How to Write an Effective Complaint Letter

We've all been there. You go to a place or order a product and the service is nothing like what you expect. You are raging mad and you swear you will never do business with this company again. Of course, deep down inside that's not how you really feel. We rarely cancel our cell phone contracts in response to poor customer service or stop eating at our favorite cafes. What you really want is an apology and restitution. You want someone to acknowledge that they did not treat you properly and do something to make you feel better about that. Here's how to write a letter that will get you what you really want.

Begin with Praise - It might feel like the last thing you want to do but it is important to begin your letter letting the company know how much you appreciate their service and how long you have been using the service or visiting their establishment. This will go a long way in determining the mood of the person reading your letter and establish your credibility as a patron. You are much more likely to get a favorable response when you begin by saying how much you love a company and not how much you hate it! If you truly hated it, there would be little they could do to make you happy anyway.

Explain the Problem - It will be hard to get what you want if you don't explain why you should get something. Use as much detail as you can recall and be careful not to embellish any situations. It's okay to be frustrated and you can acknowledge that you are but stick to the facts and stray from name-calling. Just provide the information that is needed to help a manager determine the proper course of action.

State your Request - So what do you really want? Do you just want the company to know about the problem or would you like for them to make amends. Either way is acceptable, just be clear in the purpose of sending the letter. Should service be improved? Should workers be retrained? Do you want your money back?

Close with Praise - Repeat how much you respect the company and express a hope that your comments will be taken seriously.

I've used this format on a few occasions where I felt compelled to write a letter about poor service and I have always received a favorable response. Most recently, I received a $10.00 gift card from the Corner Bakery Café with a promise that staff would be retrained in customer service. The Corner Bakery is one of my favorite places to eat and I know I never could have written them off completely but on that particular day the confusion among the staff and the very poor customer service could not be ignored. This article is not intended to have anyone begin harassing establishments for the purpose of gaining gift cards. Most minor complaints can be addressed on the spot anyway. But we all know what it's like to have a truly horrible, day-ruining experience and those are the times when I choose to let management know in writing about my disappointment. Rather than avoid our favorite stores and cancel services we've had for years, we can air our grievances in a professional manner with the hope of a positive resolution.