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Acknowledge fast, establish the facts, respond specifically, and fix the cause. Within four hours, acknowledge: "Thanks for telling me. I'm sorry this has happened. I'm looking into it and will come back to you by [time]." Acknowledge their experience without admitting liability before you know what happened. Then ask a question most people skip: "What would a good outcome look like for you?" The answer is often smaller than you feared. Establish the facts against the agreement and the delivery record. Decide: fix, redo, credit, refund, or explain why it is outside scope. Respond within two working days, say what you are changing so it will not recur, and then do exactly what you said by the date you said. Finish by asking, explicitly: "Is this resolved from your point of view?" See SOP: Handling a Client Complaint.
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Complaints can have legal or regulatory consequences. Avoid admitting liability before the facts are clear, keep records, and take qualified advice for anything involving injury, personal data, or a regulated activity.
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