In short: Before you respond to a complaint, check you’re in the right headspace, then take the emotion out and work out which bucket it falls in: something you can learn from, a freak event outside your control, or a client who complains about everything. Fix the process only when the complaint shows a real gap.

Prefer to watch? The 60-second version is on YouTube.

I truly believe customer complaints are part of growth. You’ll have many more in your lifetime as a business owner. How you respond to them matters more than the fact that they happen.

What’s the biggest mistake owners make with complaints?

Taking it to heart. As a founder you put so much effort into delivering for your clients, so when a complaint lands, it hurts. That emotion can send you into a spiral, and it leads to the wrong decision about how to respond.

What should you ask before you respond?

The first question I ask myself is: am I in a good headspace to deal with this? If I haven’t slept or I’ve had a rough day, I take a bit of time before responding. That doesn’t mean taking weeks. But responding too quickly in the wrong frame of mind can be disastrous.

What are the three types of complaint?

Once the emotion is out of the way, I put every complaint into one of three buckets:

• Something to learn from. A real gap in how you deliver, communicate or set expectations.

• A freak event. Something outside your control: a supplier gave you the wrong information, a bank made a mistake, or world events disrupted things.

• A client who complains about everything. It happens, and it needs a different response.

If you’re highly emotional, the diagnosis gets cloudy. You might fix something that doesn’t need fixing, or blame a client when it was actually a freak event.

Was it your fault, or a freak event?

Some complaints really are freak events, and you shouldn’t change the whole business for one of them. But ask honestly: were there extra communication points or safeguards you could have controlled? Usually there’s a new control or protocol you can add, so it’s less likely to happen again, or so you have a better way to respond if it does.

Should you fix every complaint yourself?

At the start, yes. Fixing everything in delivery is what earns you word of mouth. But as the business grows, you have to move away from delivery, sales, support and complaints, and towards bigger decisions: hiring, new locations, suppliers, partnerships. There’s a tipping point where personally fixing every small complaint slows the whole business down. Don’t ignore complaints, but find the balance.

How do you prevent the worst complaints?

Your biggest headaches will probably come from a small group of clients you should have said no to. When you’re growing, you want every client because it’s revenue and cash flow. I’ve felt that. Then the relationship starts badly and it’s a mismatch.

Learn from those clients. Set a protocol in your discovery call, scoping session or site inspection to check whether a new client fits your values, your style and how you deliver.

Frequently asked questions

Should I respond to a complaint straight away?

Respond promptly, but not in the wrong headspace. If you’re exhausted or having a rough day, take a little time first. That means hours, not weeks.

How do I know if a complaint was my fault?

Remove the emotion and ask whether you could have controlled it. Some are freak events, but there’s usually a communication point or safeguard you could add.

How do I avoid problem clients?

Most of your worst complaints come from a small group of mismatched clients. Screen for fit in your discovery call, scoping session or site inspection.

Key takeaways

• The biggest mistake is taking a complaint to heart and reacting emotionally.

• Sort it: something to learn from, a freak event, or a serial complainer.

• Even freak events can usually get a new safeguard or response process.

• As you grow, fixing every small complaint yourself will slow the business down.

Last updated: 26 October 2026.