Resolving
Consumer
Complaints
How to do it right!
Let’s take a look at real life…
 Have
you ever been unsatisfied with a good
or service?
 Have
you ever written a letter of complaint?
Quick Facts…

“A typical business hears from only about 4% of its
dissatisfied customers — 96% just go away … and
91% will never come back.”

“Most customers just go away because they
believe their complaints will not do any good, not
worth the trouble or personal stress, or don't know
where or to whom to complain.”

“A dissatisfied customer will tell 9-15 people about
it. And approximately 13% of your dissatisfied
customers will tell more than 20 people about their
problem.”
“Customer service statistics”
What should I do first?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Call and talk to Gina’s manager
Write a letter of complaint to Costco
Call and talk directly to Gina
Contact a mediator to help solve the
problem.
File a class action suit and the sooner the
better.
How to Handle a Complaint
 FIRST
THINGS FIRST!
Identify the problem
Gather records
Go back
1.
2.
3.
 Contact
 Description
 Actions
 Resolution
 Do
not contact company headquarters until you
have first done the above steps!
Don’t Give Up!

Call or Write a “Higher Power”

Find out the appropriate person!!!
In most businesses, someone is responsible for
handling complaints. Call or do research to find out
this person’s name.
 Consumer office or the president of the company


Where to Look
Library
 Better Business Bureau
 Consumer Protection Hotline 800-392-8222

What to Write
Be Brief.
 State your contact info.
 Include important dates, names, product info, and
warranty terms.
 State the problem and how you want it corrected.
 Be rational, more importantly: BE POLITE!
 Include COPIES of documents.
 Give time limit.

Still Not Happy?
 File



a formal complaint
Attorney General
Federal Trade Commission
Better Business Bureau
 Dispute


Resolution Programs-less costly than court
Mediation: 2 parties try to reach a resolution with the help
of a neutral 3rd party. If 3rd party suggests a remedy, the 2
parties can accept or reject it.
Arbitration: neutral 3rd party listens to both sides and
reaches a decision. Binding: must accept decision
Still Not Happy?
 Legal

Action
Small claims court
 Under
MI Law, $5,000. or less do not need to hire
a lawyer.

Lawsuit
 Hire

a lawyer and go to court
Class Action Suit
 Group
of people with same problem
Hypothetical problems you can write your letter about:
Shoes
purchased via the Internet or a mail order catalog never arrives. Your check
for the shoes has been cashed.
A
MP3 player purchased from your local Radio Shack doesn’t work one month after
you bought it. The local store where you made your purchase has closed.
A
deposit you made via an ATM machine is not credited to your checking account.
Checks are coming back marked “insufficient funds.” The bank and the persons to
whom you wrote the checks are charging you penalties for the bad checks.
You
purchase a waterproof watch you found advertised in a magazine. The first time
you wear it while swimming, water gets in and the watch stops working. The watch
has a one-year warranty and you have only owned it for two months.
The
lock on the door to your apartment building is broken. You contacted the
manager of the building to get it fixed but nothing has happened. After two weeks of
waiting, you decide it is time to contact the owner of the building.
For these hypothetical situations, you MUST make up any missing details such
as date of purchase, product brand and price.
Before you leave today, write down…
3 important terms or ideas to remember
about consumer complaints
2 ideas or facts you would like to know
more about consumer complaints
1 thing that was helpful to you in
today’s lesson