Complainers: 5 Personality Types (& How to Deal with Them)

Customer complaints are an unavoidable part of business. Whether the blame lies with you or on circumstances beyond your control, it’s your job to address unhappy customers and make things right.

But you can turn disgruntled customers into loyal fans — if you handle complaints well. If you handle them poorly, those voices of dissent can wreak havoc on your online reputation.

Not all complainers are alike, but they can be divided into five categories. Let’s review the different complainer personality types and how to work with each at your company. Then, we’ll wrap up with a list of complaints your business might receive and how to handle each one.

Keep in mind, you would never label a customer a “complainer” in your database. You wouldn’t write that down on a sales call or record it in your CRM. Rather, you would note that the customer has had poor experiences with your business and may exhibit one of the personalities below.

If they do demonstrate these traits, then these tips can help you resolve their issues.

1. The Meek Complainer Personality Type

Meek Complainers avoid confrontation and won’t make their complaints known immediately. Unless you actively seek their feedback, you may never know the Meek Complainer was dissatisfied with the service they received.

How to Deal with the Meek Complainer Type:

You should directly contact these customers, solicit their comments and complaints, and do whatever is necessary to address their concerns. Send them an email with a survey, or better yet, ask them if they would be willing to refer another customer. If they are, then you know you did a good job. If they don’t, that conversation might help you understand why this customer is unhappy with your service.

If you’re unsure how to ask for a customer referral, check out some of the tips in this video.

2. The Chronic Complainer Personality Type

Chronic complainers tend to be satisfied rarely and will almost always find something wrong. As frustrating as this can be, remember they’re still your customers. You can’t simply dismiss their complaints just because they have a lot of them. Instead, you should take their feedback as an opportunity to improve some details of your business. While not every request can (or should be) granted, chronic complaints are sometimes helpful hints for how you can improve your company.

How to Deal With the Chronic Complainer Type:

Responding to the Chronic Complainer takes extraordinary patience. As with some other complainer types, be sure to stay calm and collected. Raising your voice or shifting your tone will only escalate the issue. Instead, show the customer that you’re aligned with their position and are as invested in solving their problems as they are.

Chronic Complainers can, at times, be reasonable, and might appreciate your attempts to redress the situation. In fact, despite their constant complaining, they tend to be good customers. They’re the type who happily tell others about their positive experience with your company.

3. The Aggressive Complainer Personality Type

Unlike the Meek Complainer, the Aggressive Complainer complains loudly to anyone who will listen. Aggressive Complainers don’t respond well to those who are aggressive in return. In fact, they tend to dismiss excuses that justify their unsatisfactory experience. And while they have the same needs and goals as the Meek Complainer, they’re more vocal about getting what they want.

How to Deal with the Aggressive Complainer Type:

The best response for Aggressive Complainers is to listen to their complaints, acknowledge their problems, and let them know exactly how and when they will be resolved. They’re looking for results, so you must give them a detailed timeline for delivering a solution. The more information you provide, the more likely you are to reach common ground.

4. The High-Roller Complainer Personality Type

High-Roller Complainers expect the absolute best and are willing to pay for a premium experience. Some are reasonable with their complaints, while others may behave more like Aggressive Complainers, but with higher expectations for your company. While these individuals are more likely to purchase your top-of-the-line offers, they’re also more likely to push back if things aren’t quite to their liking.

How to Deal with the High-Roller Complainer Type:

The High-Roller Complainer wants to know how your systems will improve in response to their experience. They don’t just want a solution right now; they want assurance that the problem will never happen again. Rather than offering excuses, your best approach is to listen respectfully and ask questions to get to the root of the problem. From there, provide a solution as well as a detailed explanation for why the issue will not happen again.

Pro Tip: Sometimes it’s okay to say no to customers – especially if they aren’t a good fit for your business.

5. The Dealer Complainer Personality Type

Dealer Complainers are slightly different than the other complainers on this list. Yes, they want their problem solved, but they also want something in return for their inconvenience. That might be a coupon, a free giveaway, or some other incentive. These folks are looking for something tangible to walk away with from this experience. It’s up to you to decide whether they’re worth that discount.

How to Deal With the Dealer Complainer Type:

Your best bet is to stay objective and control your emotions. Back up your position with actual, quantifiable data, and make sure you document everything the customer asks from you. In some cases, your policy won’t allow you to meet the customer’s needs. Explain why that policy is in place and what you can do for the customer instead.

