It’s easy to jump up and down when things go wrong and take to social media to vent those frustrations but will that get you any real results? The short answer to this question is no. If you want results then you need to complain effectively. Work smarter not harder!
How can you make an effective complaint?
The first thing to remember in order to complain effectively is to keep emotion out of it.
Stick to the facts and be clear and concise in the points you make.
Compile a timeline and record of all evidence including telephone calls, references, dates and times to support your complaint. If applicable, make a record of what you agreed, when, where and with whom.
The most effective complaints are made in writing so if you make any initial calls then always follow up any verbal complaint by email or letter. Well-worded letters at this stage are invaluable as they could nip the issue firmly in the bud and save you a whole lot of time, money and stress in the process.
To complain effectively, summarise the issue in bullet points at the end of your letter or email and state what action you expect in order to be able to rectify the problem and restore your faith in the company in question.
Give a clear time response of 7 working days for a reply. If you do not receive a satisfactory response then you may need to consider taking your case to the Small Claims Court. A final letter before action will be required before you can do so as you will need to demonstrate that you have given the company ample opportunities to address the problem before escalating it in this way.
Quote relevant legislation to support your complaint. The staple regulation to be aware of is The Consumer Rights Act 2015 as it covers most issues. You don’t need to be an expert to assert your legal rights. You just need access to the right information and the confidence to use it to fight your corner.
State what you expect the outcome to be in order for your issue to be resolved e.g. a refund, apology, return or exchange. Don’t rely on the company to come up with a suggestion. Only you know what redress is acceptable.
Don’t be fobbed off. If you have a valid complaint, then persistence is key.
Where can you source help if you need it?
Which? provides advice as to how to deal with just about any kind of consumer issue you can think of. It has a handy consumer section where you can find simple ways to solve everyday consumer problems. Template letters for a range of scenarios are also available.
Money Saving Expert also has a comprehensive guide as to how to complain with step by step complaining help. Both MSE and Which? are easy to navigate and there are useful letter templates, which you can download and use.
CEO email is a free website which you can use to search for and obtain contact details for CEOs of major companies and organisations.
Citizens Advice gives free and confidential advice to people who need help with financial, legal and consumer issues.
Resolver is a free, independent issue resolution service. You just type in the name of the company that you are experiencing problems with and once you’ve submitted an issue, your complaint will be sent to the right person or team and escalated accordingly.
I hope you’ve found the information in this blog post useful as to how to complain effectively. You can also obviously contact me for any advice if you need help with any consumer issues particularly travel related, as this is my specialism.
Happy Successful Complaining!
