Great 'How to make an effective complaint' Hunt

DaddyLouLou

raineshoe wrote: »

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

Not always the case. Often the Finance Director (CFO) has just as much clout as the CEO when it come to complaints. The chances are (s)he doesn't get as many complaints, and will be more likely to take complaints seriously.

Used this tactic with BT, after the CEO had ignored e-mails. The problem was sorted very quickly.

PSH999

Does anyone know who the CEO of Phones 4U is? I am in an on-going dispute over a faulty mobile phone.

The phone, which developed multiple faults within 6 weeks of purchase, has already been for repair once and has come back with the same faults.

Despite demanding a refund/replacement under the Sale of Goods Act they are saying that the phone has to go away for repair at least three times before they will consider a refund. Each time it goes away it take upto 3 weeks and I am left without a phone during this time.

It cost £120 so not cheap and I am now at the stage where I will not accept their standard responses anymore.

Thanks,

harryhound

If it is a company, write to the Chairman by name, saying in effect that you are a loyal customer and this is just a glitch in their normally wonderful service. "more in sadness than in anger".

Mark the letter "Recorded delivery" especially if you really are intending eventually to end up in court.

This letter will get passed down from the office of the Chairman (or CEO/MD) and it is a brave jobsworth who gets back to his Chairman to say he is going to tell the customer to s*d *ff. (unless you are being totally unreasonable, like some people who post on this forum).

If the problem is with Government, initially try your MP via "theyworkforyou" web site.

If the jobsworth is in the local council and has failed to answer your initial written complaint within the standards set by your council; go and see your local councillor initially but CONFIRM your version of events to him after the meeting and give him (say) a month to resolve it.
Then go the the Local Authority Ombudsman - I've had to do this twice and have had 950 GBP in compensation. The councillors have to vote you this compensation so your councillor should know he failed. (but I still would rather there had been no "mal administration" in the first place).

You have to put your case from the start as though you were appearing in court.
A covering letter explaining on one or two sides of A4 the kernel of your complaint and what you expect as a reasonable settlement, (or perhaps "What do you propose?" to put the ball back in their court) PLUS an appendix listing dates and times and evidence such as invoices, guarantees existing letters etc.

Phone calls and even emails can be denied, in funny old Britain it is assumed that a letter is always delivered and the piece of paper does not go away unless someone flushes it down the toilet. (has happened in an office where I worked!)

Harry.

Often the Finance Director (CFO) has just as much clout as the CEO

I've used this technique too, especially if the problem is financial and financial compensation would solve the problem.
In multi-national / diversified companies the so called CEO can be employed as a politically acceptable "yes" man; he is an executive not a director, regardless of what it says on the letter heading - the real power is at HQ and the finance director is appointed to make sure the local man does not go completely off the rails financially.
(eg send all the money to USA shortly before the company goes bust worldwide: Lehman Bros ?)

harryhound

olliedog wrote: »

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.

So you handled that one wrong!

You cannot go to Summerfield and the muppet still does not know how to treat the customers.

westie666

To date there has not been a complaint I have started with companies, that I have not been happy with. I started this after reading about this type of constructive complaining on MSE...

* APR07 John Lewis - Broken DVD recorder - New recorder and £50 for inconvenience
* MAR07 O2 - broke out of contracts 3 and 9 months early due to various account issues @ o2 - 2 new phones and no exit charge
* DEC07 Dunblane Hydro - Xmas night out, in a shabby room which had been smoked in, unclean and cheap and disgusting meal - free night stay in a suite and free meals
* MAY07 West Lothian Council - Council cancelled DD for council tax - admitted fault and reinstated this
* APR08 Royal Mail - post going missing, worked to resolution, and £75 paid back in compo, for troubles
* NOV08 Barclaycard - Lost CC, waiting for 4 weeks and 3 cards to be sent, after phoning 6 times yesterday got someone who took ownership and £10 for call charges.
* SEPT08 Virgin Car Insurance - time taking for claim far too long, threat with my own legal action - case resolved, and payment back for repairs within a week
* NOV08 UK assistance - Car repaired after accident and not correct at all. offered £250 compo, (Replacement of parts and compo) but pushing for more.....[edit 19/11/08 15.23 - Got £250 for parts and labour and £150 in compo)

I think I may go into business of complaining, love getting the companies back....

W666

John_Pierpoint

Keep battling on, you get there in the end!

Yes even with companies where the "customer service" people refuse to give you their names.

Recording and transcribing their phone calls can help as part of your "evidence".

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=6763635&highlight=intelligent+life#post6763635

Tozer

omen666 wrote: »

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

Looks a good website although a few more email addresses would be good.

Chuckled when I saw:

George Bush : [EMAIL="president@whitehouse.gov"]president@whitehouse.gov[/EMAIL].

Reckon you'll get a personal reply?

horse54101

Go to the top!! Get on the internet and get a name of CEO and write directly to them. Result EVERY TIME! My most recent complaint (about a month old is still waiting for a response other than the computer generated 'will get back to you....) wrote to CEO....telephone call back the very next day and ACTION! Often financially advantageous too....

mrcol1000

Its better to write as I never seem to get much of a response to e-mails. The people who man the phones tend to be underpaid, under stress and sometimes not even in this country.
Saying that my partner phoned up to get the address to send a complaint to Boots and the person who took the compliant took the detials and gave her 500 boots card points to make up for the poor service!

thebigbosh

I have a telephone company over here called Telefonica who are absolute dicks with their customers. Earlier this year when I signed up for their service, they set out charging me the wrong fee for 3 months (put me on the wrong package) and after months of complaining and no action by them I eventually went to the regulatory agency (like OfCom) and within 5 days they had changed my package to the one I originally wanted and refunded me the difference on the intial 3 months.

Just this week I've noticed that for the past 2 months my direct debits haven't gone through because they raised the price without informing me. Complained to the company, I guarantee nothing is going to happen though. Wait 10 days, contact regulatory authority.

So - my advice, find the regulatory board such as OfCom, Oftel, whatever, and give them a ring.

Now if only I could find something like that for Panama & Copa airlines :-( (never fly with that airline by the way!!)