How To Complain Successfully

When something goes wrong with a product or service you need to make a complaint! Whether you’re looking for a cash reimbursement, an acknowledgment or even just a simple apology, it’s important to get your opinion across! If you are demanding or create a sceneyou are unlikely to be treated well in return. The best ways to complain involve keeping your composure, a level head and talking with confidence and charisma. Calm down, and speak up!

If you make a complaint you need to find someone to help you, preferably a member who does not look stressed or too busy! Also, look for an employee who has their name badge clearly on show and address him or her by name and introduce yourself. A formal introduction is a great way to make someone stop what they are doing and take notice. If you can, try to find someone in a more powerful position than a general shop assistant. Managers and assistant managers usually hold more authority than other staff and will be able to reimburse or refund you, should this be required.

How to Tackle the Complaint

When talking to staff make sure you smile, lean in and speak to them as if they were a friend or close acquaintance. Start by pointing out that you are not personally blaming him or her for the mistake that has affected you, but that you would really appreciate their help in resolving your problems.

Talk slowly, clearly and with confidence. Explain your situation calmly. Raising your voice will only escalate the situation and cause an unwanted disruption. You need to be respected by staff, not disliked by them and will find people to be much more cooperative if they are well treated. Try to keep your body language open and honest. Don’t fold your arms!

Try to remove yourself from the situation and look at things objectively. Although you may be angry, try to think of your problem as something that you can conquer. You’re emotions are likely to be reflected by staff, so make sure you are giving out good, friendly ones!

Keep smiling throughout your conversation. This is massively important in all discussions as it keeps people relaxed. People respond much more favourably to someone who is smiling and you are practically guaranteed to get a much better response by doing this!

Once you’ve told someone your problems and raised your issue, thank them for their time. Tell them exactly what type of resolution you would like and how you would like things to progress from here.

Taking it Further

Depending on who you have been talking to, the employee will probably need to talk to someone else, or someone at a higher level in the company. Feel free to ask to talk to someone else too and expect to get more action, quicker, with someone higher up on the staff chain.

When you talk to the manager, continue to express your gratitude for their time whilst remaining firm in your beliefs and maintaining that you are not happy with the situation and levels of service.

Whatever the outcome, thank the individual for his/her time. If you didn't get what you wanted, ask for further details of other, more senior employees, within the company. Take down the names of everyone you’re spoken to already as these will be important to bring up in later conversation. By doing this, staff may also realise that you are serious about raising your issues at a higher level and decide to satisfy your requests for reimbursement, refunds or replacements.

If you are left with no other option, find the address of the company’s head office and write a letter to their complaints department. Businesses respond to letters with a greater degree of seriousness than they do to spoken complaints. If you still do not receive the outcome you desire it may be time to seek legal advice or take the company to a small claims court. Most businesses will not be keen to pursue this costly legal route, and under pressure agree to meet your requests.