Just because I Complain doesn’t mean I’m a grumpy old man, yet..

I’m always complaining, I’m not grumpy, it’s just that things go wrong all the time so I’m always asking it to be resolved. Most of the time it’s a small thing and 99% of the time the on-line store is great and I get things sorted quickly. There is no reason why a Complaint shouldn’t be a good thing, it’s certainly where companies with good customer service come into their own. After all, me complaining gives the company a chance to learn and improve. The complaint being successfully resolved increases not decreases the likelihood of me shopping with them again because I know when things go wrong they will sort it out.

According toLee Resources, there are 26 people who don’t complain for every 1 who does,uSwitchfound that only 27% of us would complain when things go wrong.  Why people don’t complain may be complicated but here is my top tips about how and when to complain.  It comes down to 3 things, be fair, be clear and know your rights.

Firstly, be fair

This blog isn’t really about saving money its about making sure your money gets what you pay for. When you decide to make a purchase you have an expectation both in terms of service and product, if this falls short anywhere, tell the company and give them a chance to resolve it without getting too angry. Things go wrong sometimes and most of the time a company accepts that and will do something about it.  But if you pay peanuts for something that you know should be a lot more I think your expectations should be lower. When a company acts in good faith to solve an issue and it does, accept it don’t push your luck.

Be clear

I’ve seen so many complaints go wrong on this point. Be clear, and as brief as possible, about what went wrong, and what you would like them to do about it. Don’t ramble on about lots of other things or make unrelated demands. A company wants to be efficient, and you need them to get to the heart of your complaint as quickly as possible so they can do something about it. If you’re unclear about what you want them to do they may offer you something that doesn’t match your expectations, or worse fix something that wasn’t broken. If you want a refund say it, or else you may get a replacement.

Know your rights

Complaining doesn’t always go smoothly but most of the time the law is on the consumers side, so I find sometimes I have to escalate either internally or to some external body. Knowing your consumer rights can really help here, and don’t expect a company to know them for you. I have frequently come up against a response from a retailer of “That’s not our policy” to which I normally respond “But it is the law”.  I don’t have space to go into all the relevant laws here but the BBC website has useful information on theDistance Selling Act, andConsumer Rights Actwhich are particularly helpful. Don’t be afraid to do a bit of research.

Tools to Help

I’ve built up my knowledge over many years of complaining, but I would always recommend starting with theCitizens Advice Consumer service but you can also get information direct fromgovernmentor fromMoneySavingExpert.

There is alsoa tool(in association withMoneySavingExpert) -  which helps you write your complaint. To get you started I’d recommend it, as it guides you through quite simply, though personally I now find it quicker just to write a complaint myself.

Don’t be afraid, if you don’t ask you don’t get!