Sometimes, you only get what you deserve if you make a fuss about it. And if you’ve received a shoddy product or service, you may need to write a letter of complaint. But how does this work? With our five top tips, the offending company should be keen to make amends.
You need your letter of complaint to be read by the right person. A complaint about a broken iPad addressed to ‘Mr Apple’, for example, will not get far.
Instead, try to find the name and title of whomever handles complaints at the company. Or, at the very least, address it to the customer service department.
As well as the standard salutation and valediction, a complaint letter should include the following pieces of information:
In short, include everything the company may need to know to fix the issue!
It might be tempting to write an angry or sarcastic letter, but this will not usually prompt a helpful response. In addition, the person reading the letter will probably not be directly responsible for the problem, so you shouldn’t vent your frustrations at them without reason.
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Instead, politeness is wise. Keep the tone 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.
If you have an issue with a product or service you purchased, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has a complaint letter tool. This is a template letter that you can fill in and tailor to your situation, making it easier to submit a formal complaint. In fact, the ACCC site also has lots of information about your consumer rights, so it is a good resource!
You need your complaint letter to be clear, concise and authoritative. Needless to say, poor grammar and spelling mistakes will undermine this. Proofreading – or getting your letter proofread by professionals – will thus enhance your chances of getting a quick and helpful response.
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