How to Write a Complaint Letter

Paper letters tend to get more attention than emailed letters.

When you write a complaint letter, you must do it with your objective in mind. The purpose of a complaint letter is to get something. This could be a refund, compensation, or to get someone fired. A complaint letter is not a way to get out your frustrations and let the world know how angry you are. Be smart while you write a complaint letter and get what you want.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Write a letter, not just an e-mail. Companies and organizations realize that it takes much more effort to compose and mail a letter on paper than it takes to pound out an e-mail. Someone will always open and read a traditional letter while e-mail is often unopened. You can e-mail copies of your letter to be redundant, but always send a paper letter first.

2. Find out who should get the complaint letter. Recipients must be people who have the power to give you what you want. Start with the manager but don't stop there. Go over his head and send the same letter to the regional manager and media relations department of their national corporate offices. A manager who might dismiss your complaint wont ignore you if his boss is asking him what he is doing about it.

3. Locate names and addresses. Your complaint letter must be addressed to someone specific. Simply call up the business and ask the name, exact title and address of the managers. Make sure you spell the names correctly. Call the national corporate offices to find out who handles media relations on the corporate level.

4. Be polite and professional. If you come off as hostile and irrational, you will be dismissed as crazy. You must present yourself as a reasonable consumer with a reasonable complaint. Briefly explain the situation and why you believe you were wronged.

5. Be specific. Detail exactly when, where and how the problem occurred. Provide exact dates, times, locations, store numbers, product numbers, and serial numbers. Be especially specific with names of people you dealt with. For example, give the name of the person who gave you bad service and the manager who failed to address the issue. The people you are complaining to must be able to track down the culprits.

6. Suggest that you will continue to make noise if they do not address your complaint letter. Do not threaten, but state that you are so disappointed in their service that you are sharing your displeasure with other customers, blogs, websites, and television news consumer reporters.

7. Give them a way out. Write in your complaint letter what you believe is reasonable compensation for your trouble. For example, ask for a refund or a replacement product or that they consider disciplinary action against the responsible party. Do not ask for too much. If they feel they can satisfy you with a simple act, they will do it rather than deal with your wrath.

8. Thank them for their time and consideration. End with an optimistic phrase saying you hope you can work this out and continue doing business in the future.

9. CC the complaint letter to important agencies. "CC" stands for carbon copy. At the end of a letter simply type "CC:" and follow it with some names and addresses. These should include your local Better Business Bureau office, State's Attorney office, Attorney General of your state, newspapers, television stations, relevant blogs, and any regulatory agency that oversees their industry. Public relations people are trained to look for CC's. Your ominous list will scare them into action.

Resources

• I Want Them Fired .com
• How To Write a Complaint Checklist
• Who To Complain To
• Emerging Dragon .com
• Press the Point .com
• HOW TO WRITE A COMPLAINT LETTER