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Step 1
Identify exactly how you were wronged. Just being unhappy is not enough. Your complaint must be about something specific the company did or failed to do that was clearly their responsibility.
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Step 2
Document exactly where, when, and who wronged you. Be especially detailed with names. If an employee treated you badly, record their name, the store number and department, and when it all happened. If you are complaining about an inadequate product, record where and when you acquired it along with all the product numbers. If possible, take pictures.
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Step 3
Find witnesses. If there are other people who can verify your story, your argument becomes much stronger. This is especially true if you are dealing with a case of bad customer service or discrimination. Share phone numbers and e-mail addresses with others who had the same bad experience or witnessed your bad experience.
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Step 4
Remain calm. The success of your complaint depends on your ability to argue that you are the reasonable one in the dispute. If you scream and cause a scene then you become the problem regardless of what the company did. Getting upset only undermines your ability to get what you want.
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Step 5
Attempt to resolve the situation immediately. Ask to speak to an immediate supervisor. They might give you what you want on the spot. If they don't satisfy you then you can use this in your complaint letter later. It actually helps your argument if the supervisor was unresponsive since that is part of their job.
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Step 6
Write a complaint letter. Most people don't bother to complain about problems. Making the effort to put your complaint in writing makes companies take notice. The complaint letter should rationally detail the company's failure and how disappointed you are as a loyal customer. Do not vent your anger. Just get to the point and explain what happened. Tell how your efforts to resolve the problem with the local manager were rebuffed.
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Step 7
Identify what you want. You must give the company a simple way to resolve the situation. They will prefer to give you what you want instead of dealing with future complaints. However, this must be a reasonable request. It can be a refund, replacement product, or disciplinary action against an employee.
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Step 8
Send the complaint letter to people in power. The list should include regional managers, media relations managers, and managers at the national corporate level. The more powerful the people who get your complaint letter, the better your chances of getting a fast and effective response.
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Step 9
Mail copies to government agencies, industry organizations, and the media. These include the Better Business Bureau, Attorney General of your state, industry websites and blogs, and local television consumer reporters. Make sure that the company knows you sent the complaint letter to all these people by including their names in a "cc" section at the end of your letter.
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Step 10
Follow up. Let the company know that you will not be ignored. Make phone calls then send subsequent letters and e-mails. Ask to know what they are doing to resolve the situation. Each correspondence from you is another complaint that must be addressed. If they realize that you are not going away, they will try to appease you.
