The Zero Mission
Since 2005, Klarna has worked hard to revolutionize the banking industry. Follow our progress toward 100% customer satisfaction.
Why we launched the Zero Mission
Klarna has more than 120m users worldwide and handles 3.4 million transactions every day. We’re part of everyday life for many people in Sweden, processing around half of all online purchases in the country. That’s a responsibility we take very seriously. We want every Klarna customer to have an unbeatable experience whenever they use our services.
How do we know if we’re succeeding? There are several established ways to measure customer satisfaction, but at Klarna, we like to think differently and challenge the status quo. So in 2018, we decided to set aside what was considered realistic and set ourselves an ambitious goal: 100% satisfied customers. Zero dissatisfied customers. That’s why we launched the Zero Mission.
As part of our Zero Mission, we closely monitor complaints submitted both to public authorities and directly to us at Klarna. We look for common themes and experiences that stand out, tracking any trends behind complaints so we can find ways to address them and prevent similar issues in the future. On this site, we share the work we're doing.
From complaints to improvements
Every month, we review the complaints we've received, identify areas for improvement, and make changes. This could mean anything from introducing new app features to streamlining the returns process or updating our internal customer service procedures. Complaints and feedback help us work toward our goal of 100% customer satisfaction.
Zero Mission statistics
Klarna records two types of complaints:
- 1.
Those received directly by Klarna customer service when our customers call, email, or chat with us.
- 2.
Those submitted by our customers to public authorities, which we then collect.
To put the number of complaints into context, we measure them per million purchases. Below, we report the total number of complaints per million purchases, including those received directly by our customer service and those submitted to public authorities. We call this the Zero Mission metric, and our goal is to bring it down to zero.
Complaints per million purchases
Based on all transactions and complaints in Sweden each year. Please note that the number of purchases varies from year to year.
Complaints to supervisory authorities
Allmänna reklamationsnämnden (ARN)
Allmänna reklamationsnämnden (ARN) is a government agency that reviews many types of consumer disputes. Only consumers can submit complaints, and they must do so in writing. A complaint doesn't necessarily mean that the company involved has committed a violation. ARN investigates the complaint and issues a recommendation on how the dispute should be resolved. Klarna always follows ARN's recommendations.
We made a number of process changes in 2023, including changes intended to speed up the handling of returns and complaints. But in rare cases, our handling fell short, resulting in more complaints to ARN. As soon as we identified the issue, we took immediate action, and the number of complaints halved between October and December. Since then, we've continued to improve our processes, with the aim of reducing the number of complaints to historically low levels once again.
While it's important to remember that Klarna processes millions of purchases by Swedish consumers every month and that complaints to ARN represent fewer than 0.0003% of all purchases, it's equally important for us to recognize that every complaint represents not only a failure, but also a lesson and an opportunity to improve. Our highest priority is to make sure all our customers feel safe every time they choose to shop with Klarna.
We look forward to reducing the number of complaints to historically low levels once again.
Complaints to Allmänna reklamationsnämnden
What happens to complaints submitted to ARN?
When a complaint is submitted to Allmänna reklamationsnämnden (ARN), ARN first checks whether the case falls within its jurisdiction and whether all the necessary information has been provided. If the information is complete, the case is registered, and both the consumer and the company are informed that it has been accepted for review. The company is then given an opportunity to respond to the consumer’s claim. ARN may request additional information or supporting documentation if necessary. ARN then conducts an impartial assessment of the dispute based on the documents submitted and any additional information provided, taking into account applicable legislation, case law, and industry rules. Finally, ARN issues a recommendation on how the dispute should be resolved. Klarna always follows ARN’s recommendations.
The statistics below provide an overview of ARN’s decisions and recommendations, based on the 865 complaints registered with Klarna as the counterparty. Of the 865 complaints submitted in 2023, 429 are still ongoing, while 184 were closed after Klarna and the consumer reached an agreement. ARN has issued decisions in 248 cases:
Recommendations from Allmänna reklamationsnämnden
Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (IMY)
In 2021, the Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (IMY) changed how it handles complaints submitted to the authority, in line with a European Union (EU) decision. Previously, IMY used complaints to identify recurring patterns and risks, but as a general rule, closed them with a standard response. It now assesses each complaint individually. This is why the number of cases concerning Klarna has increased, even though the number of complaints has stayed roughly the same.
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), complaints must be submitted to the data protection authority closest to the person concerned, which must then forward the complaint to the appropriate supervisory authority. As IMY is Klarna’s supervisory authority for privacy and data protection matters, it also handles complaints submitted to authorities elsewhere in Europe.
Complaints to the Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (2021 – 2023)
Annual reports
Help us improve!
We’re always looking for ideas to improve your experience. Is there anything you’d like us to consider or change? Let us know using our feedback form.