It's understandably difficult to be on the receiving end of a patient complaint and still see it as something positive and valuable to behold.
But that's exactly what the Patients Association is suggesting that health professionals and managers should be doing.
Of course, if you feel that you are doing a good job, often against the odds, and you simply can't see why the patient should be upset, then their complaint seems little more than an irritating interruption that is wasting your time and that of other patients.
The Patients Association's assertion that complaints should be treasured is not a new concept, and probably litters the NHS regulations on handling grievances.
But its survey of 500-or-so members, of whom 68 per cent felt that making a complaint had been 'pointless', should be heeded as a warning by health professionals who will soon be undergoing revalidation.
For GPs, at least, this will involve 360-degree appraisals, taking the views of patients in to account when deciding whether to renew their licence to practice.
And it's worth remembering that most of the complaints received by the GMC involve the doctor's communication skills.
They are not necessarily the root of the complaint, but they quickly become relevant when the grievance is raised and the doctor is required to confront the issue.
Their handling of the initial complaint often becomes the reason for a second complaint, and is also likely to make the patient even more determined to succeed in their action.
All of us expect to be treated fairly and respectfully by the companies and organisations we deal with in our daily lives, and especially our public services.
This survey by the Patients Association is a wake-up call for those in the NHS who think of complaints simply as an interruption to ‘normal services'.
In the increasingly competitive environment of healthcare provision, the providers who offer a responsive, customer-focused service will be the ones who prosper. And who can complain about that?