Complain by phone - or write a letter of complaint?

Obviously if a situation needs resolving urgently you must phone, but that's different to complaining. When something goes wrong the the temptation is often to get on the phone straight away, and give someone 'a piece of your mind' about whatever has disappointed or annoyed you, but phoning to complain in this way is rarely a good idea. This is because:

· ‘Heat of the moment’complaints almost always produce confrontation, emotion, and misunderstanding, which are not conducive to the cooperation necessary for good solutions and outcomes.

· For organizations to handle complaints properly they need to be able to deal with facts and written records. Written details are essential to their complaints processing, and a letter is a far more reliable way of communicating these things than a verbal phone exchange.

· You will need a your own record of the complaint to establish accountability, responsibility, that you have actually complained, when you complained, and to whom. Telephone conversations do not automatically create a record. With a phone complaint there is nothing for you to refer back to; no copies can be produced when and if you need to follow up the complaint.

· A letter gives you the chance to present your case in the best possible way. Telephone conversations can quickly get out of control.

· Writing a letter helps you to calm down and do things properly. Calling people immediately on the phone often fuels your emotions, especially if the person at the other end isn't good at handling you. When you lose control of your emotions you lose control of the situation, your credibility, clarity, cooperation, goodwill and objectivity; all of which you need if you want to achieve the best possible outcome.

· For very serious matters you should be using recorded or registered post, which effectively guarantees that your letter reaches the recipient. There is of course no equivalent by telephone.

2. How to Write a Complaint Letter:

1. Keep in mind that most errors are unintentional and realize that most businesses and organizations want to address and clear up complaints quickly in order to have satisfied customers or members.

2. Address your letter to a specific person Letters addressed to "Dear Sir" or "To Whom it May Concern" are not as effective and will likely not reach the right person. Call ahead and ask for the name of the manager and his or her administrative assistant. Writing to the assistant may ensure your letter reaches the manager.

3. Begin your letter on a positive tone Consider how you'd react if an angry customer approaches you and shouts obscenities versus someone who smiles who begins the conversion with compliments.

4. Be brief Keep your complaint letter to one page, and write short paragraphs rather than long ones.

5. Be honest and straightforward Include sufficient detail to back up your claim and to show that you have thoroughly researched the subject. However, omit irrelevant details.

6. Maintain a firm but respectful tone, and avoid aggressive, accusing language Keep your complaint letter concise and professional.

7. Send only photocopies of receipts and other documents, and retain all originals Keep a copy of the complaint letter for your records.

8. Get other signatures In many cases, you can increase the effectiveness of your letter by getting several others to sign it with you. This is particularly the case when trying to influence or change legislation, denouncing material from the media, and so forth.

9. Do not threaten! If a company has repeatedly given you bad service and refuses to correct the situation and you feel that your only recourse is to pursue legal action, voice your feelings in a tactful but firm way. However, don't threaten legal action unless you are willing to follow through with it.

10. Avoid making generalizations about the company or organization if your complaint letter focuses on a single individual.

11. Use tact, and be direct, but respectful If you need to make a complaint to or about people that you will still have contact with on a regular basis, your complaint needs to accomplish its purpose without destroying the relationship.

12. Include your contact information Include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address, if desired, so that the person(s) can reach you to discuss any questions or concerns.

13. If a first letter does not bring action, assume a stronger but still respectful tone in the next one. If two or three letters do not resolve the problem, send one to the president or CEO of the company or entity. In each case, be firm but polite.

3. Study the samples of complaints letters:

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