Introduction

Letters of complaint usually include the following stages:

1. Background 2. Problem - cause and effect 3. Solution 4. Warning (optional) 5. Closing

  

BackgroundThis section describes the situation; e.g.

I am writing to inform you that the goods we ordered from your company have not been supplied correctly.

I attended your exhibition Sound Systems 2009 at the Fortune Hotel (22-25 January) and found it informative and interesting. Unfortunately, my enjoyment of the event was spoiled by a number of organisational problems.

I am a shareholder of Sunshine Bank and I am very concerned regarding recent newspaper reports on the financial situation of the bank. Your company is listed as the auditor in the latest annual report of the bank, so I am writing to you to ask for an explanation of the following issues.

I am writing to inform you of my dissatisfaction with the food and drinks at the 'European Restaurant' on 18 January this year.

Problem  Cause:

On 3 November 2009 we placed an order with your firm for 12,000 ultra super long-life batteries. The consignment arrived yesterday but contained only 1,200 batteries.

Firstly, I had difficulty in registering to attend the event. You set up an on-line registration facility, but I found the facility totally unworkable.

You sent us an invoice for $10,532, but did not deduct our usual 10% discount.

We have found 16 spelling errors and 2 miss-labelled diagrams in the sample book. 

Effect:

This error put our firm in a difficult position, as we had to make some emergency purchases to fulfil our commitments to all our customers. This caused us considerable inconvenience.

Even after spending several wasted hours trying to register in this way, the computer would not accept my application.

I am therefore returning the invoice to you for correction.

This large number of errors is unacceptable to our customers, and we are therefore unable to sell these books.

Solution

I am writing to ask you to please make up the shortfall immediately and to ensure that such errors do not happen again.

Could I please ask you to look into these matters. Please send us a corrected invoice for $9,479 I enclose a copy of the book with the errors

highlighted. Please re-print the book and send it to us by next Friday. 

Warning (optional)

Otherwise, we may have to look elsewhere for our supplies.

I'm afraid that if these conditions are not met, we may be forced to take legal action.

If the outstanding fees are not paid by Thursday, 19 November 2009, you will incur a 10% late payment fee.  

Closing

I look forward to receiving your explanation of these matters.

I look forward to receiving your payment. I look forward to hearing from you shortly.

 

PolitenessThe tone of complaint letters should not be aggressive or insulting, as this would annoy the reader and not encourage them to solve the problem. In addition, questions such as 'Why can't you get this right?' should not be included.

Content

The content should contain enough details so that the receiver does not have to write back requesting more.

Legal action is not normally threatened in the first letter of complaint, unless the situation is very serious.

How to write a complaint letter:

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.

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.

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.

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

ones.

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.

Maintain a firm but respectful tone, and avoid aggressive, accusing language

Keep your complaint letter concise and professional.

Send only photocopies of receipts and other documents, and retain all originals

Keep a copy of the complaint letter for your records.

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.

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.

Avoid making generalizations

about the company or organization if your complaint letter focuses on a single

individual.

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.

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.

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:

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

State plainly and directly your reason(s) for making the complaint.

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.)

Communicate clearly, but respectfully, that you are dissatisfied with the service you

have received.

Explain why your suggestion or request for retribution should be granted (if you made

one).

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.)

Example letters

Fortune Goods317 Orchard Road

Singapore

10 November 2009

Attn: Mr David Choi Sales Manager Everlong Batteries171 Choi Hung Road Hung HomHong Kong

Dear Mr Choi

Re. Order No. 768197

I am writing to inform you that the goods we ordered from your company have not been supplied correctly.

On 3 November 2009 we placed an order with your firm for 12,000 ultra super long-life batteries. The consignment arrived yesterday but contained only 1,200 batteries.

This error put our firm in a difficult position, as we had to make some emergency purchases to fulfill our commitments to all our customers. This caused us considerable inconvenience.

I am writing to ask you to please make up the shortfall immediately and to ensure that such errors do not happen again. Otherwise, we may have to look elsewhere for our supplies.

I look forward to hearing from you by return.

Yours sincerely

     J. WongJ. Wong Purchasing Officer 

Flat 303 Lucky Mansions 856 Cheung Sha Wan Road Cheung Sha Wan Kowloon

9 November 2009

The Administrative Officer Exhibition ServicesExhibitions International 33 Kadoorie AvenueKowloon

Dear Sir/Madam

I attended your exhibition Sound Systems 2009 at the Fortune Hotel from 30 October - 2 November and found it informative and interesting. Unfortunately, my enjoyment of the event was spoiled by a number of organisational problems. I explain each of the problems below.

Firstly, I had difficulty in registering to attend the event. You set up an on-line registration facility, but I found the facility totally unworkable. Even after spending several wasted hours trying to register in this way, the computer would not accept my application. I eventually succeeded in registering by faxing you.

Secondly, the exhibition was held at one of Hong Kong's most prestigious hotels, but frankly the venue was better suited to a medium-sized business conference than to a large exhibition open by registration to the public. The lack of space led to serious overcrowding in the venue, particularly at peak visiting times (i.e. lunch times and early evening). On one or two occasions I was also seriously concerned about the physical safety of attendees.

The final point I want to make concerns product information. It is very enjoyable to see and test a range of excellent sound systems, but it is also important to be able to take away leaflets on interesting products, so that more research can be done before deciding which system to buy. However, by the time I attended the exhibition all the leaflets had been taken.

Could I please ask you to look into these matters - not only on my behalf but also on behalf of other attendees, and in fact on behalf of your company, too.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully

Michael LeungMichael Leung

complaints letter example - faulty product

(use letterheaded paper showing home/business address and phone number)

name and address (of customer service department)

date

Dear Sirs

Faulty (xyz) product

I'm afraid that the enclosed (xyz) product doesn't work. It is the third one I've had to return this month (see attached correspondence).

I bought it from ABC stores at Newtown, Big County on (date).

I was careful to follow the instructions for use, honestly.

Other than the three I've had to return recently, I've always found your products to be excellent.

I'd be grateful if you could send a replacement and refund my postage (state amount).

I really appreciate your help.

Yours faithfully

signature

J Smith (Mrs)

Enc.

complaints letter example - poor service

(use letterheaded paper showing home/business address and phone number)

name and address (for example to a service manager)

date

Dear (name)

Outstanding service problem - contract ref (number)

I really need your help with this.

Your engineer (name if appropriate) called for the third time in the past ten days to repair our (machine and model) at the above address, and I am still without a working machine.

He was unable to carry out the repair once more because the spare part (type/description/ref) was again not compatible. (I attach copies of the service visit reports.)

Your engineers have been excellent as always, but without the correct parts they can't do the job required.

Can I ask that you look into this to ensure that the next service visit, arranged for (date), resolves the matter.

Please telephone me to let me know how you'd like to deal with this.

When the matter is resolved I'd be grateful for a suitable refund of some of my service contract costs.

I greatly appreciate your help.

Yours sincerely

signature

J Smith (Mrs)

Enc.