Great 'How to make an effective complaint' Hunt

Former_MSE_Natasha

What's this about?

From banks to retailers to airlines: errors can be made which result in you needing to complain. Yet how do you do this effectively without it leading to a time consuming hassle? I want to tap MoneySavers' ideas for the best complaint handling tips and phrases to use, plus who they should be addressed to.

What to do

Please post the techniques you use. What's more effective: letter, email or over the telephone? What can you say to get the situation resolved in quickest time?

One tip is, when dealing with banks and insurance companies, mention that the Financial Ombudsman states in its Distress & Inconvenience Guidelines:

"We sometimes make allowances for the time the consumer needed to spend to put things right. This will normally be at a modest rate - around £50 to £100 a day, and not more than £10 per hour".

The statement's a fantastic weapon as, although officially it only applies for complaints resolved by the Ombudsman, it's a great negotiation tool to hurry the company to resolve the issue and compensate you for the unnecessary hassle.

If you have a complaint example, even better!

Please include in your post:

• Company name
• Communication method (in-store, telephone, email, letter)
• What the complaint was
• What you said/did to get it resolved
• If you got anything as compensation or a goodwill gesture

To suggest or discuss an idea, click reply

Related Guides: Consumer Rights, Section 75: Protect Your Spending

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omen666

Never had an issue when I send off a e-mail to the CEO or MD.

Always had a immediate response from them or their PA and resolved that day to a more than satisfactory standard.
This includes:
O2
Tescos
Ocado and
Sky
I use this site and it is pure gold. Has the majority of e-mail addresses for most used companies and is updated regularly

http://www.connectotel.com/marcus/ceoemail.html

c0113tt3

Us Brits, tend to settle for second best, or its too much hassle to complain, or even sods law attitude. It is that approach that first needs addressing and YOU MUST complain about things however much hassle it is, and even how small / large the issue may seem, and persist with that complaint through the level of complaint and especially dont take an answer that you are not happy with.

From that point, it depends on what you expect from your complaint. Is it simply for the issue to be resolved or is it more that you want from your complaint, i.e. the issue solving and compensating as well as.

If you just wish for the issue to be solved as quickly as possible, then the best suggestion is ask them about there complaints procedure, and if possible miss the first step or two and go straight to the manager, regional manager, department head and even executive complaints / managing director. If they do not give you the information to make your complaint at a higher level, then search the internet via google and do some research, i.e. you could type in complaints and company name, which will probably bring up forum postings, where other people have already complained and found certain ways that are more effective in getting their complaint resolved, and if all else fails as suggested above search for the managing director / CEO and email.

If you wish for your complaint to be resolved and compensating and not too fussed on the hassle / speed its dealt with, then do not take the easy route, and take the slow route, i.e. the company process through each of its stages. The more complaints you have the more likely and higher the reward as well as the fact that your complaint is taken more seriously.

Yes its hassle, but the rewards certainly justify the means. What you will find, even the most initial small complaint will turn into a number of complaints. Firstly you will probably have to call an 0870 / 0845, that in itself is a complaint, you are paying them to put right the complaint / errors !! Then there is your time / inconvenience too. So you already now have your initial complaint and another 2 added before you even start !! Search the saynoto 0870 / 0845 database and find a freephone / geographical number, but of course you do not inform the company of that. Follow the process given, i.e. some first line call centre who wont be able to deal with your complaint usually, but push them, be firm. They will either pass you onto their team supervisor, or will try and sort the complaint out. During this point, evaluate how helpfull they are being, are they trying to fob you off?? give you mis-information?? or do they say they will deal with it, but days later find that they have not dealt with the complaint. You must write down times / dates, person you spoke to, and what was said / agreed. First line staff are generally equipped to give a general reply, which is not always the best / correct one, or the best one. If unhappy push for their manager / team supervisor, and again you then have another set of complaints.

At this point, how do you feel, ask yourself that question, how much cost and inconveniance has it been, and again this is all part of your complaint as well as your intitial complaint, and problems with the first line. Quite often the team supervisor and line manager of the first line is so conveniantly not available. Push for details, and do not accept the usual write in response. If you are unhappy with them / response, tell them that, and that they now form part of your complaint and that you insist on a manager. If again blah not available or they will get the manager to telephone yourself, depending on how you feel at this point, either accept that, and get specific name of manager / office / time and date they will call you and end the call. If you are unhappy, you tell tham that it is not satisfactory and again insist. Sometimes they will put you through at this point, and sometimes they do not. You can also inform them, the longer / more hassle this takes, the more that you will need compensating, and state that you will invoice them for this.

