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How To Write A Complaint Letter
By Alan Leach
How to write a complaint letter
Knowing how to write a complaint letter is an important skill in today's shopping. While we are often told the consumer is king, often faulty products or bad service belies this belief. Knowing how to write an effective complaint letter will therefore help you to get what you want quicker and cheaper, and with much less stress.
Before writing the complaint letter, try to find out the name of a specific person to address the letter to. This should be someone who actually has the power to deal directly with your complaint, as otherwise it will simply get passed on to the next person in the company hierarchy, and your hopes of a speedy resolution will disappear. Of course, it is also essential you give your own contact details, including phone numbers if you expect a personal apology from a company representative.
The first thing to remember when learning how to write a complaint letter is to get your facts straight. The first paragraph of the complaint letter should include factual information such as what you bought, where you bought it and when. Make sure all the details are correct, as even a small error can lead to complications and delays. While you might be understandably angry, twisting the facts or exaggerating the problem is unlikely to get your problem solved any quicker.
Style is vital in knowing how to write a complaint letter. Obviously you are unhappy about something, but you should still attempt to achieve a formal and polite style. Avoid the temptation to berate the company, and certainly do not use extreme language or abuse individuals in your letter! The company will be more likely to assist you if your tone if polite yet firm. The person who reads your letter is almost certainly not the person who caused the problem in the first place, so a personal attack will not get the readers sympathy nor most likely their assistance.
For the second paragraph of your complaint letter, you should specify the problem. Give as much detail as you can, such as when you first noticed the problem and the full scope of the issue itself. Again, try to avoid emotional language. Set out clearly and succinctly what the specific reason for the complaint is.
The basic reason for writing any complaint letter is that you want something to happen. Once you have set out the problem, you should now turn to the issue of what would expect the company or individual to do about your problem. Again, be specific about exactly what it is you would like to see happen. It is not enough to write you require compensation for bad service or faulty goods. If you require a replacement item, you should state this explicitly. Naturally, with any request, you must also be realistic. If you spent $19.95 on an item, it is unlikely the company will give you $195.95 in compensation, unless something really major occurred. It is also important you state exactly how long you expect the resolution of the problem to take.
Finally, make sure you attach any relevant extra information, such as receipts. Keep the originals yourself and send copies instead. Keep a record of the letter for yourself, as some companies have a tendency of 'filing' customer records and then profess to ignorance when further complaints are made. If you still haven't heard anything by the time your deadline has passed, write another letter, but this time to someone higher in the organization.
See Also:
more info on how to write a complaint letter
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