Customer complaint handling BPMN example

Complaint handling is where a customer relationship is either repaired or lost for good. Teams map the process because regulators, quality standards such as ISO 10002, and plain common sense all demand a consistent route from first contact to resolution. In practice the process goes wrong at the handoff: the front line logs a complaint, passes it on, and nobody owns it until the customer chases.

This example models complaint handling as one pool with three lanes: Front line support, Complaints team, and Quality assurance. Two exclusive gateways shape the flow, one for first contact resolution and one for whether the customer accepts the proposed remedy. The modelling choice worth noticing is the rework loop: a rejected remedy sends the token back to investigation rather than to a dead end.

Customer complaint handling: BPMN 2.0 diagram

Customer complaint handling process modelled as a BPMN 2.0 diagram

Download .bpmn Download SVG or open it in the free BPMN viewer

Standard BPMN 2.0 interchange XML: opens in Camunda Modeler, Signavio, Bizagi, and any other compliant tool.

The process at a glance

Starts when

Complaint received

Ends with

Complaint closed · Complaint resolved

Lanes

Front line support · Complaints team · Quality assurance

Decisions

Resolved at first contact? · Remedy accepted?

How to read this diagram

Everything begins in the Front line support lane when a complaint is received. The agent logs the complaint details, then the gateway "Resolved at first contact?" splits the flow. On the Yes branch the agent confirms the outcome with the customer and the process ends at "Complaint closed". The No branch, marked as the default flow, drops into the Complaints team lane, where a case handler is assigned.

From there the handler investigates the complaint and proposes a remedy. The second gateway, "Remedy accepted?", tests the customer response: Yes moves to the Quality assurance lane, where the root cause is recorded before the "Complaint resolved" end event; No, the default flow, loops back to the investigation task so the handler can try again. The loop keeps every token on a path to an end event while modelling the reality that first remedies are often refused.

BPMN elements used

Element	Count	In this diagram
Start event	1	Complaint received
End event	2	Complaint closed, Complaint resolved
Task	3	Assign case handler, Propose remedy, Record root cause
User task	2	Log complaint details, Investigate complaint
Send task	1	Confirm outcome with customer
Exclusive gateway	2	Resolved at first contact?, Remedy accepted?

