In a perfect world, everything would work all the time and we’d never have to complain about anything. Except the weather. Complaining about the weather is a vital part of British culture.
Anyway, the point is that we don’t live in this perfect-but-drizzly world. And sometimes you only get what you deserve if you’re willing to make a fuss about it.
Thus, if you’ve received a shoddy product or service, you may need to write a letter of complaint. And with our five top tips, the offending company will soon be keen to make amends.
1. Address Your Letter Strategically
It’s important that your letter of complaint is read by the right person, so try to find the name and title of the person in the company who handles complaints. At the very least, you should address it to the customer service department.
Sending your complaint about a broken iPad to ‘Mr Apple’, on the other hand, will not get you far.
2. Structure Your Letter Clearly
As well as the standard salutation and valediction, a complaint letter should include the following:
- Your situation (‘I am writing to complain about a product I bought from your company on the 17th of December, 2015…’)
- The problem that occurred (‘One week later, the product stopped working…’)
- The consequences of the problem (‘As a result, Little Jimmy spent Christmas in tears…’)
Providing evidence of your child’s tears isn’t compulsory.
(Photo: Kyle Flood/wikimedia) - A suggested solution (‘We hope that you will be able to offer a replacement…’)
- A time limit and warning (‘If we have not heard from you within two weeks, we will make a formal complaint to…’)
3. Be Friendly and Factual
As much as it might be tempting to write an angry or sarcastic letter, this will not usually prompt a helpful response (the people reading the letter will probably not be the person responsible for the problem, so be polite).
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Instead, keep the tone of your letter friendly and provide as much factual detail as you can, including times and dates, relevant account numbers and copies of any supporting documents.
This will ensure your complaint gets dealt with as soon as possible.
4. Tailor Your Letter to the Situation
The format and content of your letter may depend on the organisation to which you’re writing. Making a formal complaint to your employer, for instance, could require a different approach to seeking a replacement for a faulty product.
The Citizens Advice Bureau has a variety of template complaint letters to reflect this, which can be helpful if you’re not sure how best to write your own.
5. Proofread It!
You need your complaint letter to be clear, concise and authoritative. Needless to say, rambling sentences, poor grammar and spelling mistakes will undermine this.
Proofreading – or getting your letter proofread by professionals – will therefore enhance your chances of getting a quick and helpful response.