Complaints are a gift.
I’m not much of a complainer. I don’t see much point in it – most of the time, the better option is to simply fix the problem. If it’s too hot in a room, I have many options that get me to a comfortable temperature more effectively than complaining about the heat. I can find and change the thermostat myself, I can leave the room, or I can take off my coat – or I can even just decide not to care about slight discomfort. I’ll choose those options over complaining almost every time because I think they’re all much more likely to get me what I want.
But let’s say the room I’m in – the one that’s too hot – is a business of some kind. And while waiting for my turn, I notice other people also showing signs of temperature-related discomfort. I see these people, exasperated by the heat, deciding to leave rather than staying as customers. The owners of the business seem oblivious; perhaps they’re so busy that they simply don’t notice, or maybe they think they’re hot because they’re working hard and don’t realize it’s actually the whole place.
In this instance, alerting the owners of the problem – complaining about it – is a huge gift. They might be losing a lot of business because of this simple and easy-to-fix problem and they don’t know it. That simple complaint and its equally simple solution could be worth thousands of dollars to them, or more.
So when someone complains to you, it’s often a tremendous gift. Of course, sometimes it’s poorly given. If I complain about the heat in that building to my neighbor when I get home, that doesn’t accomplish much. Likewise, if I complain about the price of a product to a cashier with zero input on that price, I’ve missed the mark again.
Before I complain, I take a moment to think – is this complaint a gift? Or am I wasting someone’s time and ruining their mood for no reason?
That’s why I complain rarely. But when someone complains to you, give a thought to unwrapping it before you throw it away.
The Opportunity Machine 