Complaint Letter

An effective complaint letter is short and to the point and includes documentation. Written correctly it can also help make your voice heard and achieve your goals.

How to write a complaint letter that gets results
Keep in mind that most errors are unintentional
and realize that most businesses and organizations want to address and clear up complaints quickly in order to have satisfied customers or members.

Address your letter to a specific person
Letters addressed to "Dear Sir" or "To Whom it May Concern" are not as effective and will likely not reach the right person. Call ahead and ask for the name of the manager and his or her administrative assistant. Writing to the assistant may ensure your letter reaches the manager.

Begin your letter on a positive tone
Consider how you'd react if an angry customer approaches you and shouts obscenities versus someone who smiles who begins the conversion with compliments.

Be brief
Keep your complaint letter to one page, and write short paragraphs rather than long ones.

Be honest and straightforward
Include sufficient detail to back up your claim and to show that you have thoroughly researched the subject. However, omit irrelevant details.

Maintain a firm but respectful tone, and avoid aggressive, accusing language
Keep your complaint letter concise and professional.

Send only photocopies of receipts and other documents, and retain all originals
Keep a copy of the complaint letter for your records.

Get other signatures
In many cases, you can increase the effectiveness of your letter by getting several others to sign it with you. This is particularly the case when trying to influence or change legislation, denouncing material from the media, and so forth.

Do not threaten!
If a company has repeatedly given you bad service and refuses to correct the situation and you feel that your only recourse is to pursue legal action, voice your feelings in a tactful but firm way. However, don't threaten legal action unless you are willing to follow through with it.

Avoid making generalizations
about the company or organization if your complaint letter focuses on a single individual.

Use tact, and be direct, but respectful
If you need to make a complaint to or about people that you will still have contact with on a regular basis, your complaint needs to accomplish its purpose without destroying the relationship.

Include your contact information
Include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address, if desired, so that the person(s) can reach you to discuss any questions or concerns.

If a first letter does not bring action, assume a stronger but still respectful tone in the next one.
If two or three letters do not resolve the problem, send one to the president or CEO of the company or entity. In each case, be firm but polite.



With a well-written complaint letter you can:
• Clearly make your complaint to the person(s) involved.
• State plainly and directly your reason(s) for making the complaint.
• Indicate what the reader can or should do to address your complaint, and specify how long you are willing to wait to have your complaint resolved. (Be reasonable.)
• Communicate clearly, but respectfully, that you are dissatisfied with the service you have received.
• Explain why your suggestion or request for retribution should be granted (if you made one).
• Make your concerns known to politicians and bureaucrats. (Note: Your letter is more likely to be answered if you discuss specific concerns rather than political issues.)

Writing complaints letters - examples of how to write good complaints letters

Additional UK Consumer Protection Regulations became effective on 26 May 2008.
Whether you are are complaining as a consumer or responding to consumer complaints, these far-reaching new regulations which might affect your position.
Here is a summary of these regulations and their implications.
Here are simple tips, templates and examples for writing good complaints letters. This approach to complaints letter-writing is effective for private consumers and for business-to-business customers who seek positive outcomes from writing letters of complaint. The principles apply to complaints emails and phone calls too, although letters remain generally the most reliable and effective way to complain, especially for serious complaints.
Effective complaints letters (and any other way of complaining) should be:
• concise
• authoritative
• factual
• constructive
• friendly
Imagine you are the person receiving customers' letters of complaints. This helps you realise that the person reading your letter is a real human being with feelings, trying to do their job to the best of their abilities. Your letter should encourage them to respond positively and helpfully to the complaint. No matter how mad you feel, aggression and confrontation does not encourage a helpful reaction to complaints.
Good complaints letters with the above features tend to produce better outcomes:
• Concise letters can be understood quickly.
• Authoritative letters - letters that are well written and professionally presented - have more credibility and are taken more seriously.
• Factual letters enable the reader to see immediately the relevant details, dates, requirements, etc., and to justify action to resolve the complaint.
• Constructive letters - with positive statements, suggesting positive actions - encourage action and quicker decisions.
• Friendly letters - with a considerate, cooperative and complimentary tone - are prioritised because the reader responds positively to the writer and wants to help.
These complaints methods are based on cooperation, relationships, constructive problem-solving, and are therefore transferable to phone and face-to-face complaints.
See the customer service code of practice and tips, to understand more about the organization's view of complaints handling.
What are the tips and secrets of effective complaints letter writing?
(Please note that UK English tends to prefer the spelling ISE in words such as apologise, organise, etc., whereas US English prefers IZE. Obviously in your letters use the appropriate spelling for your particular audience.)







Complaint Letter Example
in Complaint Letters
From:
Anne Rice
689, Park View Apartments
New Jersey
To:
Mr. Thomas Morgan
Customer Service Manager
ABC Company
New Jersey
23rd June, 2008.
Ref: Defective product
Dear Mr. Morgan,
I had bought the XYZ Baking Product, receipt number 123445 from your Company on 20th June. I regret to inform you that the product is defective and my numerous verbal complaints to your personnel have yielded no results.
I request you to either replace the product with a functioning new product or refund my money within one week.
I have never been let down by any of your products in the past and I look forward to your immediate action on this occasion.
I am enclosing a copy of the Receipt to help you initiate immediate action.
Thanking You,
Sincerely,
Anne Rice