Unit 9

Letters of Complaints

I. Instructions to Write Good Complaint Letters .................................................. 70

II. Responding to Complaint Letters ........................................................................ 77
III. Exercises ................................................................................................................. 80

I. Instructions to Write Good Complaint Letters

In order to get your problem resolved, put your complaint in writing! A respectful,
yet firm, complaint letter may help you accomplish what you want.

Complaint letters can be a very effective way of making your voice heard.

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. Be brief. Keep your letter to one page, and write short paragraphs, rather than
long ones.
3. Be honest and straightforward, and include sufficient detail to back up your
claim and to show that you have thoroughly researched the subject. However,
omit irrelevant details. Keep your letter concise and professional.
4. Maintain a firm but respectful tone, and avoid aggressive, accusing
language.

5. Send only photocopies of receipts and other documents, and retain all
originals. Keep a copy of the letter for your records.
6. 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.
7. 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.

- 70 -
 8. If your letter focuses on a single individual, avoid making generalizations about
the company or organization.

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

10. Include your contact information (name, address, phone number, and e-
mail address), if desired, so that the person(s) can reach you to discuss any
questions or concerns.
11. 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.

With a well-written complaint letter you can:

1. Clearly make your complaint to the person(s) involved.

2. State plainly and directly your reason(s) for making the complaint.
3. Indicate what the reader can or should do to address your complaint, and specify
how long you are willing to wait to have your complaint resolved. (Be
reasonable.)

4. Communicate clearly, but respectfully, that you are dissatisfied with the service
you have received.
5. Explain why your suggestion or request for retribution should be granted (if you
made one).
6. Make your concerns known to politicians and bureaucrats. (Note: Your letter is
more likely to be answered if you discuss specific concerns rather than political
issues.)

General Tips

Try to make sure your letter is sent to the right person or department
Try and keep your letter short
Be polite as sarcasm or rudeness will not help your cause!
Say what you want for your complaint to be resolved
Give a reasonable timetable for action to be taken before you will consider other options
Keep a copy of letters you write

- 71 -
Complaining about Poor Service, Defective or Inferior Products

Guidelines and Alternate Phrases

Summarize the problem briefly, specifically, and clearly. Include all information
basic to the problem or resolution such as complete names, addresses, phone
numbers, full description of the product or service, dates, places, amounts, methods
of payment, previous correspondence, and file numbers. Include enough detail so a
previously uninvolved reader can understand what has happened, but do avoid
irrelevant detail that will only obscure the real issues.

State the facts of your complaint in an organized, easy-to-follow format. A bulleted

list is an effective way to give specifics. In most situations, a once-upon-a-time format
is not an appropriate arrangement of facts or issues.

Decide what specific action you want and firmly stick with it. Don't sound wishy-
washy in what you will accept as restitution.

Please remove the $48 charge from my account.

Please send a replacement tray by overnight mail.

I will appreciate receiving an explanation and an apology from the service

representative.

Please send a replacement part immediately.

We ask you correct the situation by closing the old account and establishing
an entirely new one.

We suggest you discuss with your staff the importance of a prompt response
in such emergency situations.

In the future, please send all the authorizations directly to me for my

signature before beginning any work projects on our behalf.

We have written you about these subscriptions on two previous occasions.

If the changes cannot be made by the next issue (March), please cancel all
three subscriptions.

If we can make these two changes in the printed form, I’m confident we can
reduce our internal costs by as much as 50 percent.

Be firm about any agreed-upon deadline with regard to any delayed response you
have been promised.

I’ll expect to hear from you by Friday.

As you confirmed, I will be looking for the replacement shipment within 10

days.

- 72 -
 As you suggested, I will wait to hear from Mr. Cox on August 15 about
what adjustments he will make on the price.

Sound factual, not emotional.

My calls have not been returned. (Not: The return calls have never
materialized.)

As you know, we have a $200,000 investment in this equipment, and we

must have it operate dependably 24 hours a day. (Not: We have a $200,000
investment in this equipment; we would like to have it work occasionally.)

Assume a confident tone about a suitable resolution. Avoid aggressive or sarcastic

statements. Assume the reader will give you a fair deal until he or she proves
otherwise.

I know you will want to correct the situation immediately.

I was sure if I pointed out the difficulties to you personally, you would
make every effort to solve the problem.

I hope you can restore our confidence in your product and service.

You have given us excellent service in past years, and we want to continue
to depend on you for our data processing needs.

We feel confident you can correct the structure with minimal expense.

You have always been fair in your dealings with our organization, and we
have every confidence you will decide to make an adjustment in this
situation.

If we haven’t heard from you by August 5, we will assume you prefer to

cancel the project altogether. I hope that’s not the case.

We appreciate your attention to this detail.

