How to Complain In an Effective Manner

I was raised here in the South. Ya'll may hear about our "Southern hospitality" and charm or how much we love our Mommas. Any Southerner worth their salt knows how important manners are and how used properly, can really express their displeasure in an effective manner.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Patience
• Calm demeanor

1. CONSIDER YOUR COMPLAINT - Is your complaint valid? Is your complaint because something else is going poorly? What would make you feel better towards the company who offered you poor service?
   
   Are you getting terrible service at a restaurant? Make sure your server is not slammed because someone called out sick at the last minute. Sometimes slow service can be because the kitchen is behind.
2. IRATE versus CALM DEMEANOR - I heard a speaker say once, "Irate people just want someone to know they feel like I RATE." Sometimes it is good to let off some steam, and some people may cause a scene then walk away. When you take the time to explain in a calm demeanor exactly why you are upset and what can be done to correct it, that may be a big help to a business. The manager of the establishment or product manager may benefit from what you offer in way of suggestions. You may bring to the table something they did not consider a problem, or simply did not consider. If you rant and rave, you may come across in a negative light and that is quite unproductive.
3. TALK TO THE RIGHT PERSON - One night my basement flooded, I saw a ShopVac for $69.99 on the wall at a home improvement store and got it loaded stood in line and it rang up as $99.99. I told the sales clerk, "The price on the wall said $69.99" she said, "It's ringing up $99.99. That was an old sale price." She couldn't do anything to help me, she didn't have the authority to do anything, and if I chose to never come to her store again it would not affect her salary. (These things were clear in our short exchange.) I said, "I need to speak to a manager." After 30 seconds he said,
   
   "Ma'am thank you for bringing this to my attention. That was the sale price from last week, it should have been changed but it was not. Let me GIVE YOU the lower price and knock 10% off of that for your trouble." I said thank you, and continue to shop at this store.
4. TAKE IT UP A NOTCH - I was in New York City and our hotel had a couple of issues. It was a name brand hotel. Our room had a couple of issues. A mouse, a flooding toilet. Our manager was not accommodating at all, because we were in "the city" at Christmas. (These things were clear in our several lengthy exchanges.) Well - I took names; made a list of the times we called the front desk and called the corporate office when I returned home. My complaint was valid and someone needed to know what was happening at this location.
   
   We got 2 nights free at a hotel in that brand for our troubles.
5. TAKE IT TO THE TOP - If you are really unsatisfied with your service and you have complained with no results and your complaint is truly warranted and be corrected in some manner, then take your complaint to the top.
   
   If you are taking this route - follow these steps:
   Keep a receipt if you have one, Take the name of all people involved, who you spoke to. Tell them how you wish this poor service had not occurred, but how you expect to be treated to maintain you as a customer. SEND THIS BY FAX to the highest level you can find. An e-mail can go unanswered or easily be deleted, a phone message can also be ignored, but a fax makes its way on someone's desk.
   
   I started out with the CEO of a large movie company and a Vice President contacted me the next day.
6. DON'T DO IT FOR THE FREE STUFF!!!
   If you want to complain in an effective manner, you will be providing a service to a manager. You will be offering pointers so other customers will not receive poor service or a bad product.
   
   Think about it this way, if you were the CEO of this company, would you want to know these things were going on at your establishment?
   
   Some companies may be equipped to compensate you by giving you a discount, or making sure you will return as a customer. You are the customer and your business is very important. But to look for any infraction to complain and get free stuff is not effective or helpful, but could be considered tacky.

Tips & Warnings

• Be detailed in your complaint
• Don't do it for the free stuff
• Send a fax to the highest member of the organization if you can't get a resolution
• Be a help