WhatsApp Complaint Handling With Tickets and Team Tasks
Complaint handling on WhatsApp covers a customer telling you something went wrong: a late order, a bad meal, a room that was not ready. AeroChat acknowledges the complaint, collects the facts and the booking or order reference, logs it in HubSpot, creates a task for the right manager in Asana or ClickUp, and hands the conversation to that person. Decisions on refunds and compensation stay with your team.
What happens today
A complaint arrives on WhatsApp late at night. The first reply comes the next day, by which time the customer has posted a review.
When someone does reply, they ask for details the customer already gave. Nobody records the complaint, so the same problem comes back and nobody sees the pattern.
How it runs on WhatsApp
- A customer sends a complaint on WhatsApp.
- AeroChat replies straight away, acknowledges the problem and apologises without admitting fault or offering compensation.
- It asks for the booking or order reference and what happened, and finds the customer in HubSpot by phone number, or by email when the number is not available.
- It reads the customer’s history, such as past tickets and their last booking, so the manager has context.
- It logs a ticket in HubSpot and creates a task in Asana or ClickUp for the duty manager, with the details and a due time.
- It hands the conversation to the manager in the AeroChat inbox and tells the customer who will reply and when.
The recipe
Copy this into AeroChat
When a customer complains on WhatsApp, follow these steps.
- Acknowledge the problem and apologise for the experience. Do not admit fault, and do not offer refunds, discounts or compensation.
- Ask for their booking or order number, the date, and what happened. Ask for photos if it helps.
- Find the contact in HubSpot by phone number, or by email if there is no number.
- Create a ticket in the Complaints pipeline (example) with category Service, Food or Room (example), and a summary in their words.
- Create a task in the Guest Issues project in Asana (example) for the duty manager, due within 2 hours (example), with the ticket link.
- Hand the conversation to the duty manager and tell the customer: “Our duty manager will reply to you here within 2 hours (example).”
Stay calm and short. Do not argue with the customer. Reply in the customer’s language.
Use your own categories, project and response time. ClickUp works the same way with a list instead of a project.
Connect the systems behind it
- HubSpot: logs each complaint as a ticket on the contact so patterns show up in your reports.
- Asana: creates a task for the manager who has to act, with a due time.
- ClickUp: adds the complaint to a list for the team that fixes it.
If you keep things simple, a Google Sheet works as the complaint log. It connects by signing in with a Google account.
Using a different system? If it has a public API, it connects to AeroChat the same way: describe what you want, paste in its key, and it runs.
Can’t find your tool? Message us in the chat on this page and we’ll tell you how it connects.
What it costs on WhatsApp
The complaint costs nothing to receive. AeroChat’s acknowledgement and your manager’s replies within 24 hours of the customer’s last message are service messages, free up to 1,000 a month per business phone number and then charged per message. A follow-up sent days later, for example to confirm a refund, needs an approved template, charged per message. Rates vary by country and are set in Meta’s rate cards. AeroChat passes Meta’s WhatsApp fees through at cost.
Also on Instagram, Messenger, TikTok and web chat
Complaints that arrive on Instagram, Messenger or your website get the same acknowledgement, ticket and task. The same workflow runs on Instagram, Facebook Messenger, TikTok (direct messages and TikTok Shop buyer chat), Telegram, the chat on your website and email, with the same connections behind it. You describe it once and switch on the channels you use.
Who uses it
Hotels and restaurants use it most, because a complaint there needs a fast reply from a manager. See hotels and their complaint handover workflow, and restaurants and caterers.
Questions
How should a business handle complaints on WhatsApp?
Reply quickly, acknowledge the problem, collect the facts once, log the complaint and pass it to someone who can decide. AeroChat does the first four steps and hands over for the decision.
Will the AI offer refunds or discounts?
Only if you allow it in your recipe and within the limit you set. In the recipe on this page, every compensation decision goes to a manager.
Can I message the customer after the complaint is resolved?
Within 24 hours of their last message you can reply freely. After that, WhatsApp only allows an approved template, charged per message, and the customer must have agreed to hear from you.
Which plan do I need?
Workflows via Skills are on every plan, Free included. Starter gives 500 AI responses and 3 seats. Growth gives 2,000 AI responses and 10 seats, and adds payment links and broadcasts. Advanced gives 5,000 AI responses and 25 seats.
Answer every complaint before it becomes a review
Connect HubSpot and your task tool, paste the recipe, and send a test complaint from your own phone.
Start your 7-day free trial. No credit card needed.
On Shopify? Install AeroChat from the Shopify App Store.
Related: support tickets from WhatsApp and feedback and surveys.