When something you’ve bought doesn’t satisfy you, what do you do–complain bitterly to your friends, or contact the company? Many stop at the former, says Guy Winch, a psychotherapist and author of The Squeaky Wheel, a guide on how to complain effectively.
The conventional wisdom is that companies don’t care about resolving our problems. In reality, Winch argues, businesses have a vested interest in answering calls for help–it often costs a great deal more to acquire a new customer than placate an existing one, he points out.
In Depth: How To Complain To Customer Service And Win
So how does one go about making a complaint that will bear fruit?
Before you pick up the phone, think through what outcome will make you happy: a refund? A replacement? An apology? An upgrade? And get your facts straight: Know your rights by reviewing warranties and the policies of the company in question. Gather product and order numbers and the like.
When you call, don’t shoot yourself in the foot by venting—focus the conversation on resolving the problem. Winch suggests using what he calls a “complaint sandwich” or interspersing a protest between two compliments. A cordial but confident tone of voice will be most effective with customer help representatives, people in whom most companies invest serious time, money and training.
If you aren’t getting anywhere with the phone rep, escalate: Ask to talk to a supervisor, and keep on reaching up the chain until you’re put in touch with someone with the power to grant your request. Writing a top executive, for example, might lead to a resolution that a call center representative doesn’t have the power to give you.
If you’re social media-savvy, try to stir up some conversation using Twitter or Facebook. If you find yourself in a line at the airport with 100 other people trying to rebook a cancelled flight, tweet a plea to the airline. It’s worked for customers of Delta, which monitors Twitter for signs of client distress.
Bottom line: Knowing what you want and approaching the company with an attitude of negotiation rather than confrontation offers the best chance of reaching a favorable resolution. If you feel the need to kick something, take it out on a soccer ball.
In Depth: How To Complain To Customer Service And Win
