Last updated November 2024
It happens even to savvy consumers, including Consumers’ Checkbook staff: Sometimes things go wrong, even after doing extensive homework before making a purchase or contracting for a service. The icemaker conks out on your weeks-old fridge. Your kid’s beloved iPad starts acting screwy exactly one week after its warranty expires. The crown falls out of your tooth after only four months of chewing. You ordered a large pizza but got just garlic knots.
Although most of us gripe about service headaches to family, friends, and co-workers, very few of us—studies show it’s as few as one out of four—complain to the business that dropped the ball. And often consumers who do complain do so ineffectively.
Many consumers remain silent because it seems like too much trouble to complain, or they want to avoid a confrontation. Others don’t complain because they think it won’t help—the warranty expired a week ago, so the store won’t do anything. But, in our experience, telling a company—especially a reputable one—that things didn’t go well often produces good results. The trick is to complain effectively, and diligently follow up.
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Dos and Don’ts of Complaining
First, make sure the company’s owner or manager knows you are dissatisfied. Even if the employees you dealt with heard your complaints, that information might not reach someone with the authority—and the desire to provide good customer service—to put things right.
If your gripe is with a large company—and its customer service team doesn’t resolve it—get the email address or phone number for the company’s CEO or president. Although the company’s top executive probably won’t handle your complaint personally, their staff will likely give it to someone who can help you—and is more likely to respond to a request from the top.
If your gripe involves a product that you bought or was installed, contact the manufacturer. Even if your problem did not result from a manufacturing defect, the company may want to settle your claim rather than risk your ill will.
In your complaint, state the facts as you view them, why you feel entitled to relief, and how the company can make amends. Keep your request reasonable. For example, don’t ask for a full refund on a home improvement project if four out of five tasks were performed correctly.
Complain in a firm but nonthreatening manner. “Be patient, persistent, and polite,” advises Christopher Elliott, syndicated columnist, author of numerous books on consumer advocacy, and publisher of Elliott Confidential, a critically acclaimed newsletter about customer service. “Most people just want to get someone on the phone and yell at them. That rarely gets results.”
After over 30 years working as a consumer advocate, I’ve found that most disputes between consumers and businesses
To underscore Chris’ sage advice: I’ve read or heard thousands of complaints about businesses over the last 30 years, and can tell you that no one responds well to hostility. Most consumers are in the right, but when they are rude otherwise reasonable businesses owner sometimes respond in kind—and what could have been a calm (and quick) resolution escalates into a feud. Even if you believe you were intentionally cheated, don’t utter terms like “crook,” “criminal,” or “incompetent.”
If complaining in writing, provide copies of relevant documents such as contracts, invoices, receipts, and previous correspondence.
Another option is to post your complaint—and your desired resolution—on social media sites and tag the business. This forces the company to decide whether it wants to attract good or bad publicity from your dispute. While it’s not too risky to ignore complaints from one customer, many organizations will respond to grievances broadcast to hundreds of other potential customers. Many companies have staff who monitor social media websites to resolve complaints quickly and show how responsive they are to customers.
If at First, You Don’t Succeed, Complain Again
Still no favorable resolution? Keep trying. With large companies, ask for your case to be “escalated” to the next manager on the corporate customer service food chain. Unfortunately, with larger outfits, you might have to fight (politely!) through several layers of staff to reach a resolution.
For example, Jamie Lettis, Checkbook’s public relations director, recently had to complain to three levels of staff at American Express to get reimbursed for a foreign transaction fee it levied without prior disclosure. Jamie eventually threatened to close her AMEX account (a favorite tactic to escalate a complaint) to reach a more senior customer service manager who gave her a prompt refund.
I once had to complain for six months to get a car rental company to refund a $250 cleaning fee for a vehicle I returned to its Zurich airport location. (The manager there apparently decided my kids left behind an unacceptable amount of crumbs.) Did I have better things to do for six months than call Alamo a dozen times to request they escalate my complaint? Thinking about it still raises my blood pressure by 20 points. But I eventually was able to speak to someone who helped me get it fixed.
Seek Third Party Resolution
If the company won’t do the right thing, third-party programs can help.
If you paid using a credit card, the federal Fair Credit Billing Act and the policies of credit card issuers provide enormous leverage by allowing you to withhold payment for goods and services you believe are defective or not delivered as promised. After you’ve tried unsuccessfully to resolve the matter with the service provider, contact your credit card bank to dispute the charge (you usually can do this even if you’ve already paid the bill). Once you’ve requested this “chargeback,” your credit card bank will place a hold on the disputed charge and investigate. The service provider can protest the chargeback, but sellers rarely successfully reverse chargebacks if the customer has returned (or tried to return) the goods or can document the service defect.
Another option is to file a complaint with a government consumer agency. The consumer protection offices in each state have legal authority over many types of businesses. In Delaware, contact the Fraud & Consumer Protection Division (302-577-8600); in New Jersey, contact the Division of Consumer Affairs (800-242-5846); and in Pennsylvania contact its Bureau of Consumer Protection (800-441-2555).
You can complain to one of these offices even if you’re not sure it has jurisdiction over your complaint: It will refer matters it can’t handle to another state agency or a federal agency. The matter might be resolved via phone or email, but these offices may also perform inspections, gather evidence from third parties, do legal or technical research, or mediate the dispute. Staff might do more than resolve your complaint; they might get the merchant to agree to change business practices and/or provide relief to additional aggrieved consumers; or they might force the business to pay penalties.
In addition to government consumer agencies, you can seek help from a private agency, such as the Better Business Bureau or Call For Action.
If you still can’t resolve your complaint, you may be able to bring an action in small claims court. Most courts have legal advisers to help you prepare your case.