How to Effectively Complain
We have all purchased products or services that don't seem to live up to the conditions of sale or that are in some way damaged or inferior. Yet how many of us bother to complain to anyone except our friends and family?
Contrary to what you might believe, quality companies actually want you to complain if their services don't live up to expectations. They place great importance on word of mouth with good reason - traditional wisdom has it that a happy customer may pass on the word to one person, but an unhappy one will likely spread the word to ten. Next time you're dissatisfied, let the company know! When you complain in a civilized and professional manner you will not only get results, but will help the company avoid similar mistakes in the future.
Tips and Tools You Can Use
Remember that attitude is everything when you are complaining - and we're not talking about a bad attitude! At all times, be courteous and unemotional but firm, and your complaints will usually reap the rewards you are after. Here are some great tips to get you started:
Give them a chance
Start with the salesperson or rep that sold you the product or service.
Explain what the problem is - be courteous and considerate. Blame does not usually lie with the salesperson and you want to get him or her on your side. Ask for the salesperson's name.
If you receive no satisfaction from the salesperson - or if your original complaint is about the salesperson - call the company's customer service department.
Remain calm and courteous. Ask the person who answers the phone for their name before you begin discussing your complaint.
Again, explain what the problem is. And again, remember that the person you are speaking to is not the person at fault.
Begin keeping a file with all relevant receipts, warranties, names of people you have spoken to, dates that conversations took place and brief summaries of the conversations.
Go higher up
If your initial complaints receive no satisfaction, it's time to start going higher.
Call the company's head office to find out the name of the director in charge of Customer Service.
Get the exact spelling of their name and the precise address.
Start your letter with factual information about your complaint. Give the date when the product or services were purchased, the store or outlet where the purchase was made and product or service name and model or service description.
Describe the problem briefly. Don't get emotional. Stay calm and reasonable.
Describe the efforts you have made to get the issue resolved. Again, be brief and stay factual. Give the dates when complaints were made, names of the people you spoke to and the results - or lack of results - from the complaints.
State what you would like. Is a full or partial refund the objective? A credit? A product exchange? A service visit to correct or redo a service?
Request a response within two weeks. Give a telephone number where you can be reached during the day, plus your email address and mailing address.
Go to the top
Still no satisfaction? It's time to pull in the big guns.
Call to get the name and precise title and address of the company president.
Write a letter to the president. If you have previously been a loyal customer, be sure to mention this. Repeat customers are costly for companies to acquire. They have no desire to lose any.
Remain unemotional and professional. Base the letter on the same details that were in your first letter, and additionally recount how you have previously written to the company with no satisfactory response. Give names of all people you have spoken or written to, along with dates. State that you expect to receive a response within three weeks.
Copy this letter to the director of Customer Service that you previously approached.
Send the letter to the president by registered mail. Keep copies of all correspondence.
If you continue to receive no satisfaction, decide whether it is worth the cost of getting a lawyer to send a letter to the company.
Small Claims Court is another option that you may wish to consider.
Helpful Resources
Sample complaint letter
(http://www.mythreecents.com/letterSample.cgi)
Canadian Consumer Information Gateway
(http://www.consumerinformation.ca/cgi-bin/main.cgi?Language=E)
We have all purchased products or services that don't seem to live up to the conditions of sale or that are in some way damaged or inferior. Yet how many of us bother to complain to anyone except our friends and family?
Contrary to what you might believe, quality companies actually want you to complain if their services don't live up to expectations. They place great importance on word of mouth with good reason - traditional wisdom has it that a happy customer may pass on the word to one person, but an unhappy one will likely spread the word to ten. Next time you're dissatisfied, let the company know! When you complain in a civilized and professional manner you will not only get results, but will help the company avoid similar mistakes in the future.
Tips and Tools You Can Use
Remember that attitude is everything when you are complaining - and we're not talking about a bad attitude! At all times, be courteous and unemotional but firm, and your complaints will usually reap the rewards you are after. Here are some great tips to get you started:
Give them a chance
Start with the salesperson or rep that sold you the product or service.
Explain what the problem is - be courteous and considerate. Blame does not usually lie with the salesperson and you want to get him or her on your side. Ask for the salesperson's name.
If you receive no satisfaction from the salesperson - or if your original complaint is about the salesperson - call the company's customer service department.
Remain calm and courteous. Ask the person who answers the phone for their name before you begin discussing your complaint.
Again, explain what the problem is. And again, remember that the person you are speaking to is not the person at fault.
Begin keeping a file with all relevant receipts, warranties, names of people you have spoken to, dates that conversations took place and brief summaries of the conversations.
Go higher up
If your initial complaints receive no satisfaction, it's time to start going higher.
Call the company's head office to find out the name of the director in charge of Customer Service.
Get the exact spelling of their name and the precise address.
Start your letter with factual information about your complaint. Give the date when the product or services were purchased, the store or outlet where the purchase was made and product or service name and model or service description.
Describe the problem briefly. Don't get emotional. Stay calm and reasonable.
Describe the efforts you have made to get the issue resolved. Again, be brief and stay factual. Give the dates when complaints were made, names of the people you spoke to and the results - or lack of results - from the complaints.
State what you would like. Is a full or partial refund the objective? A credit? A product exchange? A service visit to correct or redo a service?
Request a response within two weeks. Give a telephone number where you can be reached during the day, plus your email address and mailing address.
Go to the top
Still no satisfaction? It's time to pull in the big guns.
Call to get the name and precise title and address of the company president.
Write a letter to the president. If you have previously been a loyal customer, be sure to mention this. Repeat customers are costly for companies to acquire. They have no desire to lose any.
Remain unemotional and professional. Base the letter on the same details that were in your first letter, and additionally recount how you have previously written to the company with no satisfactory response. Give names of all people you have spoken or written to, along with dates. State that you expect to receive a response within three weeks.
Copy this letter to the director of Customer Service that you previously approached.
Send the letter to the president by registered mail. Keep copies of all correspondence.
If you continue to receive no satisfaction, decide whether it is worth the cost of getting a lawyer to send a letter to the company.
Small Claims Court is another option that you may wish to consider.
Helpful Resources
Sample complaint letter
(http://www.mythreecents.com/letterSample.cgi)
Canadian Consumer Information Gateway
(http://www.consumerinformation.ca/cgi-bin/main.cgi?Language=E)