If the customer responds with “not good enough,” then you might consider asking what they would like you to do to make things right.

Here’s where you need to make a decision as a business owner. If the customer’s lifetime value is high enough, you should do whatever you can to keep that customer happy. If their value is lower, then maybe it’s better to hold your ground and stick with your policy — just be prepared for a negative response when they don’t get their way. In that case, stay calm, thank them for their feedback, and try to find a way to end the conversation on a positive note.

Note: Not all customers will fit neatly into these categories. There may be some overlap, and the same person may display characteristics of each at different points in their customer journey.

Now that you’re familiar with the different complainer personality types, let’s look at why people complain.

Why Do People Complain?

People complain for various reasons (and we’ll dive into a few below). Some have legitimate gripes against your business, while others might just be having a bad day.

Complainer personality types will help you understand how people complain, but they won’t always tell you why someone is unhappy. One step you can take is to look at your CRM. Check out past experiences with the customer and see how their relationship is with your brand. At the least, you’ll know if this customer spends a lot of money with your business and if they’re worth going that extra mile for.

Figuring out why people are unhappy with you is the first step in solving their problem. Understanding their issues will help you brainstorm effective and unique solutions.

How to Deal With a Complainer

Let’s review the steps for dealing with any complainer personality type.

Listen to their problem.

The first step in dealing with a complainer is to listen to their problem. If you’re talking with them in person, show that you’re listening by maintaining eye contact, nodding your head, and using nonverbal communication. These actions will signal to the customer that you are invested in their problem and care about a solution.

Summarize their roadblocks and goals.

Once the customer finishes their explanation, show them you understand by summarizing their problem using their own words. Repeating the same vocabulary shows that you were listening closely and are on the same page. It also demonstrates that you’re ready to complete the task at hand, which builds trust between you and the customer.

Provide multiple solutions.

Once you understand the problem, try to brainstorm some solutions. In these cases, it helps to work backward. Start with the customer’s goals and map out a few ways to get from point A to point B.

Giving the customer multiple solutions will show that you have thought carefully about their problem and that there are several ways to achieve their goal. Knowing they have options is reassuring and can make the customer feel like they’re moving toward a resolution.

Offer to follow up.

Once the customer has accepted your solution, offer to follow up at a later date. This strategy is particularly effective if the customer still seems a bit wary about the remedies you’ve provided. By offering to follow up, you show confidence in your problem-solving and commitment to the customer’s satisfaction.

Just don’t be pushy. Some customers will want to solve the complaint and have that be the end of it. If they don’t want to follow up, that’s fine, too.

Now, let’s look at the different types of complaints your business might receive.

9 Types of Customer Complaints (+Examples)

Here’s a list of complaints that your business might receive. Each complainer personality type might come forward with any one of these complaints, so it’s important to know how to address them all for each type of customer.

1. Lack of Communication

We’ve all made this mistake. A missed phone call or email slips through the cracks, and suddenly, the customer thinks you’re ignoring them. Whether you want to deal with them or not, lacking in your communication is a quick way to upset a customer.

How to Solve This Customer Complaint:

Organization is the key to mass communication. If you can see all your conversations in one place, you can quickly address messages you haven’t responded to or might need to follow up on. Most communication software will provide a centralized inbox where all of your emails, phone calls, and social media messages are forwarded to one place. That way, you can respond to each without having to jump between platforms.

Customer Complaint Example

Let’s say a customer sends an email asking us a question about a recent purchase. Since we were out of the office (and forgot to update our email), we didn’t see her message. Now she’s upset because she feels ignored, and sent a complaint in a follow-up email.

The first step is to respond immediately. Apologize for the delay, thank them for their patience, and answer their question clearly. We might also offer alternative ways to connect with us so the customer has more options in the future. Lastly, we should update our scheduling software so customers know when we’re on vacation.

2. Product or Service Quality

A good product can solve a lot of problems for your business. After all, your product or service is what the customer is paying for, which often matters more than any other factor in their customer experience. If you under-deliver on expectations, or your product doesn’t work, you should expect your customers to voice their complaints.

How to Solve This Customer Complaint:

The first step you should take is fixing the problem. If it’s a faulty product, issue a new one. If it was an incomplete service, finish the job and make sure everything is in order before you leave. Once the problem is fixed, turn your attention back to the customer. Apologize for the inconvenience and assure them it won’t happen again. If possible, provide a coupon or a promo code for a discount on a future purchase to show that you truly value their business.

