Facility cleaning managers must realize that complaints come with the cleaning territory. This is because cleaning is viewed subjectively by building users and facility supervisors.

Many times, I have toured facilities that I thought had serious cleaning problems, only to learn that the facility executive was more than happy with the work performed by the custodial staff. But, I’ve also encountered executives that agreed with my assessments.

No matter how well trained you or your staff are, or how thoroughly and effectively the facility you maintain is cleaned, there are going to be complaints. Not only is cleaning subjective, but even with the best of intentions, lapses can occur.

Since this is the case, facility cleaning managers must be very astute in how they handle complaints, whether from a building user or supervisor.

How To Handle A Complaint

It’s Monday morning and a complaint has been brought to your attention. As a valued member of the facility team, be thankful for the notification and opportunity to better service the facility. Then, listen to the reason for the complaint. This is the first step in the L.E.A.R.N. behavior process of handling a complaint.

L: Your job, as soon as you get the call, is to listen. Do not interrupt the building user or supervisor as they explain the situation. In some cases, the person may not only have a complaint, but may also want to get an issue off his or her chest. Let the person talk as long as he or she needs to and just listen.

E: As you listen, empathize. Recently, I had a problem with the U.S. Post Office, and I decided to call their help line to discuss it. The person I spoke with was great, and one reason I liked her — and believed my issue would be addressed — is because she empathized with me. She told me how she could see that the issue I was calling about was a problem, and, in a sense, she could feel my pain. When receiving a complaint, listen, try to relate and empathize.

A: Part of demonstrating empathy is making the effort to apologize. You must apologize for the issue, even if you or someone on your staff is not at fault. You do not want to get into an argument over who is to blame for the issue. In fact, just the opposite should be your intention. You want to take responsibility for the issue. Apologize and then move on to the next step in the L.E.A.R.N. behavior process.

R: Next, you need to react to the situation. Please understand me here, because for many of us “react” means to counter, to respond with hostility, or to get angry, and you should do none of those things. Instead, the way we are using the term “react” here is to decide to do something. Investigate the problem and, if necessary, try to see how it happened and how the situation can be avoided in the future. It is important to do something to address the complaint. You should also let the complaining party know what you plan to do to rectify the situation.

N: The timing of our reaction is critical; we must do it now. One of the worst things that you can do, which can potentially anger the building user or supervisor, is to put off addressing his or her problem. Take care of it now, and once corrected or addressed, make sure the person is aware of the steps you have taken.

Asking What If?

Often, when I teach the L.E.A.R.N. behavior process to facility cleaning executives, the first issue they question me about is, what if the problem is not their or their staff’s fault? Should they still apologize for a situation they did not cause?

The answer is yes. No matter what the situation or who is to blame, apologizing smooths over the issue and facilitates the conversation regarding the complaint.

The supervisor has contacted you, the issue has been brought to your attention, and it is now your responsibility to address it. If necessary, you can explain after the situation has been resolved, why the cleaning crew was not to blame. If possible, do this in person, not over the phone or in an email. If appropriate, with your explanation, let the complaining party know you will help make sure that the problem does not occur again.

The second “what-if” involves working with a supervisor who simply cannot be satisfied. What I suggest is to use this unfortunate situation as a learning experience, at least as long as you can. Make your best effort to use the L.E.A.R.N. behavior process in dealing with complaints, no matter how many come up, and always investigate the situation. 
 
RON SEGURA, founder and president of Segura & Associates, has over 45 years of experience in all segments of the cleaning industry. Ten of those years were spent overseeing the cleaning of over 4.5 million square feet for The Walt Disney Company, as well as the management of the Document Services department. With eleven years of consulting both domestic and internationally, Segura & Associates has been assisting organizations to perform at maximum efficiencies. Ron has assisted hundreds of organizations in the reengineering of their operations so that they are able to provide a high quality of service and still meet budgetary requirements.




POSTED ON: 12/1/2015