08/04/2026
Your staff represent your brand, especially when things go wrong.
Recently I experienced food poisoning after visiting a small independent café. Mistakes can happen in any business, and that’s not really the point of this post. What matters more is how a business responds when something goes wrong.
I left a message to let them know, simply to highlight the issue. When I didn’t hear back, I popped in to mention it in person. Unfortunately, the response I received was accusations, rudeness and aggression, and I was told it was my own fault.
I actually felt quite sad about it, because I suspect the owner of the business would be embarrassed and probably furious if they knew how the situation was handled.
It made me think about something that applies to every organisation:
Have your staff been trained in what to do when things go wrong?
Frontline employees are the face of your business. In difficult situations, they need to know how to:
• listen without becoming defensive
• show empathy
• take concerns seriously
• escalate issues appropriately
Handled well, a complaint can build trust and loyalty. Handled badly, it can damage a reputation very quickly.
This experience wasn’t really about food poisoning, it was a reminder that customer service training matters most in the moments when things don’t go to plan.
If you need a quote for customer service or complaint handling training for your business please drop me a line
jo@twist-training.com