Customer Complaint Example

Let’s say a customer purchases a haircare product from our beauty store. When she gets home, she notices that our packaging is faulty and that the product is leaking.

In this case, we should refund her purchase immediately. Whether it’s her fault, ours, or the manufacturers, doesn’t matter. It’s a poor experience for the customer, and going the extra mile shows that it isn’t the standard for our business.

3. Delivery Times

Deliveries are important – especially if you work in B2B industries. If you are late with a delivery, that can affect the customer’s bottom line. Take a restaurant, for example. If a truck delivering its bread is a day late on its delivery, a sandwich shop can’t sell sandwiches. That’s one full day of revenue that the restaurant losses out on.

How to Solve This Customer Complaint:

Start with an apology, then provide an estimation for when the shipment will be delivered. Be prepared for the customer to be unhappy and voice their displeasure with your business. Keep your cool and try to make things right where you can. While you might not be able to replace lost revenue, you can offer a discount on a future shipment.

Customer Complaint Example

Let’s say a customer orders one of our products online, and it gets lost in the mail. Now the customer is emailing us asking for updates, but the problem is ultimately out of our control.

For this complaint, we’ll have to contact the delivery company on behalf of the customer. Even if they can’t help us, we can tell the customer we spoke with them firsthand. From here, we’ll provide plenty of updates until the product arrives and provide a discount or refund if necessary.

4. Pricing, Fees, & Refunds

These complaints are focused on how much the customer is paying for your product or service. They might think that you’re charging too much or have an issue with the fees you added to their invoice. They may even ask for a refund after having a poor experience with your business. Either way, these conversations are never fun, because they affect your bottom line.

How to Solve This Customer Complaint:

If a customer is complaining about your prices, try to explain the factors that go into your pricing structure. Lean on your invoice, if possible, to highlight exactly what the customer paid for — and why they’re paying for it. For example, a contractor’s invoice might list the different supplies used to complete a project. The customer can clearly see what they’ve been charged for and why it was needed for that project.

Pro Tip: If a customer asks for a refund, check out these tips for turning that refund into a repeat customer at your business.

Customer Complaint Example

Let’s say a customer demands a refund after a poor customer experience. While you know it wasn’t your best interaction, you don’t feel it warrants a refund.

Take a breath and step back. In these moments, it’s important to remember customer lifetime value. Maybe you think you don’t need this sale right now, when the reality is that you’ll likely need this customer in the long run. Before you deny the refund, take a second to ensure this isn’t a customer with a high lifetime value.

5. Conflicts With Employees

If you work face-to-face with customers, there’s a chance you’ll clash with a few people. Whether you’re right or wrong, these situations are never good for your business — because the customer is the one who gets to write the online review. They can write whatever they want about your business (truthful or not), and most third parties will be inclined to take the customer’s side.

We hear you – it’s not fair. But it is a part of running a business in the modern age.

How to Solve This Customer Complaint:

We know it’s hard, but this is one of those times where you might have to bite your lip for the sake of your business. Rather than escalate, remain calm and try to narrow down exactly what the customer wants. If you feel like emotions are rising, ask to step away or put the customer on hold. If you can, consider shifting the conversation to email, so you can take some time between each response.

Customer Complaint Example

Let’s say you get a call about an employee who had a heated argument with a customer. The employee wants you to have their back, but the complainer is one of your most valuable customers.

In this example, speak with the employee privately. Ask them to explain the situation, then walk them through your company’s communication standards. Show them where they could have acted differently and how they could have avoided escalating the problem.

Be sure to follow up with the customer, too. Apologize for the unprofessional behavior and assure them that the situation will be handled internally. It may also be worth offering a discount to compensate for the inconvenience.

6. Technical Difficulties

Technical difficulties are problems that affect the infrastructure of your business. For example, if your payment software goes down, then you’re unable to collect payments from your customers. Or, if your computer freezes, you might get locked out of your email and social media accounts. While these situations aren’t completely your fault, they can inconvenience your customers.

How to Solve This Customer Complaint:

When technical difficulties happen, be proactive and communicate with your customers right away. Let them know that you’re working on the issue and provide alternative ways to contact with you, if needed. As soon as things are working again, send another alert to let them know you’re operating at 100%.

Pro Tip: You can use a CRM to record and review your available communication channels with each customer.

