How to Successfully Deal with a Complaint

Perspective…….

YOU are the Client!

Attitude is Everything

• Utilize the HONEY Approach. – Be friendly and polite– If you’re nice to them, they’ll usually be nice to you.

• People take a lot of abuse, sometimes for simply doing their job. – If you’re nasty, what’s the incentive to help you?

• Companies do not want to lose customers– If you are making a reasonable claim, even if it’s

outside the scope of some type of policy, they will often accommodate you if you are friendly

Clearly Define Goal

• Tell them what you want– Figure out what will make you Content. – Keep it Concise. – State your Case – Wait, see what they say.

Informed and Aware

• Know the rules– Are you asking for something the company

can agree to?– Are you asking the company for a favor, to

make an exception?– The customer service representative may not

be authorized to break from policy.

The Next Level UP

• Don’t give up. – Ask to speak to a supervisor.

• Write to the President or CEO of the company.– Information is online. – Your letter will get read. – In ALL cases, things that were impossible to

do at the lower level get resolved at the corporate level.

Documentation

• Keep records

• Document everything you’ve done to get your problem resolved.

• That includes when you called, who you spoke to and what they told you.

• Keep all correspondence.

Complain to a Third Party

If after all of this, you still can’t things resolved — and you sincerely believe you are being mistreated — file a complaint

with the appropriate government agency.

At some companies, separate people seem to handle complaints, so you may get a fresh ear to hear your

complaint.

Your final option is court. When a letter of demand is sent to the legal department of a company alerting them to the court action, you will get their attention. Companies don’t want to get into a legal battle.

Noise

.AA happy customer will tell five people, an unhappy customer will tell 10.”

That was before the Internet!

We have the ability to amplify that bad experience and have everybody hear about it.

This has become the one thing that has forced companies to take customer service more seriously.

Be careful what you say, because you can be sued.  Keep to the facts and NEVER name-call.

One Word to the Wise