How to Write a Formal Complaint to a Buinsess

Have you ever had a product that was broke when you opened it, or a bad experience at a retailer? You probably wanted to write a complaint letter to home office. This is very common; because not everybody is happy about every experience they have with the general public. So to write a complaint letter to a business, you have to find out where to send it. If this is a privately owned business, you may have to send it to the owner's home. If it is a corporation, a home office will be available for your needs.

If it's a private business, it's probably better to make a complaint in person, as soon after the ordeal as possible. Find out who owns the business by asking for a manager and getting the contact information from them, or contact your BBB website to look up the business by address and name. If you encounter trouble this way, you can always call back on another shift and ask another employee. If it's a franchise, you will need to contact the franchise named on the building for your complaint. If this is a corporation, you normally can find out how to contact the home office by a name located on the front window of the store or business. Once you have this information, you can call to get an address to the complaint department through 411.

You should always type your letter or make it computer written, not hand written in any case. Place your date in the top right corner of your letter on the top line, and your salutation in the left corner. You can use "To Whom It May Concern", or some other salutation, except "Dear Sirs". This is now considered outdated and looked at as an insult by the recipient.

The first paragraph should introduce the details of your visit including the date and location of the store you were seen at. This is important to chain stores because they may have many different locations in the same area. This will give them the manager's name, and the schedule of all who worked on this day from the manager.

Your second paragraph will give details of your complaint. If your product was bought new and is broken, send a copy of the receipt along with your letter. Include your UPC code off of the box. If you don't have these, tell the company why need to write, and alert them to the things you have witnessed. Do not use demeaning or derogatory language, because it will not get your point across. All it will definitely do is make you look unintelligent and disrespectful. You will not get a response, and depending on the language used, harassment, terroristic threatening and racial atrocities can be attributed to you. So watch what you say, if you would not want your mother to hear you say it, don't write it down.

Your last paragraph will summarize how you want the situation taken care of. If you want the product replaced, now is the time to say so. If you want an employee to be written up, make sure you have the employee's name, state it here. This is the only chance you have to have your requests heard.

In closing, you should sign in ink with a closing of Respectfully Yours or Thank You. Sign directly below the closing, and then print your name beneath so that it may be read.