Customer Complaint Example

Let’s say you’re on the phone with a customer with bad WiFi. They’re upset they can’t pay for your HVAC service because your website says they can only pay online.

When something doesn’t work, you need to have a plan B. In this case, plan B is taking the payment over the phone or delaying it until the customer has better WiFi. Flexibility allows you to offer multiple solutions to customers, which fixes things faster and keeps people happy.

7. Social Media

Social media complaints are a little different from other complaints on this list. These are the negative comments that you get on your posts (which are usually public) or when you’re DM’d (direct message) by customers.

When you post on social media, everything you publish and share is under the scrutiny of the Internet. Some people might have legitimate complaints, while others might make random comments to stir the pot.

How to Solve This Customer Complaint:

Read the room. Don’t respond if a comment feels like trolling – that will only fan the fire.

If a comment does merit a response, follow up with the customer and ask if you can message them privately. If they push back, offer to continue the conversation in public, but explain why it’s beneficial to shift to a more controlled channel. You might say it’s for their privacy or to protect sensitive information, but let the customer choose where they want to have the conversation. In some cases, you might have to hash it out in public, so remember to remain empathetic, be patient, and watch out for other followers piling on in the comments.

Pro Tip: Check out these best practices for boosting your company’s online reputation.

Customer Complaint Example

Let’s say a customer has a bad experience with your brand and goes to complain about it on Instagram. They comment on all your posts, trashing your business and telling people not to buy your products.

First, contact the customer. Ask if they would take the conversation offline and chat over the phone. If not, try to de-escalate the situation as best you can. Remember, other people are watching, too, so it’s important to remain professional. If all else fails, block the customer from your account so they don’t continue to damage your online reputation.

8. Too Much Communication

In some cases, businesses overcommunicate with their customers. They might send them too many emails, call too many times, or bombard them with direct mail. Not only is this an ineffective marketing strategy, it leads to customers feeling like your business is harassing them.

How to Solve This Customer Complaint:

Here’s another scenario where communication software benefits your business. You can review past conversations and see how often you reach out to each customer.

If you have marketing tools, you can track promotional emails, calls from your offline marketing campaigns, and comments on your online listings.

Customer Complaint Example:

Let’s say someone fills out a form on your website but isn’t interested in buying something from your business. They’re just trying to research their options before making a final purchase. But now your company calls them night and day, trying to sell your products, and the customer is getting frustrated.

For this complaint, let’s circle back to our CRM. Yours should have call-tracking features that record each call with customers. You can flag this contact in your system to let your team know they shouldn’t contact this customer.

9. Company Policy

Company policy is important. It regulates your customer service and maintains your business’s productivity.

However, company policy sometimes conflicts with customer needs, so you must decide whether to follow protocol or fulfill the customer’s request. If you follow protocol, you might upset the customer, but if you break policy, then what’s the point of having those rules in the first place?

How to Solve This Customer Complaint:

These decisions are often made in the moment. You have to assess what the customer is asking you to do and what it means for your business. You can also consider your past relationship with that customer and how it might affect your sales in the future.

If you’re unsure how to lean, I recommend bending your policy. You’re more likely to create a better customer experience, which can lead to repeat sales. And, they might share that experience with their friends, which will also generate revenue for your business.

Customer Complaint Example:

Let’s say your company charges a strict $50 fee for no-show appointments. But one of your most loyal customers gets a flat tire on the way to their appointment and doesn’t get a chance to call you amidst the chaos of trying to get their car towed. They miss their appointment and now you’re charging them $50 because they had to deal with car trouble.

Here’s where common sense should prevail. That $50 is not worth losing this customer for life. It’s better to waive the fee now, knowing you’ll make that money back and more from this customer in the future.

Customer complaints come in all sorts of varieties. Before we wrap, let’s review some specific things that people like to complain about.

Things That People Complain About

Here are some more things that people complain about at small businesses:

• The price of your products
• How quickly you respond to them
• Your hours and availability
• The quality of your service
• Your communication channels
• Too many sales calls
• Hidden fees
• Long customer service calls

Dealing With Complainers at Your SMB

When you run a small business, customer complaints are inevitable. But knowing how to deal with them and the different complainer personality types can be very helpful when you have to navigate difficult conversations. The good news is – the more you do it, the better you get at it. So, don’t shy away from responding to customer complaints; they’re great opportunities to improve your service experience and gain loyal customers.