A customer complaint log records every complaint about your products in one place: when it came in, who from, the product and its lot code, what happened, how serious it is, what you did, and when it was closed. The lot code is the field that turns a log into a safety tool, because two complaints about the same lot are a pattern, and a pattern is a reason to hold that lot and look at its batch record. Complaints are usually about quality: a stale bag, a broken seal. A few, like illness, an allergic reaction or a hard foreign object, need you to act the same day. Below is what to record, how to link complaints to lots, when a complaint means more than a refund, and a free template.
The short version
- Log every complaint, however small, the day it arrives.
- Always get the lot code: it's on the pack, and it's what makes the log useful.
- Rate severity: quality, possible safety, safety.
- Two complaints on the same lot is a pattern: hold the lot and check its batch record.
- Illness, allergens and hard foreign objects are same-day, and may mean a recall conversation.
- Close each complaint with what you did and when.
- TaroStack takes you from the lot on the pack to its batch, ingredients and customers in one report. More below.
What to record
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Date received | Oct 9 |
| Customer and contact | Corner Market, buyer's email |
| Product and lot code | Taro chips, 5 oz, TC-261010-B |
| Where and when bought | Delivered Oct 8 |
| Type | Foreign object |
| What happened | Burnt chip pieces in two bags |
| Severity | Medium |
| Lot checked? | Yes |
| Other complaints on the same lot | 1 |
| Action taken | Lot held; batch record reviewed |
| Closed, and by whom | Oct 14, Owner |
Ask for the lot code every time, and a photo if they can. If the customer threw the pack away, note where and when they bought it, which narrows it to a few lots.
Linking complaints to lots
Windward Roots, the made-up taro business I use in these examples, logged three complaints in early October:
| Received | Product and lot | Type | Severity | Same lot, others |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3 | Taro chips, TC-261001-A | Stale, seal open | Low | 0 |
| Oct 9 | Taro chips, TC-261010-B | Burnt pieces | Medium | 1 |
| Oct 10 | Taro chips, TC-261010-B | Hard burnt piece | Medium | 1 |
The first is a one-off: replace the bag, check the sealer. The second and third share a lot, which makes them a pattern: the lot goes on hold, and its batch record (oil temperature, fry time, who was frying) gets a look. A hold and what to do next are in hold and release procedure.
When a complaint means more than a refund
| If the complaint is | Then |
|---|---|
| Illness, an allergic reaction, or an allergen not on the label | Same day: hold the lot, find every customer who got it, and talk to your regulator about a recall |
| A foreign object that could injure: glass, metal, hard plastic | Same day: hold the lot, check the line before making more |
| A second complaint on the same lot | Hold the lot; review its batch record and ingredient lots |
| A label that's wrong: weight, ingredients, date | Hold what's left; a missing allergen is a recall question |
| Quality, taste or packaging, one-off | Replace or refund, record it, watch for a pattern |
Writing to customers if it does become a recall is covered in how to write a recall letter, and the trace itself in one up one back traceability. This is general information, not legal advice; your regulator can advise on whether something is a recall.
Get the template
Download the customer complaint log. It has every field above, with fixed lists for type and severity; it counts other complaints on the same lot and shades them, turns high severity red, and works out days to close. A second sheet sets out when a complaint should go further. It's an ordinary Excel file with no macros, and it works in Google Sheets, LibreOffice and Numbers.
Where this stops working
A complaint log only helps if the lot code leads somewhere. If the batch record for that lot is in a binder, the ingredient lots aren't on it, and nobody wrote down which customers got the lot, then a pattern of complaints leads to an afternoon of searching, and maybe to recalling everything made that week because you can't narrow it down.
How TaroStack does it
TaroStack makes the lot code on the pack lead straight to everything behind it.
From the lot to its batch. Every lot made in TaroStack carries its batch record: which ingredient lots went in, when, who made it, and the readings on the batch record form, like oil temperature and fry time, with any out of their limits flagged and reviewed. So a complaint about TC-261010-B is a click from the batch that made it.
From the batch to everyone. One report walks the lot forward to every customer who received it, with contact details, and shows what's still on your shelves at every site, so a pattern can be contained in minutes. Held stock sits apart from what's available, so the lot under review can't be shipped while you look.
And the supplier side. If the cause is an ingredient, the same report walks back to the supplier's lot and every other batch that used it. Customer returns go back into the lot they left in, so returned bags are found by any later recall, and timed traceability drills let you practise the whole trace.
| The job | Log and binder | In TaroStack |
|---|---|---|
| Lot on the pack to its batch | Search the binder | The lot's batch record |
| Which other customers got it | Search invoices | One report, with contacts |
| Keep it from shipping | A note on the shelf | On hold, apart from available stock |
| Is it an ingredient problem? | Guess | Back to the supplier lot and its other batches |
Lots, holds, recalls and traceability drills are on every plan, from $49 a month; batch records with ingredient lots and limits are on Standard at $99. The first 30 days are free, with no credit card. If you'd like a hand setting up, ask, and we'll do it with you.