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By Nick Koerbin
Have you had to deal with an angry member complaining about a service your association is providing?
Members are the lifeblood of associations, but when a member calls you to complain, how do you handle these incidents?
Most associations have processes to ensure these occurrences are handled graciously and carefully. How do you deal with a member or customer
complaint? Here are some points you may wish to consider
đ Remain Calm, Collected and Kind
Perhaps you have a disgruntled member who would like nothing more than to bring you or your team down because you responded to an email
slower than expected. When conflict arises, leaving your emotions at the door and addressing the member in a calming tone is essential.
đAcknowledge Their Concern and Thank Them
âKill them with kindnessâ is the mantraârepeat that to yourself. A member has decided they do not want to suffer in
silence anymore. When you have a member who comes to you with a complaint, you first must thank them for their feedback. The
complaining member has taken time to inform you of how they feel when they could have quickly cancelled their membership and gone elsewhere.
đReiterate Their Concern Back to Them
After you have thanked them for their complaint, they might still be disgruntled because the situation is yet to be resolved. It is best
practice to reiterate what they have said back to them. A reiteration might sound like this, âWe want to ensure all our members are
delighted with our services. So that I can best help you, can I please clarify that you are feeling dissatisfied becauseâŚâ
đOffer Care, Support and Guidance
A complaint means that a personâs trust in youâthe associationâhas been fractured. Regaining that sense of trust and loyalty means going the
extra mile by offering them personalised care and support. You can make it right no matter who is wrong by easing their dissatisfaction.
If they believe your membership rate is too expensive, it can be as simple as asking them what would make that investment worth their while.
Is it offering more innovative digital strategies such as webinars or networking events? It is then essential to take that
feedback onboard and see if there is anything the association can do to accommodate their request.
đIf In Doubt, Apologise
Sometimes, you need help to rectify the situation. If you reach that point in the conflict, just apologise for the inconvenience and assure
them it will not happen again.
đFollow Up
Once the complaint has been addressed and you have contained their aggression with an apology, support and guidance, it can all be packaged
in a neat follow-up call or email.
đDocument All Complaints
Every association should have a process in place to record any complaints and view these complaints as valuable information to assess if the
organisation is meeting the needs of their members.
The association sector is in the middle of a leadership handover.
Across Australia and New Zealand, CEOs and Executive Directors are moving on. Some are retiring. Some have gone to larger organisations.
Some have left because the relationship with their Board ran out of puff. The reasons vary, but the movement is noticeable, and Boards are
appointing replacements.
The encouraging part is the calibre of the people coming in. Many are genuinely well suited to the job â capable executives with strong
records behind them. A good number are stepping into an association CEO role for the first time.
Most associations can provide a long list of membership benefits. They may include professional development, advocacy, networking, industry information, events, resources, accreditation, discounts and access to specialist advice. However, a list of benefits does not necessarily explain why someone makes the decision to join.
While every Board is different, the same governance issues appear time and again. One of the most common is allowing one personâs behaviour
to dominate the Board table.
Almost every Board has experienced it at some point. One director who seems to consume more time and energy than everyone else combined.
How we help membership based, not-for-profit associations now and into the future.
