Writing the great complaint letter

CONSUMER COMPLAINT LETTER - A letter written by a consumer to a manufacturer, retailer or service provider regarding a problem with a product or service with the expectation that corrective action will be taken.

Consumers with legitimate gripes can often get satisfactory results by writing a complaint letter. The letter not only serves to vent a consumer’s frustration and have a problem solved, it may gain them other rewards as well.

Keep the following tips in mind the next time you are burned by a business.

1. Before you sit down to write a complaint letter, investigate alternate methods of lodging your disapproval. Many companies have toll-free telephone lines for consumers to discuss problems. Find them by calling the toll free directory at 800-555-1212. If your telephone call produces no results, write a letter.

2. Ask yourself is it worth it. An effective, well-written letter takes a while to compose. Is your complaint legitimate enough to spend the time? “I once purchased a six-pack of a grocery chain brand soda,” says Hurst. “It was awful – tasted like carbonated water. But the cost of the soda – under $2 – wasn’t worth my time to pen a letter. Instead, the next time I visited the store, I told the manager about it. He gave me a refund on the spot, even though I hadn’t saved my receipt.”

3. Organize your thoughts. You may want to prepare an outline of the sequence of events that led to your complaint. This includes the date and time of any telephone calls, the name(s) of the person you spoke to and what they said.

4. Be specific. If you are dissatisfied with a product, state the particulars. “I didn’t like this product” tells the company nothing. “This product has no flavor and tastes like carbonated water,” goes right to the heart of the complaint.

5. Start your letter with a compliment. Companies may receive hundreds of angry complaints a year and some customer service representatives may be desensitized to the plight of the consumer. Encourage empathy by first saying something nice. Example: “I am usually quite satisfied with the fine Karf Company products, but recently had a horrid experience when I tried Karf’s furniture polish.”

6. Use humor. Like the compliment, humor may promote an empathetic response from overworked customer service reps.

7. When necessary, bring on the big guns. “A dentist once performed a $90 cosmetic procedure on a weakened tooth that ultimately led to the tooth’s breaking,” advises Hurst. “When I asked for a refund and restoration of the tooth, he refused. So I wrote him a letter and sent a copy to the American Dental Association.” Hurst received a refund in a matter of days.

8. If your first letter fails to garner a positive response, a second letter that promises you’ll contact the Better Business Bureau and any other applicable agency may get the ball rolling. Bad publicity and consumer complaints are a company’s worst nightmare. If nothing happens, make good on your promise. Although these tactics may never yield results, at least you’ve lodged a formal complaint, which reflects on the company’s integrity.

9. Keep a copy of your letter. “This advice is especially important when the complaint is a major issue,” states Hurst. “Your initial letter may lay the foundation of a law suit.”

10. Avoid angry, impassioned language. Try to distance yourself from your emotions. It’s more effective to state your case with Dr. Spock-like impartial logic. “I bought a hundred dollar food processor and it broke after three weeks – you guys are smut,” is not as effective as, “My recently purchased food processor unexpectedly expired.

11. Don’t forget to include your name, address, daytime and evening telephone numbers and your e-mail address.

12. Include copies of documents that support your complaint. Do not send originals!

13. If possible, type your letter. At the least, use legible, handwritten block lettering. Avoid cursive when penning a letter.

14. Make your letter brief and to the point. There’s no need to go into detail unless the issue is complicated and major. Include all the important facts – date of purchase, place of purchase, date of service, name of person who performed service, serial numbers, model numbers, etc.

15. State exactly what you want done about the problem and when you expect results. Don’t make demands. Use gentler language like, “I am requesting a full refund of the price I paid for this item.” Be reasonable. Give the company at least ten business days to respond to your letter.

16. Address your letter to a specific person if possible. The person should be someone with enough authority to resolve the problem like the head of the “Consumer Affairs” department. Send a copy to the president.

17. If it’s an important issue, consider sending the letter certified or registered mail so you have a record of the date it was received.

18. If using e-mail to send your letter, observe the same rules as if you were sending a formal letter. That means formatting the message exactly as you would a letter with your name and address and the date at the top and company address information following. Send a copy of the e-mail to relevant organizations. The federal government has links to consumer agencies and companies at www.pueblo.gsa.gov.

19. If you believe you have given the company enough time to resolve the problem, file a complaint with your state or local consumer protection office, the Better Business Bureau, or the regulatory agency that has jurisdiction over the business. Include information about what you have done so far to try to resolve your complaint. If you think a law has been broken, contact your local or state consumer protection agency right away.

20. Investigate other sources of help with complaints. Media programs, local newspapers and radio stations often have Action Line services that try to resolve the consumer complaints they receive. Contact “Call for Action,” an international, non-profit network of consumer hotlines at 301-657-7490 or visit their web site (www.callforaction.org).

21. Note how complying with your request will benefit the company.