Complaints are a firm's best friend

Abstract

The strategic intelligence literature includes many studies on the use of sales forces and exhibitions; however, customer complaints are generally sidestepped in the strategic intelligence context. This article takes a theoretical approach to the interaction between strategic intelligence and complaint management. From our literature review, we draw an exploratory model of the link between the two processes and emphasize the most important complaint handling initiatives for strategic intelligence, both for its gathering and protection aspects. An analytical presentation of the intelligence that can be collected from complaints is proposed. The research should be helpful to managers who want to understand better or design a complaint management system that is ‘strategic intelligence oriented’.

Keywords:

• strategic intelligence
• marketing intelligence
• complaint management

Acknowledgements

The authors want to thank Sheila Wright for her trust and support, as well as all the reviewers who have provided such useful comments and ideas at the different stages of this article. Thank you also to Maria Crawford for her helpful editorial assistance.