Faced with high customer expectations and multiple pressures on their time, even some of the most experienced and competent practitioners may be tempted to let their customer service standards slip in order to see all patients. Even when practitioners have taken all precautions to prevent complaints from arising, they will happen from time to time, particularly when customers feel that their expectations have not been met.  It is therefore very important to ensure you have a complaint process in place.

There is also much you can do to prevent the complaint from arising in the first place, by focusing on the quality of the service you provide. Here are some easy steps to help you ensure you provide great service to your customers and minimize cause for complaint.

1. Remember there is no way the quality of service can exceed the quality of the people who provide it. Your employees are valuable to you, so make sure you motivate them with perks and benefits and show them you appreciate what they do.

2. Realise that your staff will treat your customers the way they are treated themselves. Ensure that you greet your employees enthusiastically each day and listen to them.

3. Do you know who your customers are? Make sure you are aware of your regulars and those who are new to your clinic and differentiate them accordingly.

4. Do your customers know who you are? It is important for your patients to have trust in you, so building a good rapport is imperative.

5. For good customer service, go the extra mile and show how you appreciate their business

6. Patient selection is very important; make sure you take the consultation process seriously and ensure your patient is aware of all possible outcomes

7. Having a follow up after every procedure you have carried out with your client to ensure they are happy can prevent further complaints - if there are any concerns these can be addressed before they escalate.

8. Ensuring that a clear expected outcome is communicated to the patient and that the patient signs a consent form to make sure they understand the process will help in managing patient expectations

9. Be sure to take thorough detailed patient notes during the consultation stage

10. Be contactable, educate the patient and be empathetic

These steps should form the basis of controlling complaints within your practice. The Cosmetic Redress Scheme (CRS) is authorised by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute and designed to resolve complaints made by consumers against traders in the cosmetic industry. The CRS is a great opportunity to improve standards within the industry by providing a redress scheme for the entire cosmetic, aesthetic and beauty market to improve the complaints process. It is also beneficial for you to sign-post the logo onto your website or within your clinic; this will give your customer piece of mind and will also provide them with confidence that you are committed to providing excellent customer service. The scheme is a proactive way in which we are helping our members resolve complaints with their consumers.