How do I handle a customer who complains about an AI call?
Apologise, find the call in your call log, listen to the recording and tell the customer what you found. Remove them from further calls if they ask, fix whatever caused the complaint, and escalate if the complaint is about consent, DND or abuse. Do not argue about whether the call was fair; use the record to give a straight answer.
Treat it as you would any call complaint
A complaint about an AI call deserves the same seriousness as one about a human telecaller. In some ways it is easier to settle, because every Outpero call is recorded, transcribed and logged, so you do not have to rely on memory.
A step-by-step response
- 01Thank the customer and apologise for the trouble, without defending the call
- 02Find the call in the call log by number and date, and listen to the recording or read the transcript
- 03Tell them plainly what you found: why they were called, what was said and what the agent did
- 04If they do not want to be called again, record that and remove them from every list and campaign
- 05Fix the cause, whether it was the wrong time, the wrong list, an unclear opening or a script error
- 06Review nearby calls for the same problem
Know which complaints are serious
Some complaints are about preference. Others may involve rules. If a customer says they were on the Do Not Disturb register, did not consent, or was called outside permitted hours, take it seriously, check your list source and consent records, and seek advice if needed. Outpero's bulk campaigns screen against DND and it uses a DLT-registered calling line, but the business that owns the list remains responsible for having the right to call it.
Use complaints to improve the agent
- —Move calling windows if people say the timing was bad
- —Tighten the opening so the purpose and company are clear in the first sentence
- —Add a quick opt-out line the agent responds to correctly
- —Stop calling segments that keep producing complaints
Keep a log of complaints and what changed. A pattern tells you something about the list or the script faster than any dashboard number will.
Whatever the outcome, thank the customer for telling you. Many people simply hang up, so one who complains is giving you free information about your list, your timing or your script, and answering them well is often the cheapest brand repair you will do.
Want to hear an AI voice agent handle this on a real call?