Masterclass: How to deal with client complaints in-house

There is no denying it, client complaints are on the rise. In the 12 months to 31 March 2013, the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) received 4,139 new complaints about advisers, an increase of 45% on the previous year’s total of 2,857. According to the FOS, one of the main reasons for this rise is the emergence of a new attitude among clients and consumers. “We are seeing a shift from when people might have been very English and not complained, to now, where we are more emancipated and know we don’t have to tolerate second best,” says FOS spokesperson Rory Stoves. Of course, a will...