If a client complains about one of your employees, reacting to please the client without considering your employee’s rights could be a costly mistake.
Understandably, you have a commercial relationship to protect.
Many business owners over-apologise to the client, pull the employee in for a sharp word and hope it blows over.
But, as the £66k Andrew Escourt unfair dismissal case earlier this year showed, simply acting on what a client wants, without proper process, can backfire badly.
As an employer, there’s a proper way to handle a situation like this. Let’s look at what you should (and shouldn’t) do.
Why your first instinct can get you into trouble
Treating a complaint as fact before you’ve investigated it puts you in a difficult position with your employee.
Your employee has rights regardless of what a client says.
If you discipline or dismiss someone without a proper investigation, you’re exposed, even if the complaint later turns out to be completely valid.
We’ve seen businesses end up at tribunal not because the employee did nothing wrong, but because the employer skipped the process.
What to do first
Acknowledge the complaint to the client promptly. Tell them that you’re taking it seriously and will look into it. Do not commit to an outcome and do not tell them what action you’re planning to take.
Then speak to your employee privately. Tell them a concern has been raised and that you want to understand their side. Keep it factual. This is information-gathering, not a disciplinary meeting.
How to investigate properly
Write down what the client said. Note the date, what was alleged and any relevant context. Do the same after speaking to your employee.
If there were witnesses or a paper trail, gather those too. You’re building a picture before you decide anything.
Some things worth considering at this stage:
- Has anything similar been raised about this person before?
- Could there be context that you’re not aware of: a difficult client, a miscommunication, an unusually pressured situation?
- Is this a conduct issue or something better addressed through training or a process change?
The answers shape what happens next.
What the outcome might look like
If the investigation supports the complaint, you may need to address it through your disciplinary process. That means following the correct steps, not just having an uncomfortable conversation and moving on.
If the complaint turns out to be unfounded, you still need to close it properly. Document what you found and why no further action was taken.
The right outcome might also be additional support for the employee, a conversation about expectations or a change to how a process works. That kind of response can protect the client relationship and keep your employee on side at the same time.
What you owe the client
You don’t have to share details of what you found or what action you’ve taken internally. But you do need to close the loop.
Let them know the matter has been looked into and that steps have been taken to address their concerns. Keep it brief. Most clients are satisfied when they feel that they’ve been heard and taken seriously.
Going silent after a complaint does more damage than the original issue.
We can help
Client complaints about staff are one of those situations where having someone to call makes a real difference.
There’s a commercial relationship to manage and an employment process to follow at the same time and getting either one wrong can be costly.
We help business owners to work through situations like this properly from the start, so the outcome is defensible and the relationships on both sides stay intact.
If you’ve got something on your hands right now, get in touch. We’re happy to talk it through.