Services Wholesale and Retail

Customer Query And Complaint Resolution Training

SAQA US 114911 | NQF 3 | Credits 8 | Duration 5 Days
From $1,242 per delegate

Description

This course equips learners with the skills to handle customer queries and complaints professionally, ensuring effective resolution and enhanced customer satisfaction. Participants will learn to apply communication techniques, problem-solving strategies, and service recovery methods to turn negative experiences into positive outcomes.

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply active listening and questioning techniques to accurately identify customer queries and complaints.
  • Analyze the root cause of customer complaints to determine appropriate resolution strategies.
  • Evaluate different service recovery options and select the most suitable approach for each situation.
  • Demonstrate effective communication skills to manage customer expectations and diffuse tension.
  • Implement a structured complaint resolution process that aligns with organisational policies.
  • Design a personal action plan for continuous improvement in handling customer queries and complaints.

Target Audience

This course is ideal for frontline staff, customer service representatives, call centre agents, and any employees who interact with customers and need to manage complaints effectively.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment

Course Outline

Day 1: Foundations of Customer Service and Complaint Handling

Objectives:
• Understand the importance of customer service and complaint resolution in the South African context.
• Identify different types of customers and their expectations.
• Explain the principles of effective communication in customer interactions.
• Recognise the role of the organisation's policies and procedures in complaint handling.

Topics:
• Introduction to customer service excellence
• Types of customers and their needs
• Communication fundamentals: verbal and non-verbal
• Overview of complaint handling policies and procedures
• The impact of poor complaint resolution on business

Day 2: Effective Communication and Active Listening

Objectives:
• Apply active listening techniques to understand customer queries.
• Use questioning skills to clarify and gather information.
• Demonstrate empathy and rapport-building in interactions.
• Identify barriers to effective communication and strategies to overcome them.

Topics:
• Active listening: techniques and practice
• Open-ended and closed-ended questioning
• Empathy statements and rapport building
• Overcoming communication barriers
• Role-play: handling a customer query

Day 3: Complaint Resolution Models and Problem-Solving

Objectives:
• Explain the steps in a structured complaint resolution process.
• Apply problem-solving techniques to resolve customer complaints.
• Differentiate between customer queries and complaints.
• Use the HEAT model (Hear, Empathise, Apologise, Take action) effectively.

Topics:
• The complaint resolution process: acknowledgment to follow-up
• HEAT model in practice
• Problem-solving frameworks (e.g., 5 Whys, root cause analysis)
• Distinguishing queries from complaints
• Case studies: resolving common complaints

Day 4: Managing Difficult Customers and De-escalation

Objectives:
• Identify behaviours of difficult customers and underlying causes.
• Apply de-escalation techniques to manage conflict.
• Maintain professionalism under pressure.
• Understand when to escalate complaints to a supervisor.

Topics:
• Types of difficult customer behaviours
• De-escalation strategies: staying calm, validating feelings
• Conflict resolution techniques
• Assertive communication vs aggressive or passive
• Escalation procedures and documentation

Day 5: Continuous Improvement and Practical Integration

Objectives:
• Evaluate complaint resolution outcomes and identify areas for improvement.
• Apply continuous improvement principles to service delivery.
• Demonstrate integrated skills through a simulated complaint scenario.
• Create a personal action plan for ongoing development.

Topics:
• Analysing complaint data for trends
• Continuous improvement tools: PDCA cycle, feedback loops
• Simulated complaint resolution exercise
• Peer and facilitator feedback
• Developing an action plan for workplace application

Practicals

No practicals for this training.

This course is made up of exercises and case studies delivered alongside the theory — no separate practical sessions are required to complete it.

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course and a final summative test at the end.

Daily Exercises — 30%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 30% to the final total.

Final Test — 70%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 70% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 30%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 70%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Daily Average 30% + Final Test 70%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Mon 07 Sep 2026 Fri 11 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 28 Sep 2026 Fri 02 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 19 Oct 2026 Fri 23 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 07 Dec 2026 Fri 11 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 11 Jan 2027 Fri 15 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 15 Feb 2027 Fri 19 Feb 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 01 Mar 2027 Fri 05 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 08 Mar 2027 Fri 12 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 15 Mar 2027 Fri 19 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 07 Jun 2027 Fri 11 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 28 Jun 2027 Fri 02 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 19 Jul 2027 Fri 23 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 06 Sep 2027 Fri 10 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 27 Sep 2027 Fri 01 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 18 Oct 2027 Fri 22 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 06 Dec 2027 Fri 10 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 27 Dec 2027 Fri 31 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 17 Jan 2028 Fri 21 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,242 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 498 sessions across 26 venues
Start End Venue Season Price Action
Mon 03 Aug 2026 Fri 07 Aug 2026 Pretoria, South Africa Winter 2026 $1,863 Register
Mon 03 Aug 2026 Fri 07 Aug 2026 Dubai, UAE Winter 2026 $5,238 Register
Mon 03 Aug 2026 Fri 07 Aug 2026 Cape Town, South Africa Winter 2026 $3,078 Register
Mon 03 Aug 2026 Fri 07 Aug 2026 Mauritius Winter 2026 $3,834 Register
Mon 03 Aug 2026 Fri 07 Aug 2026 Johannesburg, South Africa Winter 2026 $2,592 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Mon 14 Sep 2026 Fri 18 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 05 Oct 2026 Fri 09 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 26 Oct 2026 Fri 30 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 14 Dec 2026 Fri 18 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 18 Jan 2027 Fri 22 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 22 Feb 2027 Fri 26 Feb 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 08 Mar 2027 Fri 12 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 15 Mar 2027 Fri 19 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 22 Mar 2027 Fri 26 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 14 Jun 2027 Fri 18 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 05 Jul 2027 Fri 09 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 26 Jul 2027 Fri 30 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 13 Sep 2027 Fri 17 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 04 Oct 2027 Fri 08 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 25 Oct 2027 Fri 29 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 13 Dec 2027 Fri 17 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 03 Jan 2028 Fri 07 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 24 Jan 2028 Fri 28 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,615 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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