View the BPMN 2.0 XML for this diagram

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<bpmn2:definitions xmlns:bpmn2="http://www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/20100524/MODEL" xmlns:bpmndi="http://www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/20100524/DI" xmlns:dc="http://www.omg.org/spec/DD/20100524/DC" xmlns:di="http://www.omg.org/spec/DD/20100524/DI" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" id="Definitions_1" targetNamespace="http://bpmn.io/schema/bpmn" exporter="swimdraft" exporterVersion="1.0">
  <bpmn2:collaboration id="Collaboration_1">
    <bpmn2:participant id="pool_cc" name="Complaint handling" processRef="Process_pool_cc" />
  </bpmn2:collaboration>
  <bpmn2:process id="Process_pool_cc" isExecutable="false">
    <bpmn2:laneSet id="LaneSet_pool_cc">
      <bpmn2:lane id="lane_cc_front" name="Front line support">
        <bpmn2:flowNodeRef>start_cc</bpmn2:flowNodeRef>
        <bpmn2:flowNodeRef>t_cc_log</bpmn2:flowNodeRef>
        <bpmn2:flowNodeRef>g_cc_first</bpmn2:flowNodeRef>
        <bpmn2:flowNodeRef>t_cc_confirm</bpmn2:flowNodeRef>
        <bpmn2:flowNodeRef>end_cc_closed</bpmn2:flowNodeRef>
      </bpmn2:lane>
      <bpmn2:lane id="lane_cc_team" name="Complaints team">
        <bpmn2:flowNodeRef>t_cc_assign</bpmn2:flowNodeRef>
        <bpmn2:flowNodeRef>t_cc_invest</bpmn2:flowNodeRef>
        <bpmn2:flowNodeRef>t_cc_remedy</bpmn2:flowNodeRef>
        <bpmn2:flowNodeRef>g_cc_accept</bpmn2:flowNodeRef>
      </bpmn2:lane>
      <bpmn2:lane id="lane_cc_qa" name="Quality assurance">
        <bpmn2:flowNodeRef>t_cc_record</bpmn2:flowNodeRef>
        <bpmn2:flowNodeRef>end_cc_resolved</bpmn2:flowNodeRef>
      </bpmn2:lane>
    </bpmn2:laneSet>
    <bpmn2:startEvent id="start_cc" name="Complaint received">
      <bpmn2:outgoing>f_cc1</bpmn2:outgoing>
    </bpmn2:startEvent>
    <bpmn2:userTask id="t_cc_log" name="Log complaint details">
      <bpmn2:incoming>f_cc1</bpmn2:incoming>
      <bpmn2:outgoing>f_cc2</bpmn2:outgoing>
    </bpmn2:userTask>
    <bpmn2:exclusiveGateway id="g_cc_first" name="Resolved at first contact?" default="f_cc4">
      <bpmn2:incoming>f_cc2</bpmn2:incoming>
      <bpmn2:outgoing>f_cc3</bpmn2:outgoing>
      <bpmn2:outgoing>f_cc4</bpmn2:outgoing>
    </bpmn2:exclusiveGateway>
    <bpmn2:sendTask id="t_cc_confirm" name="Confirm outcome with customer">
      <bpmn2:incoming>f_cc3</bpmn2:incoming>
      <bpmn2:outgoing>f_cc5</bpmn2:outgoing>
    </bpmn2:sendTask>
    <bpmn2:endEvent id="end_cc_closed" name="Complaint closed">
      <bpmn2:incoming>f_cc5</bpmn2:incoming>
    </bpmn2:endEvent>
    <bpmn2:task id="t_cc_assign" name="Assign case handler">
      <bpmn2:incoming>f_cc4</bpmn2:incoming>
      <bpmn2:outgoing>f_cc6</bpmn2:outgoing>
    </bpmn2:task>
    <bpmn2:userTask id="t_cc_invest" name="Investigate complaint">
      <bpmn2:incoming>f_cc6</bpmn2:incoming>
      <bpmn2:incoming>f_cc10</bpmn2:incoming>
      <bpmn2:outgoing>f_cc7</bpmn2:outgoing>
    </bpmn2:userTask>
    <bpmn2:task id="t_cc_remedy" name="Propose remedy">
      <bpmn2:incoming>f_cc7</bpmn2:incoming>
      <bpmn2:outgoing>f_cc8</bpmn2:outgoing>
    </bpmn2:task>
    <bpmn2:exclusiveGateway id="g_cc_accept" name="Remedy accepted?" default="f_cc10">
      <bpmn2:incoming>f_cc8</bpmn2:incoming>
      <bpmn2:outgoing>f_cc9</bpmn2:outgoing>
      <bpmn2:outgoing>f_cc10</bpmn2:outgoing>
    </bpmn2:exclusiveGateway>
    <bpmn2:task id="t_cc_record" name="Record root cause">
      <bpmn2:incoming>f_cc9</bpmn2:incoming>
      <bpmn2:outgoing>f_cc11</bpmn2:outgoing>
    </bpmn2:task>
    <bpmn2:endEvent id="end_cc_resolved" name="Complaint resolved">
      <bpmn2:incoming>f_cc11</bpmn2:incoming>
    </bpmn2:endEvent>
    <bpmn2:sequenceFlow id="f_cc1" sourceRef="start_cc" targetRef="t_cc_log" />
    <bpmn2:sequenceFlow id="f_cc2" sourceRef="t_cc_log" targetRef="g_cc_first" />
    <bpmn2:sequenceFlow id="f_cc3" name="Yes" sourceRef="g_cc_first" targetRef="t_cc_confirm">
      <bpmn2:conditionExpression xsi:type="bpmn2:tFormalExpression">Yes</bpmn2:conditionExpression>
    </bpmn2:sequenceFlow>
    <bpmn2:sequenceFlow id="f_cc4" name="No" sourceRef="g_cc_first" targetRef="t_cc_assign" />
    <bpmn2:sequenceFlow id="f_cc5" sourceRef="t_cc_confirm" targetRef="end_cc_closed" />
    <bpmn2:sequenceFlow id="f_cc6" sourceRef="t_cc_assign" targetRef="t_cc_invest" />
    <bpmn2:sequenceFlow id="f_cc7" sourceRef="t_cc_invest" targetRef="t_cc_remedy" />
    <bpmn2:sequenceFlow id="f_cc8" sourceRef="t_cc_remedy" targetRef="g_cc_accept" />
    <bpmn2:sequenceFlow id="f_cc9" name="Yes" sourceRef="g_cc_accept" targetRef="t_cc_record">
      <bpmn2:conditionExpression xsi:type="bpmn2:tFormalExpression">Yes</bpmn2:conditionExpression>
    </bpmn2:sequenceFlow>
    <bpmn2:sequenceFlow id="f_cc10" name="No" sourceRef="g_cc_accept" targetRef="t_cc_invest" />
    <bpmn2:sequenceFlow id="f_cc11" sourceRef="t_cc_record" targetRef="end_cc_resolved" />
  </bpmn2:process>
  <bpmndi:BPMNDiagram id="BPMNDiagram_1">
    <bpmndi:BPMNPlane id="BPMNPlane_1" bpmnElement="Collaboration_1">
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="pool_cc_di" bpmnElement="pool_cc" isHorizontal="true">
        <dc:Bounds x="20" y="20" width="1420" height="390" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="lane_cc_front_di" bpmnElement="lane_cc_front" isHorizontal="true">
        <dc:Bounds x="50" y="20" width="1390" height="130" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="lane_cc_team_di" bpmnElement="lane_cc_team" isHorizontal="true">
        <dc:Bounds x="50" y="150" width="1390" height="130" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="lane_cc_qa_di" bpmnElement="lane_cc_qa" isHorizontal="true">
        <dc:Bounds x="50" y="280" width="1390" height="130" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="start_cc_di" bpmnElement="start_cc">
