The Complaints Department

I am currently on hold waiting to talk to the second complaints department at my mortgage company. It seems this company is so large that each department has it’s own complaints department – so me, the person they don’t really want to talk to on the other end of the line has to get the right complaints department before I can air my greivances.

The people are pleasant enough on the phone but I find it odd that they call it a “complaints” department. Surely you would want to call it something a little less negative. I want to disucss something – not necessarily complain. But since I have been told I am being put through to the complaints department – my attitude has changed. I now want to complain. This was not my intention originally – but it is now.

I feel that I have to get ready for war, to be clever and out smart the person that is about to pick up my call – all because of their naming of a department.

I guess there are two points here. 1. Don’t have a specific complaints department – it annoys the people that are calling. Empower all staff to deal with customer issues. 2. If you have to have a department – don’t call it a complaints department. Call it a resolution department or customer care.