Do you welcome trick-or-treaters with a big bowl of candy, or do you switch off the lights and hope nobody knocks?
If you’re in the second group, you’re not alone. We had a neighbour—let’s call her June—who wasn’t a fan of unexpected visitors. It didn’t matter if it was Halloween or just another Tuesday; any surprise knock at the door made her uncomfortable.
The same thing happens in business. When a refund request or complaint shows up out of the blue, it can throw you off balance. Those moments have a way of catching you off guard, leaving you scrambling for a response.
So, how do you handle these “trick-or-treat” moments in your business?
5 Ways to Handle Refunds, Complaints, and Conflict
1. Stay Calm—It’s Part of the Game Cancelations, refunds, and complaints are part of running a business. Sometimes, they feel personal, but they’re not. Not every upset member is a troublemaker—some are simply passionate or frustrated. The key is to separate genuine feedback from disruptive behaviour.
2. Remove Major Issues Quickly If someone crosses the line with harassing or inappropriate behaviour, don’t hesitate to remove them immediately. Look at your mindset, do the work. Your community needs clear boundaries, and it’s okay to enforce them. Make sure you have strong guidelines in place before issues arise, so everyone knows what behaviour won’t be tolerated (yes – it’s ok to do the work and kick someone out).
3. Be Ready for Payment Disputes
4. Make Canceling Painless
5. Embrace Feedback (Even When It Hurts – in your perception)
Setting Boundaries
We had a session in Maximum Growth Academy a few weeks ago on a boundary setting. It helps to see what you are willing and what you are not willing to accept in business.
Handling refunds, complaints, or conflicts isn’t fun, but having solid processes and clear boundaries makes all the difference.
With the systems in place, you can handle issues smoothly and keep your community thriving—without the stress of unexpected “trick-or-treat” surprises.
When things don’t go as planned, just remember: the best businesses aren’t the ones without problems—they’re the ones that handle problems well.
With love and sprinkles of spiders,
Tanya “Scary” Cross.
Leadership Coach & The Coaches Coach Master Certified Demartini Method Facilitator BAppSoSc (Counselling) |