We are eager to hear how you think the problem can be corrected.

Let us know if you need further information to verify the claims we have
presented here.

We are looking forward to continuing our relationship on future projects.

We believe we can count on your best efforts in this regard.

Thank you for your usual attention to our concerns.

If follow-up letters become necessary to gain the reader's cooperation, become

stronger in stating your next course of action while maintaining an objective tone.

- 73 -
 If we don’t hear from you by August 6, we will be turning the problem over
to our legal department.

We will be forced to cancel our account with your firm if we do not have a
suitable resolution by August 6.

Be sure to attach any necessary documentation for your claims such as invoices,
receipts, canceled checks, order numbers, authorizations, and so forth.

Company Name or Letterhead

Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Winger:

We are experiencing problems with several of Hobart’s valets recklessly driving in our
garage–problems such as spinning tires, speeding, and driving with car doors open. To
date, there have been no accidents or injuries reported by our tenants, but we want to notify
you formally of your responsibility in this situation.

Please see your valets are reminded of the safety hazards involved. Also, we ask that you
no longer park cars in more than one entrance ramp on week days and you leave at least
one entrance ramp open at all times during the weekend.

I have every confidence these problems can be remedied with both your attention and
mine.

Sincerely,

-------------------------------------------------
Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Hightower:

We are very concerned about the quality of the plumbing fixtures and the condition of the
drain lines at our St. Louis offices. On two previous occasions, our offices have been
flooded because of leaks. On March 9, a third leak occurred that caused considerable

- 74 -
damage to our printing operations. The total repair and replacement costs amounted to
$3,459.

We have attached all the invoices for your reimbursement. Please let us know immediately
if you prefer we follow some other procedure for handling the damage claims.

Additionally, as a matter of precaution against a recurrence and possible injury to our

employees, we ask you do the following: replace the old drain lines above our printing
operations and recheck the newer lines in other locations.

Would you please notify us immediately when the work is complete and let us know of
other precautions that you plan to take?

Sincerely,

----------------------------------------------------------

Company Name or Letterhead

Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Martin:

One of my employees, Winston Walkman, attended your June 6 class in St. Louis and was
very disappointed with the quality of the course. Specifically, the content did not match the
course outline in your advertisements. Although the agenda listed three topics having to do
with conflict resolution, less than half an hour was spent addressing those issues.
Additionally, the instructor’s knowledge was inadequate to deal with the technical
questions from the class.

I spoke to the instructor briefly at the end of the class, and he agreed the questions and
customer situations brought up in class were beyond his experience.

In light of the expectations raised by your course announcement, I think we are entitled to
a refund of our $350 registration fee. A copy of that registration form is attached.

Should you need to discuss the class situation with me or Mr. Walkman in more detail, you
may reach us at 346-2209.

Sincerely,

----------------------------------------------------------

- 75 -
Complaining About Product Quality

Guidelines

Set a friendly tone while explaining that you are dissatisfied with the product or
service.

Explain in detail the nature of your complaint, citing specific instances and providing
any supporting documentation.

State what action you expect to be taken as a result of your letter.

Offer possible solutions for rectifying the problem.

Ask for a prompt response.

Company Name or Letterhead

Address
City, State, Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State, Zip

Dear Mr. Martin:

On July 8, 1995, we purchased the Electrica 500 phone system, model number 4358 for
our office. Unfortunately, the system has repeatedly disconnected callers during transfers
to specific offices. Our receptionist has used the Electrica system at her previous job; in
fact, it was she who suggested your company to us. Due to her extensive experience with
your system, we feel it is unlikely the disconnections are occurring due to human error.

Our service contract states we are entitled to free service calls for the first three months
after installation of the Electrica phone system, but we have been unable to reach anyone in
order to schedule a service call.

Because of the difficulties with both the phones and the support services, we have decided
to purchase a different phone system. Our service contract states that should we decide to
terminate usage of the Electrica 500 within the first two weeks of service, we are entitled
to a full refund. We are therefore attaching a copy of our invoice so we may receive our
full refund of $2,500. Please contact us concerning the removal of the system.

Sincerely,

------------------------------------------------------

Company Name or Letterhead

Address
City, State, Zip

- 76 -
Date

Addressee
Address
City, State, Zip

Dear Ms. Young,

On July 2, we purchased an Ultimate Brand color printer (serial number 867541) from
your store. We have enjoyed wonderful results, until yesterday, when an odd problem
occurred.

We had been printing a three-color graph of blue, red and green. However, the graph came
out black, pink and purple. We have checked our ink cartridge and can find nothing
obviously wrong. We have also been unable to locate anything in the manual which tells
how to correct this problem.

