. Do not do that. The moment you get defensive, the client feels ignored and things get worse.
Let the client talk. Let them tell you what went wrong. Do not cut them off. Even if you think they are wrong, listen. Most people just want to be heard.
The Right Way to Answer
- Thank them for telling you — "Thank you for letting me know. I want to fix this."
- Show you understand — "I get it. This is not what you expected."
- Ask questions — "Can you tell me what areas were not good enough?"
- Never argue — even if the client is wrong, fighting costs you the client
Take Ownership Immediately
Do not make excuses. Do not blame your worker. Do not tell the client their house was too messy. Take the blame for the problem.
Even if the problem was partly the client's fault, own your part. Saying "You are right, we should have caught that" calms things down faster than any excuse.
Good Things to Say
- "This is not how we do things and I am sorry."
- "I take full blame for this."
- "Here is what I will do to fix it."
- "This will not happen again because I am going to [say what you will do]."
Offer a Reclean Before a Refund
Always offer to come back and reclean first. Do not offer a refund right away. A reclean lets you fix the problem and show what your service should look like. A refund just ends things.
Offer to come back within 24 hours to fix the areas the client talked about. If they want a discount instead, offer 10% to 20% off their next clean. Only give a full refund as a last resort.
Steps for Fixing Problems
- Free reclean within 24 hours — best choice, you get to fix it
- Money off the next clean — 10% to 20% off their next visit
- Free extra service — inside oven, windows, or another add-on at no charge
- Partial refund — only if they say no to everything else
- Full refund — last resort, but still ask if you can earn them back
Document Every Complaint and Resolution
Write down every complaint: what the client said, when it happened, what you did to fix it, and what happened after. These notes help you in three ways.
- See patterns — if the same thing keeps coming up, you have a bigger problem to fix
- Hold workers responsible — you can talk to workers who keep getting complaints
- Protect yourself — if a client argues about a charge or files an insurance claim, you have records
A simple list works. Write down the date, client name, what went wrong, how you fixed it, and if the client stayed.
Spot Patterns Before They Become Problems
One complaint about baseboards is a missed spot. Five complaints about baseboards is a training problem. Your notes will show patterns you cannot see when you deal with problems one at a time.
Common Patterns to Look For
- Same spot missed over and over — add it to your checklist and train on it
- Same worker getting complaints — they need more training or closer checking
- Same client unhappy every time — they may expect too much and you need to talk about it
- Complaints after schedule changes — rushed cleaners make more mistakes
Look at your notes once a month. Find the trends and fix the root cause, not just the one problem.
Prevent Complaints With Checklists and Walk-Throughs
The best complaint is one that never happens. Checklists are your best tool because they make sure nothing gets missed.
How to Stop Problems Before They Start
- Room-by-room checklist — every surface, every fixture, every floor, checked before leaving
- Final look around — the cleaner checks every room one more time before locking up
- Before and after photos — take pictures to show the work was done right
- Client notes — write down what each client likes and any special requests
- Surprise checks — pop in to check finished homes before clients get back
Build a system that catches problems early. Read our quality control guide for templates and steps.
Turn Complainers Into Your Most Loyal Clients
When you handle a complaint well, something cool happens. The client trusts you more than before. They saw how you deal with a problem and they like it.
After fixing a complaint, check in within a week. Ask if things are better now. This extra care shows you are not just saying sorry — you mean it.
The Follow-Up Plan
- Fix the problem right away — reclean, give credit, or find another fix
- Check in within 48 hours — ask if they are happy with what you did
- Check in after the next clean — ask about the areas that had problems before
- Thank them again a month later — a quick message saying you are glad they stuck with you
This takes five minutes but can save a client who pays you hundreds of dollars a month for years.