Complaint letters aren't always fun, but sometimes they need

to be written. Often, if people don't complain the problem

agency (i.e. company or government) won't even know that the

problem even exists. Here are China infrared heater suppliers

10 strategies for writing

complaint letters that I have developed that are guaranteed

to get you attention and action.

1.Write to the senior person responsible.

It is important that you get the name and detailed mailing

address of a very senior person responsible for the product or

service that you are complaining about. I generally try to

write to the V.-P. level. Never go below Director level if you

want a serious response. Name and address information can be

obtained from the organization's Web site or by calling the

company and asking for the name and title of the senior person

who you should write to.

2.Don't send an e-Mail.

When it comes to sending a serious complaint to a company,

don't send an e-mail, regardless of what it may say on their

Web site. E-mails are usually handled dismissively by low

level "customer service" people. If you want serious attention

and action, the formal written complaint letter is the only way

to go. (yes, by snail mail!). When it arrives in the V.-P.s

office, it triggers a bureaucratic process that ensures that

the right people will see your letter, and will act on it.

3.Keep it as short as possible.

Preferably no longer than one page, two at the most. When

drafting a complaint letter there can be a tendency to go on

and on just to make sure the recipient gets the point. Keep it

as short as possible, but without diluting the facts of your

message too much.

4.Give it a heading for identification.

Place a heading at the top of the letter with information that

the company or agency will relate to, such as your account

number or customer number. Make it easy for them to find you on

their computer filing system.

5.Clearly explain the situation.

Make sure that you give all of the specific details needed so

that the company/agency can verify your claim without you

having to get into an endless game of telephone tag with them.

Include specific dates, times and places, as well as the names

of people you dealt with. If you're not sure of these when

composing the letter, call them back and ask for the specifics.

(You don't have to say it's for a complaint letter).

6.Use a positive and respectful tone.

I have found that the best approach is to use a positive upbeat

tone. Remember, you are writing to a senior person who probably

sympathizes with what happened to you. Your tone should convey

the message that you are the innocent victim and you understand

that the company wouldn't have done such a thing deliberately.

7.Send copies if appropriate.

There can be cases where it is wise to send a copy of the

letter to other parties just to make sure that you will get

some serious action. For example, in a case where you have been

told to write to a Regional Manager of a program, it is often a

good idea to make sure that someone in head office also gets a

copy. I sometimes send a copy to customer services or customer

relations, offices at the national level.

8."Shame" them as much as possible.

Companies that claim and advertise high levels of customer

focus and service do not like to be criticized in those areas.

If you have a strong case that makes them vulnerable in one of

these areas, use as much ammunition as you can to embarrass

them in these sensitive areas. Modern marketing terms such as:

customer relationship management (CRM), one-to-one marketing,

most valuable customer (MVC), and customer-centric focus, all

tend to get their attention. Also, using such terms makes you

sound like an authority.

9.Imply you might take your business elsewhere.

I always do this near the closing. Companies don't like to lose

customers, especially long-time customers. Senior marketing

people are well aware that study after study has shown that it

costs five to seven times as much to recruit a new customer tower heater as

it does to hold on to an existing one.

10.Ask for an early reply.

In the closing paragraph of your complaint letter, state

specifically that you are expecting an early reply. Make sure

that you follow-up by phone or e-mail if you have heard nothing

in three weeks. Some companies will send you an acknowledgment

letter stating that they are working on your case and will get

back to you within a week or two.

Use the above strategies and you are sure to get action from

your complaint letters. And, don't forget the old truism "the

squeaky wheel gets the grease"!

2021.06