Again this process adds to your complaints, for example if the manager that is supposed to call you by a specific date / time, does not, then you then have complaint against that manager too. You then go back through the process again, which forms more complaint !! If you do not get to speak to that manager, you then search on the internet for head office and call and ask for executive complaints / unsatisfactory complaint at first stage and wish to take it a stage further. It usually helps if you have the name of the department head that you need to speak to as usually head office puts you through to them directly, and if all else fails email the managing director / chief executive.

As you can see, what starts off as a simple issue, can cascade into a multitude of complaints. Yes its hassle, but the rewards are high provided you note all your complaints and say how it has made you feel / inconvenianced / cost.

So, if you are pursuing complaint for it to be solved and monetary compensation follow the process as it gives you more ammunition / complaints, and get higher rewards.

Generally for your time / complaints, its £10 per hour, but with cascading complaints the amount is limitless within reasonable consideration. My last complaint was with a computer games retailer, which just finished today, lasted 3 days about 2 hours of my time in total, and saved £55 !!. Other complaints I have made have been much more.

You do have to keep your cool though and see it as a game / challenge or even market research / test of their customer service (and to be paid for your time / services in reporting failures in their processes) , rather than get upset and do your research and be firm

Good luck

O_Miserly_one

When buying online, read the terms and condiions. Most online retailers have some tterms that do no comply with he law. Rather than make a lenghy complaint, email them and ask if your Statutory Rights are unaffected by their terms. Most will reply that your rights are not affected. Many will ask what your concerns are.

If they do, tell them politely. Explain that you want to nip in the bud any potential disagreements BEFORE this happens, ratther than afer you buy.

The main point is to make sure you have in writing that your statutory rights are not affected. This simple statement will override any wrong or illegal terms they try to apply.

A pre-emptive email can save hours of your time later.

raineshoe

I always write to the CEO, never anyone else as he always has the clout to do something about it.

Secondly, no matter how bad the problem is tell them they were the best thing since sliced bread and then next para hit them big time with the complaint.

I have had success :T :j in everything apart from one item only with Hotpoint who have now lost my custom forever. :rolleyes: :mad:


Having said all this I run an online shop and I have only as far as I can remember had two people in all the time I've been running unhappy with a product sent to them (I do face paints, theatrical makeup and beauty boxes) and I always just refund or replace without question, whatever the customer wants. Saves a lot of hassle in the long term and means I get their return custom. I know sometimes some stores must get people who are pulling the wool over their eyes, but overall just to keep your customer happy and the return business it must be worth the effort. After all if its a manufacturing issue you can usually get your supplier to take the "loss" and replace the item and they then take it up with the manufacturer.

raineshoe

Dell - phone up and whoever answers ask them the name of the CEO and where their head office is they should be able to tell you.

However, I have found some companies these days the staff can't tell you who the CEO is which is an appalling state of affairs I think.

Alternatively get their head office address, should be on their web site somewhere as they should have contact details on their web site and address it Addressee only - Chief Executive.

c0113tt3

http://www.ihatedell.net/

Try there for info.

Head office 01344 860456 or 0870 9075021

saynoto 0870 site usually offers head office or escalated complaints telephone numbers.

The CEO is michael dell

Try a few email variations of that for example.

michael.dell@dell.com (this may or may not work, try a few variations)

bernara

Like the idea of writing to the CEO - has worked for me in the past, but not recently when I had to complain about Dixons Tax free charging more for Sony earphones than the manufacturer's RRP. Three letters and nothing but 3 replies from minions saying they could not take into account the RRP! Sony RRP is #69.99, Dixons' price is 899.99 less the VAT which means their tax free price iss #7 more than the real RRP.

BTW - that waas bad enough, but Nuance tax free at Bristol airport has the tax free price as 89.99!

Bamber19

O_Miserly_one wrote: »

The main point is to make sure you have in writing that your statutory rights are not affected. This simple statement will override any wrong or illegal terms they try to apply.

Really not required, your statutory rights are not affected whether they say so or not. Statute overrides any condition the company puts in that contradicts them.

Hey_Dude

If the service you wish to complain about has an Ombudsman then do some research....

Contact the Ombudsman and ask them how a complaint is funded - typically each complaint costs around £300 with roughly 80% of this funded or charged to the supplier you wish to complain about.

Important point - this charge is levied no matter what the outcome of your complaint.

Then contact the supplier - tell them you know how much the Ombudsman will charge them if you complain and often you will get a result without any further effort.

Duder

olliedog

I had a complaint with Sommerfield, just about the time it had taken over Kwik Save. A cashier had been very rude and offensive and I wrote to the MD to complain. A minion sent a £5 voucher which I sent back to the MD saying I wanted an aplogy not a pay-off. The letter I received back from him was ruder than the original cashier. I was told I was a money grabber who was only out to make complaints for what I could get from them, and that they didn't need my custom anyway.

Needless to say I've never been back to Sommerfield.