Complaint Records: Why Dealers Must Document, Store and Retain Everything

If it isn't documented, it may as well not have happened. When a customer complaint escalates, the businesses that can show exactly what was said, done and agreed are the ones in the strongest position.

Avoiding the "he said, she said" problem

Memories differ and conversations are interpreted differently. Weeks or months later, it can be difficult to establish exactly what happened. Without records, a dispute can come down to one person's word against another's.

The unhappy customer often does exactly what a business should be doing. They keep WhatsApp messages, emails, screenshots and notes of conversations, and they build their own record of events. Can your business do the same?

What a complaint file should contain

A proper complaint file should hold:

The original complaint
Relevant correspondence
WhatsApp messages
Investigation notes
Supporting documents
Records of the action taken and the final outcome

WhatsApp messages are evidence too

Communication that takes place informally is no less important. WhatsApp messages and other electronic communications should be stored securely and remain accessible when they are needed.

Regulators decide on evidence

Regulators and dispute resolution bodies make decisions based on the law, the facts and the evidence presented to them, not on hearsay or someone's recollection of a conversation. If a dealership claims it followed the correct procedure, it must be able to demonstrate it.

Document it. Store it. Retain it.

Do not wait until a complaint arrives before trying to reconstruct what happened, because by then it may be too late. Good complaint resolution is not only about finding a solution. It is about being able to prove that the process was followed fairly, properly and in accordance with the law.

When a complaint is escalated, your paperwork may be your strongest defence.