All businesses receive complaints from time to time, and whilst it’s impossible to please everyone, we can strive to ease tensions and provide support during stressful situations.

 

Complaints often involve emotions running high, long back-and-forth exchanges, and the need to delicately balance empathy with professionalism. Just the thought of unpicking lengthy communication can bring on feelings of stress and anxiety.

 

Handling customer complaints is a critical part of being a property factor and we know it’s rarely easy. Navigating the large volume of information and property knowledge detail to get to the core of the matter can be really time consuming. This is where AI can simplify the content for you.

 

AI tools like Chatgpt can support property factors by helping to frame communication more effectively, ensuring responses demonstrate empathy while presenting facts clearly, as well as interrogating and summarising lengthy message (or email) threads to save you time and frustration. And essentially, sticking to the main points of the customer’s complaint.

 

Here’s how AI tools like ChatGPT can help property factors master the art of complaint resolution.

 

1. Reducing the Emotional Load on Staff

 

Dealing with complaints day in and day out can take an emotional toll on property factor staff. ChatGPT offers a way to take the pressure off by providing draft responses that staff can refine, rather than having to start from scratch every time. This not only saves time but also helps maintain morale by making difficult conversations a little easier to navigate.

 

 

2. Framing Communication Effectively

 

When dealing with customer complaints, how you say something can be just as important as what you say. ChatGPT can help you craft responses that are professional, clear, and considerate. By inputting the details of a situation to the AI tool, property factors can get suggestions for phrasing that keeps the conversation constructive while addressing the complaint.

 

The key is the information you input to the AI tool and the format of the output you request, e.g.

 

• Do you want a short email summary of the facts taken from a message thread? Then ask ChatGPT to do exactly this and cut and paste in the entire message thread to allow for the software to read it and summarise for you.

 

*Our top tips for asking ChatGPT questions is at the bottom of this blog.

 

3. Demonstrating Empathy and Presenting Facts Clearly

 

Striking the right balance between showing empathy and sticking to the facts can be tricky, especially when emotions are high. ChatGPT can help you structure your responses to ensure they acknowledge the customer’s feelings while also providing the necessary factual information. Whether you upload your first draft and ask the software to review this for you or even supply the core facts and request a first draft written empathetically. Good AI tools can do both!

 

Why It Works:

 

• Empathy helps defuse tension and shows that you care about the homeowner’s concerns.
• Facts provide clarity and help move the conversation toward resolution.

 

4. Summarising Long Email or Messaging Threads

 

Sometimes, resolving a complaint involves sifting through long email chains or back-and-forth message threads, or large documents, which can be time-consuming and overwhelming. ChatGPT can help by summarising these conversations, extracting the key points, and presenting them in a concise format. This allows property factors to quickly understand the core issue and respond effectively.

 

How It Works:

 

• Copy and paste the text of a long email thread or conversation into ChatGPT.
• Ask the tool to summarise the main points, including any critical details or specific requests.
• If you need this by date and the date against each points, tell the tool this is what you need.

 

Example Output:

Summary of a 10-message thread about a delayed contractor job:

 

• The homeowner reported a roof leak on [date].
• The contractor initially scheduled the repair for [date] but delayed it twice due to weather.
• The homeowner expressed frustration about the lack of updates [date] .
• The property factor agreed to escalate the issue and provide a new timeline [date] .
• The homeowner is requesting compensation for the delay [date] .

 

With this summary in hand, you can craft a well-informed response that addresses all concerns efficiently.

 

5. Ensuring Consistency Across Communications

 

In a busy office, ensuring that communication is consistent across team members can be a challenge. ChatGPT can help standardise responses by generating clear, empathetic templates for common issues, such as maintenance delays, billing disputes, or service disruptions. This ensures that all homeowners receive a high standard of communication, regardless of who is handling their complaint.

 

6. Turning Complaints Into Opportunities

 

Handled well, a customer complaint can actually strengthen relationships. ChatGPT can help property factors not just resolve issues but also frame responses in a way that demonstrates commitment to improvement.

 

Example Closing Message:

“Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Your feedback helps us improve our service, and we’re committed to ensuring this doesn’t happen again. If there’s anything else we can do to assist, please don’t hesitate to let us know.”

 

Remember: this is only useful, if the content genuinely represents how you strive to maintain relationships with your customers.

 

Why ChatGPT Is a Game-Changer for Property Factors

 

By integrating AI like ChatGPT into your complaint-handling process, you can:

 

• Save Time: Quickly craft professional, empathetic responses and summarise lengthy threads.
• Enhance Communication: Deliver clear, consistent, and empathetic messages that build trust.
• Boost Efficiency: Focus on resolving issues rather than getting bogged down in lengthy communications and constantly re-wording messages.
• Improve Relationships: Turn complaints into opportunities to strengthen relationships with homeowners.

 

In the fast-paced world of property factoring, effective communication is key to maintaining trust and satisfaction. By leveraging ChatGPT, property factors can streamline the complaint-handling process, ensure every message is thoughtful and professional, and ultimately deliver a better experience for everyone involved.

 

At otagoTech we have incorporated available AI technology into our software for your convenience and ensure all the functionality you need is one place.

 

Our mission is to cultivate job satisfaction and enhance work-life balance for property factors through digital transformation, enabling them to deliver exceptional service to homeowners while reducing operational costs.

 

 

Top Tips for asking ChatGPT Questions

 

• Be Clear and Specific: State exactly what you want to know or accomplish. For example, instead of saying, “Tell me about this message thread,” try, “summarise the key points from this message thread in a short bullet point list?”

 

• Break Down Complex Questions: If your question has multiple parts, it may help to split it into separate queries. For instance, asking about commonality in the building, and then ask about the share of communal works.

 

• Provide Context: Including relevant background information can lead to more tailored responses. For example, if you’re looking for advice on a specific building location, or project title from a message thread, mention it!

 

• Ask for Resources or Tools: If you’re looking for external resources, specify this. For example, “Can you summarise the key points of the property factors code of conduct in Scotland ?” Note: you can add external links and upload documents.

 

• Use Follow-Up Questions to Dive Deeper: If the initial answer is too general or misses a point, follow up to clarify or ask for details. This back-and-forth often leads to more refined answers.

 

• Request Examples or Step-by-Step Guidance: When applicable, ask for examples or a step-by-step approach, like “Can you provide a step-by-step guide to manage voting amongst homeowners?”

 

• Experiment with Wording: If an answer doesn’t fully satisfy your question, try rephrasing or using synonyms. Sometimes different phrasing can trigger a more relevant response.

 

 

• Limit Jargon or Ambiguous Terms: Unless discussing a specialised topic, use clear language that avoids ambiguity. For instance, instead of “What’s the best way to improve it?” specify what “it” refers to.

 

• Specify the Format: If you need a list, summary, or detailed explanation, mention this. For example, “Can you summarise the key points from this message thread?” or “Please list the steps.”

 

• Stay Patient with Iterations: ChatGPT can improve responses as you iterate or clarify. Sometimes the best insights come from a few exchanges rather than a single question.