Fielding Complaints

This morning when biking, one of my fellow bikers, Joel, mentioned something he recently learned in a customer service training. When someone calls with a complaint, the first response he learned to use is this - and in a sincere manner - "Thank you for bringing that to my attention." Immediately the caller feels heard. How do you think that could diffuse the situation?

Imagine someone you know coming to you with a complaint: your boss, client, partner, spouse, child, next door neighbor. Feeling heard, they are in a better situation to hear your side of things. The good, the bad, the ugly.

Try it!