1. Respond within four hours to the complaint via phone (not email).
  2. Listen carefully to the complaint.
  3. Apologize for any inconvenience caused (whether real or imagined).
  4. Restate the complaint back to the student. “Let me make sure I understand your concern…”
  5. Thank them for bringing it to your attention.
  6. Ask, “What would you like to do?” This is really important. Often, it’s much less than you are expecting.
  7. Describe exactly what you are willing to or capable of doing to resolve the issue.
  8. If you can’t do anything, avoid citing school policy. Instead, use the Feel, Felt, Found pattern followed by the Because bridge: “Mrs. Jones, I understand how you feel. A number of students through the years have expressed the same feeling. In time, they found that…” or use the “because” bridge, “I understand you want this, this, and this. Because we have to be fair to ALL of our students, we’re only able to do this in these types of situations. Again, thanks for bringing this to our attention.”
  9. Write down in your log book what you promised and follow through.
  10. Send a thank you note (you may include a gift certificate for a local restaurant as a surprise gift).