THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPLAINTS HANDLING STANDARDS IN SPA COMPANIES: A CASE STUDY ANALYSIS IN SPAIN

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze the key features of an effective complaint management process as well as to explore whether these systems are formally constituted in terms of standards or other models for complaints management. We use four case studies of spa organizations from Spain. The case studies illustrate the organizations' approach to managing complaints and customer satisfaction effectively. The results of this exploratory study show that all four organizations have some mechanisms implemented to handle complaints although different levels of formalization have been achieved. The analysis unveils some common difficulties and key success factors of implementing a complaints handling system. The results of this paper suggest that managers should prioritize managing customer complaints effectively in order to enhance their chances of meeting customer expectations. This strategy can result into turning customer complaints to customer satisfaction, especially when the organization views complaints as an opportunity to improve.

Keywords

• service quality
• customer satisfaction
• complaints handling
• ISO 10002