        <dc:Bounds x="112" y="59" width="36" height="36" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel><dc:Bounds x="82" y="101" width="97" height="14" /></bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="t_cc_log_di" bpmnElement="t_cc_log">
        <dc:Bounds x="230" y="37" width="100" height="80" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="g_cc_first_di" bpmnElement="g_cc_first">
        <dc:Bounds x="405" y="52" width="50" height="50" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel><dc:Bounds x="367" y="32" width="126" height="14" /></bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="t_cc_confirm_di" bpmnElement="t_cc_confirm">
        <dc:Bounds x="530" y="37" width="100" height="80" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="end_cc_closed_di" bpmnElement="end_cc_closed">
        <dc:Bounds x="712" y="59" width="36" height="36" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel><dc:Bounds x="687" y="101" width="87" height="14" /></bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="t_cc_assign_di" bpmnElement="t_cc_assign">
        <dc:Bounds x="530" y="167" width="100" height="80" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="t_cc_invest_di" bpmnElement="t_cc_invest">
        <dc:Bounds x="680" y="167" width="100" height="80" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="t_cc_remedy_di" bpmnElement="t_cc_remedy">
        <dc:Bounds x="830" y="167" width="100" height="80" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="g_cc_accept_di" bpmnElement="g_cc_accept">
        <dc:Bounds x="1005" y="182" width="50" height="50" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel><dc:Bounds x="982" y="162" width="97" height="14" /></bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="t_cc_record_di" bpmnElement="t_cc_record">
        <dc:Bounds x="1130" y="297" width="100" height="80" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="end_cc_resolved_di" bpmnElement="end_cc_resolved">
        <dc:Bounds x="1312" y="319" width="36" height="36" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel><dc:Bounds x="1282" y="361" width="97" height="14" /></bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="f_cc1_di" bpmnElement="f_cc1">
        <di:waypoint x="148" y="77" />
        <di:waypoint x="230" y="77" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="f_cc2_di" bpmnElement="f_cc2">
        <di:waypoint x="330" y="77" />
        <di:waypoint x="405" y="77" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="f_cc3_di" bpmnElement="f_cc3">
        <di:waypoint x="455" y="77" />
        <di:waypoint x="530" y="77" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel><dc:Bounds x="461" y="57" width="21" height="14" /></bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="f_cc4_di" bpmnElement="f_cc4">
        <di:waypoint x="455" y="77" />
        <di:waypoint x="510" y="77" />
        <di:waypoint x="510" y="207" />
        <di:waypoint x="530" y="207" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel><dc:Bounds x="461" y="83" width="17" height="14" /></bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="f_cc5_di" bpmnElement="f_cc5">
        <di:waypoint x="630" y="77" />
        <di:waypoint x="712" y="77" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="f_cc6_di" bpmnElement="f_cc6">
        <di:waypoint x="630" y="207" />
        <di:waypoint x="680" y="207" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="f_cc7_di" bpmnElement="f_cc7">
        <di:waypoint x="780" y="207" />
        <di:waypoint x="830" y="207" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="f_cc8_di" bpmnElement="f_cc8">
        <di:waypoint x="930" y="207" />
        <di:waypoint x="1005" y="207" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="f_cc9_di" bpmnElement="f_cc9">
        <di:waypoint x="1055" y="207" />
        <di:waypoint x="1110" y="207" />
        <di:waypoint x="1110" y="337" />
        <di:waypoint x="1130" y="337" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel><dc:Bounds x="1061" y="187" width="21" height="14" /></bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="f_cc10_di" bpmnElement="f_cc10">
        <di:waypoint x="1055" y="207" />
        <di:waypoint x="1110" y="207" />
        <di:waypoint x="1110" y="262" />
        <di:waypoint x="660" y="262" />
        <di:waypoint x="660" y="207" />
        <di:waypoint x="680" y="207" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel><dc:Bounds x="1061" y="213" width="17" height="14" /></bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="f_cc11_di" bpmnElement="f_cc11">
        <di:waypoint x="1230" y="337" />
        <di:waypoint x="1312" y="337" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
    </bpmndi:BPMNPlane>
  </bpmndi:BPMNDiagram>
</bpmn2:definitions>

Frequently asked questions

Why does the rejected remedy loop back to investigation instead of ending?

Ending the process on a rejected remedy would model giving up on the customer, which is rarely the real procedure. Looping back to the investigation task keeps the model honest and keeps every node on a path from start to end. If your organisation caps the number of attempts, add a counter check or an escalation branch after the loop.

Should Quality assurance be a separate pool rather than a lane?

No, because quality assurance works inside the same organisation and on the same process instance as the other teams. Lanes show internal responsibility within one pool; pools are reserved for independent participants that communicate by message, such as the customer or an ombudsman service reviewing the case.

Where would an escalation or timer attach in this model?

The natural spot is the investigation task. A boundary timer event on "Investigate complaint" could route cases that exceed a service level, say ten working days, to a manager. This example keeps the flow to plain sequence flows for readability, so adding the timer is the obvious first extension for a regulated environment.

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