As we are new users of Ultimate Brand, we are unsure of what else to check on the printer,
or what else we should try to do. Any suggestions you could give us would be most
welcome. We can be reached at (567) 423-4343.

Sincerely,

--------------------------------------------------------

II. Responding to Complaint Letters

Know how to respond to complaints--and keep your customer's goodwill

Responding to complaint letters can be a very sensitive matter. When handling

complaints, it is important to know all of the facts and to respond to the complaint in a
timely and tactful manner.

6 Tips for Responding to Complaint Letters

1. Use a polite, understanding tone, and keep your letter short and to the point.
Don't argue. Even if you do not agree with the complaint, and can do nothing
about it, a considerate response will often help soothe an irate client.
2. Write your response letter as soon as you have received and investigated the
complaint, especially if you realize that an adjustment needs to be made or
that you have made a mistake. Keep in mind that it takes less effort to satisfy
a current customer than to attract a new one.

3. If you don't have enough information to respond to the complaint

immediately, you should ask the customer for more information or inform the
customer that you are collecting more information from another source

- 77 -
 before responding. This lets the customer know that you take the complaint
seriously.

4. When the company is not at fault, but you agree to grant the customer's
request either partially or fully, inform the customer of his or her error, if
any, so it will not happen again. Do this tactfully, without accusation. The
letter should show that the company values both fairness and customer
goodwill.
5. If you are not willing to make an adjustment or correct the perceived error,
explain why you cannot grant the request, and at the same time seek to retain
the customer's business and favor. The denial will probably disappoint the
customer, so be tactful.
6. When responding to a complaint letter of discrimination or sexual
harassment, your letter must show that you take the complaint very seriously
and that you are taking appropriate steps to resolve the situation. This letter
must be serious and professional.

-----------------------------------------------------

Company Name or Letterhead

Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Majors:

We were sorry to hear about the damaged tile in your last shipment from CeramicWorks
Tile, Inc. Although we pack each box with care, movement during shipping can often
cause packages to fall.

We are happy to ship an additional 10 boxes of the Simple Beige 6x6 ceramic kitchen tile.
You will receive the tile via special delivery service.

Again, we regret the inconvenience and are taking measures to better protect our product
during shipping. Thank you for contacting CeramicWorks Tile, Inc. for all your tile needs.

Sincerely,

------------------------------------------------------

- 78 -
 Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Florentino:

We sincerely apologize for the late arrival of your holiday rum cakes. Christmas is our
busiest time of year, and this year was even busier than projected.

Our records indicate that your order was placed on November 8, and shipped six weeks
later on December 20.

Your satisfaction is important to us. Although we cannot provide a full refund, we would
like to offer you a gift certificate for $50 off your next order. Please review the enclosed
catalog where you will find a large selection of cakes for all occasions. Thank you for your
patronage.

Sincerely,

----------------------------------------------------

Dear Sirs,

Thank you for your letter alerting us to the problem you have been having with our store in
Springfield. I am sorry you have been subjected to such a frustrating series of events. We
pride ourselves on responding to customers' concerns very quickly, so what you have
experienced is inexcusable.

I have spoken with our manager in Springfield and have instructed him to give you a full
refund plus 20% off your next purchase. I extend my own apologies for the inconvenience
this problem has caused you. It is apparent that we need to train our holiday help more
thoroughly.

I wish you an enjoyable holiday season.

Yours sincerely,

---------------------------------------------------

- 79 -
 III. Exercises

1. Write a letter of complaint, using the following words and phrases

Date 4th May, 2005

Dear Sirs,

Wee refer / our order No 139D / men’s woolen socks / consigned by you / 19th April / and
we received / 29th April.

We regret / inform / you / two cases, numbers 8 and 12/ broken. 37 pairs of socks /
missing. We / informed / the Loyed’s agent investigating the matter.

We / check / the invoice / the packing lists. There / a discrepancy / the two.

We / ask / arrange / dispatch / replacements / the missing socks / at once, / as we /meet / a

delivery date / our own customers.

Yours faithfully,

2. Your company has received a consignment of 500 bathroom towels, packed in

ten cases.

Case No 7, however, contains towers which your company didn’t order. They are the
wrong size and color. Write to the suppliers, Abtrang Ltd,. 129 Chelton Ave. London,
SW23 1NP, complaining about the mistake, which was part of an order which arrived on
board the M/V Lowerstill at the port of Athens on the 1st April, 2005.

3. A consignment of 15,000 motor car tyre is three weeks late

Write a letter to the suppliers, Manro Ltd, 24 Edward Square, Glassgow, complaining
about the delay and insisting on immediate dispatch.

4. Your company order 1,000 transistor radios from the International Electrics
Company

You gave very clear packing instructions, but you found that three crates were broken
when the consignment arrived. Write a letter of complaint to I.E.C

- 80 -