Managing customer complaints regarding delivery: the HEARD method

The HEARD method is used by the largest restaurant chains to handle complaints. Here’s how to adapt it for delivery.

H - Hear (Listen): Read the statement in its entirety without reacting emotionally. Note the specific facts mentioned by the client.

E - Empathize (Empathize): Put yourself in the customer’s place. If you had paid 20 EUR for a cold or incomplete dish, how would you react?

A - Apologize (Excusez-vous) : Sincere and specific apologies. Not a generic “sorry for the inconvenience,” but “We are sorry that your chicken arrived cold.”

R - Resolve (Resolve): Propose a concrete solution. A partial refund, a gift card, a dish offered on the next order.

D - Diagnose (Diagnose): After having resolved the client’s problem, analyze the root cause. If the dishes arrive cold, it may be a packaging issue, a delay, or a delivery zone issue.

Application in progress: on the platforms, you only have the written response to apply HEARD. Every word counts. Be professional, empathetic, and solution-oriented.