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Guide To Making Complaints

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I have dealt with a lot of complaints in my time, some very valid, others not so much, some just ridiculous. It's a shame that as a population we are not very well schooled in making effective complaints, so here are some top tips:

 

1. Be clear what you are complaining about

 

I have read/listened to a suprising number of complaints and been left none the wiser what the complaint is actually about. Be specific about what went wrong and what you think should have happened. Say what you think should happen in response to your complaint, but make it reasonable. For starters, make sure the organisation you are complaining to can take the action you are looking for, otherwise you're already wasting everyone's time. Keep it realistic - don't try and make out that nearly coming a cropper on a wonky paving slab or having to wait half an hour for a bus has ruined your entire life forever and given you PTSD, or they'll just laugh at you. Don't tell them that you 'require' them to do this or that, you'll just look like a prat and won't get very far.

 

2. Keep it simple

 

People are tempted to use high-falutin' language when they make a complaint. I get why - they already sense they don't have the power in this situation so they think they ought to talk the talk to even things up a bit, but don't be tempted to start saying 'heretofore' or 'forthwith' when you wouldn't normally. Don't allege that someone has 'woven a plethora of lies' (a personal favourite). Don't threaten them with your 'legal team' - you'll just sound like a jerk, you don't have a legal team. Don't mention 'your solicitor' either. They know you don't have a solicitor on tap just ready to go whenever you ask - if you did, the solicitor would have written the letter wouldn't they? Don't rake over every single grievance from the last 10 years either - if you submit a 160 page complaint with copies of previous correspondence from 2003 they will just write you off as a loon with far too much time on your hands, unless it's really, really relevant.

 

There's more on its way, I'm finding this very cathartic 😄 But it'll have to wait as I have some work to do.

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Typical never there when you want them 😄

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Interesting - can't wait for the next instalment.  I've had to put a complaint in recently - will put mine against these points and see how I do!

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Thanks for the post, great topic.

 

When I have things to complain about, and the 'red mist' has risen (i.e. I'm ******, angry, etc), I find it helpful to wait a day or so, to then approach the matter with a calmer mind.

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I have relatives in America who say that English people do not complain enough. They seem embarrassed somehow ,especially if complaining about a meal or a restaurant. My American daughter in law asked the waitress in this English pub, if she could wipe the table down where we were going to eat. I’m sure English people wouldn’t do this, but as the table was dirty, she was within her rights.

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14 minutes ago, pattricia said:

I have relatives in America who say that English people do not complain enough. They seem embarrassed somehow ,especially if complaining about a meal or a restaurant. My American daughter in law asked the waitress in this English pub, if she could wipe the table down where we were going to eat. I’m sure English people wouldn’t do this, but as the table was dirty, she was within her rights.

Dunno, @pattricia- I certainly have on the odd occasion, and people I've been out with have done the same, but maybe we are the exception.

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2 hours ago, pattricia said:

I have relatives in America who say that English people do not complain enough. They seem embarrassed somehow ,especially if complaining about a meal or a restaurant. My American daughter in law asked the waitress in this English pub, if she could wipe the table down where we were going to eat. I’m sure English people wouldn’t do this, but as the table was dirty, she was within her rights.

I'd certainly have no hesitation in pointing out that a table was dirty in a cafe/restaurant if I was about to eat there. Alternatively I might walk out thinking that it might be a reflection of the overall lack of cleanliness of the place.

 

20 years ago, whilst on holiday in Turkey, I was asked by a waiter how was the meal. It was the worst curry I had in my life and I told him so.

He politely tore up my bill!

 

I do think, however, that in general, youngsters are more tolerant of such things and folks become more assertive with age and as such, are more likely to speak out and complain.

 

echo.

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3. Don't make the person dealing with your complaint hate you

 

Contrary to popular belief, 'kicking off' is a poor strategy. There's probably a balance to strike here: you don't want to be such a pushover that your complaint stays at the bottom of the pile, but neither do you want to totally alienate the people dealing with your complaint. It's a good idea (if it's relevant) to say how the issue is affecting you, that adds a human touch that might generate some empathy at the other end. If you rant and rave and generally make things difficult, a couple of things tend to happen: the people you are dealing with stop wanting a good outcome for you, they'll become more focused on getting rid of you than resolving your complaint; and the second is that they will probably start making mistakes. I've seen this loads of times and I've done it myself - the one complaint you don't want to mess up, you mess up. And it's because your attention has been taken away from doing what you would normally do, and shifted to dreading dealing with the angry person. So don't be the really angry and unreasonable person. If it's a complicated complaint, ask when you'll get an update and then follow up a couple of days after that date if you haven't heard anything, to make sure they haven't forgotten you. They are probably very busy and won't mind being nudged every now and again.

 

4. Don't send in loads of information that you haven't been asked for

 

If you do that they will hate you, because realistically they probably can't not read through it, but once they start looking at it and realise most of it's not relevant they will start to hate you. Because they are probably busy, and you've just made it worse. By all means tell them what information or documents you have that they might want to see and ask them if they want you to forward any of it, but think twice about bombarding them with stuff they didn't ask for. Most people dealing with complaints have a specific remit and they are not interested in the 400 page document you've compiled that is outside of their remit.

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@DelbowWish there was more of this useful stuff posted on here instead of the rants we usually see. I can totally understand and agree with everything you have posted so far, but there again I used to be customer focussed for part of my job while I was working, and now spend a lot time on my ex-ISPs forum trying to help their customers/subscribers.

 

The number of incoherent/bald posts I see make me want to cry at times - as do the ones who make the one post, get an answer - possibly asking for more information - and then disappear into the ether.

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Interesting meaningful topic.

Respect.

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Always a good idea to be nice to folks who serve your food.

 

There are oh, so many ways they can get even with you in the kitchen, out of sight.

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