How to Complain about Bad Customer Service and Get What You Want
The oft-repeated statement "the customer is always right" sounds good in theory, but some companies are seriously lacking in the customer service department. If you receive sub-par customer service, it is important to report your experience and let the company make it up to you. The complaint process is not always flawless, but persistence will help your voice be heard by the company.
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Instructions
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Write down your complaint and desired outcome. It is not always easy to boil down your exact customer service complaint, but if you do not understand what you are upset about, then you cannot expect the company to understand, either. Boiling your complaint down to a succinct summary also prevents misunderstandings between you and the company.
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Breathe. Bad customer service situations make even the most levelheaded people angry, but an angry, emotional outburst while speaking with a customer service agent only creates a hostile situation.
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Escalate the complaint to a superior if the front-line customer service agent does not solve your problem. Agents are required to seek a supervisor when asked -- and the upper-level employee will have the ability to make decisions that an agent does not.
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Contact the company's management via email or letter if your complaint is not solved amicably. Executives know that customers are the people who keep their businesses running, so they are likely to respond to your complaint when you get their attention. You can find the contact information for company bigwigs by searching the investor's page on the website or by contacting the public relations office at the company. Customer service hot lines are not likely to give you that information.
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Write a formal complaint to the Better Business Bureau if your customer service complaint is not solved by the company. The BBB acts as a third-party liaison to solve problems and grades companies on their responses to complaints. You also have the option of leaving a negative message on review websites, your blog or social media profiles such as Twitter. The public relations departments of many companies constantly watch online chatter about their companies and often react quickly to negative reviews to keep from losing both you and additional people as customers.
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Tips & Warnings
A bad customer service situation does not automatically mean you deserve additional compensation. For example, you are entitled to a new meal when the server gets your order wrong, not the meal plus a gift certificate for another visit. The manager may offer additional compensation as the solution to the wrong order, but it is not wise to automatically demand it. Companies quickly catch on to people who cry foul to get free things.
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