The Proper Way to Complain About Poor Service

When I was employed by a Fortune 500 company many years ago, I started out in their Customer Service Department. The company trained and primed me for 9 weeks, so that their customers would be provided with the ultimate level of service to meet and possibly exceed their expectations. Sure, much of the training did consist of being able to effectively assist customers' needs; however a great deal of the training focused on the way in which the company regarded the mannerisms and conducts of their representatives. That company and multiple others esteem the training for their customer service representatives highly; as they know that their reps are the core inception for the success or downfall of their company.

But it's not only customer service representatives that the company finds value in. Any staff member, who comes directly in contact with a customer, is held partially or fully liable for the experience (negative or positive) that the customer has. Any company, whether large or small, that takes their business earnestly, is always open for feedback and often willing to incorporate that feedback into practice.

It has taken time but I believe that I have effectively found a way to offer feedback and to be rewarded for my input at the same time.

Some of the skills I have gained have come from secret shopping. Over the past few years, I have done quite a bit of this. Mystery shopping has formally taught me what to look for and what to expect from the employees that provide service to me on a regular basis. Countless people are dissatisfied with the service they receive daily. Many, from places they frequent regularly; yet they choose to walk away flustered, upset and bewildered. Many are not willing to take the time out and call; or stop for a few minutes to speak with a manager. If you are one of those people and would rather ignore the fact that you have not been treated fairly or don't have time to be bothered, then this article is not for you.

Like you, I follow a very busy schedule and find it difficult to add any extra tasks into my routine; however some opportunities are just too important for me to pass up. One of them being the opportunity to offer suggestions to improve a business, so that I can be better serviced. And if I walk away with nothing, the pleasure that I get from talking about my negative or positive experience to someone from the company who is willing to listen, is rewarding enough.

A few weeks ago, I was at a well-known coffee shop. I placed an order for coffee and then paid. The employee was busy talking to another employee therefore, she missed the instructions I gave her regarding how I like my coffee. When she handed me the "plain" coffee, I repeated my instructions again by saying "coffee with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and chocolate syrup please". She then, became slightly irritated that I interrupted her conversation with her fellow coworker; she quickly added whipped cream and handed it back to me. She could have apologized for her mistake, she could have stopped talking with her coworker and made sure it was correct the second time but she did not. At that time, I was rushing to get my daughter to a doctor's appointment but I was furious. I left the shop and the first chance I got; I called and asked to speak with a manager. I would have gotten the young lady's name who messed up my order, but I did not see a name tag. It didn't matter though because mystery shopping has sharpened my ability to describe details intricately. Therefore, I was able to supply the manager with that information.

There is a correct way to express your dissatisfaction. When you have called and asked to speak with a manager by phone, the proper way is to:

~First ask for the manager's name, if he or she does not willingly offer that information when they come on the line.

~Address the manager by his/her name and introduce yourself. Give your first and last name so that the manager can address you with Mr.____ or Ms.______ when speaking to you.

~Speak to the manager and start off by explaining to him or her that you have been coming to their business for sometime; or if it was your first visit, tell him or her that. Either way, it does not look good for their business that this was your very first experience or if you are a long-time customer.

~Be honest; tell the manager that you have generally had decent or good service from them previously but this time you did not. Explain to him/her that you are not happy with the level of service you have received and why. Keep in mind it is not necessary to mention competitors and the fact that you can take your business elsewhere. The manager is very aware that they have competitors and that you can go elsewhere. Also of equal importance, do not trash their business. If you forget to maintain a sense of cordiality but instead do the opposite, the manager may then put up a defensive guard causing him/her to be unreceptive to anything else you say. This does not mean that you will not get your issue resolved; but it may simply mean that you will have to escalate your complaint to their corporate headquarters; and you don't want to have to do that.

~Keep your complaint as brief as possible. Just because the manager is listening and giving you a chance to speak does not mean you should ramble. If you keep repeating yourself, you begin to waste the manager's time and your time as well.

When I called the coffee shop to complain, I explained the details while I remained truthful and brief. I started out by asking the manager her name. She responded by providing me with her first name only. A first name was all that was needed because if I chose to escalate my complaint to the corporate office, her first name would suffice, along with the location, date and time of the incident. It is not likely that I would have escalated the complaint, my goal was to simply inform her of the poor service I received; her job would be to counsel the employee on how to improve the service; possibly reprimand her. I felt like I deserved a free cup of coffee for my troubles. It took me 5 minutes on the call to accomplish just that.

The manager was kind and it was an easy feat. I explained the trouble in less than 60 seconds; she took 3 minutes to apologize and offer a free cup of coffee or refund me my money as reconciliation. Had she not have offered the free cup of coffee, I would have suggested it to her at the end of the call by saying something like this "Thank you for being so empathetic and kind; and for apologizing about this incident ...I really appreciate that, but what I experienced today at your place of business was poor service from a good company and I don't know if I am willing to do business at your store any more because of this. How will you recompense me for this ordeal?" That statement would have opened up the topic for her to accommodate me for the poor service I received. She would much rather offer me a free cup of coffee than for me to lodge a complaint with the corporate office and I was much obliged to accept it.

Remember if you do not receive the service that you deserve from a store that you expect to receive it from, do not be afraid to voice your unhappiness. When doing so, remember the necessary elements consist of applying etiquette, remaining courteous at all times and not giving in to the temptation to be shrewd.

Following this advice will allow your concerns to be heard, suggestions to be offered and accommodations to be made in your favor.