Customer Service

As a follow up to this post, I wanted to provide a bit more detail on how you could go about writing a customer service letter.  And, with the advent of technology, there are several avenues that you can use to make it even easier.  I will be describing the pros and cons of each method, and how you can communicate your message effectively and clearly.

Methods

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Snail Mail

My default avenue for customer service letters is writing snail mail.  It's classy, a lost art, and stands apart from e-mail.  Begin by quickly introducing yourself, providing loyalty program or other relevant information (such as a reservation number) right away.  Close the first paragraph with why you are writing.  For example:

Dear Customer Service,

I am a platinum member of your hotel program and my number is XXX-12355.  I am writing to report poor customer service I experience on XX, 15, 2013 at XX.

Make the rest of your letter quick, detailing the information, while being respectful.  No one wants to read a letter that appears as if the writer is "yelling" or irate.  But, you also want to sound like you know what you are talking about.  Cite a company policy, or if need be, the law.

E-Mail or Company Website Customer Feedback Form

Many of the same rules apply.  You can basically write the same thing as a standard letter, but you might need to tighten, or shorten your language.  E-mail tends to get lost with the ADD crowd, and if you are writing directly through the company's website, you might be limited in the amount of characters.  Be really quick here.  Bonus: you might be able to send an attachment to boost your case.

Phone Call

Hard core and old school.  Request to speak with the Manager, or someone in a position of authority.  Be succinct, firm, but respectful.  Mention your status, if you have it, and let them know you have options for your business.

Online Chat

A relatively new medium for complaining.  This format may include Facebook or Twitter chats, or the company's home page, in-house customer service chat, "live" customer service.  Be really respectful and quick to the point here.  There's a good chance that the person on the other end 1) Does not speak English well; 2) Is an outsourced employee who works at home who needs to make a certain quota a day; 3) Has a limit of time per customer; 4) Has limited authority regardless of the case.  Make it count.

In closing the method in which you choose may be what you feel comfortable with most.  For my most recent experience, I actually wrote the corporate office and talked to staff in person.  You might try multiple avenues in case one gets to a decision maker more quickly.

Knowing When, and How, To Complain About Poor Customer Service

Being a consumer advocate, I am perhaps a bit more sensitive or aware of customer service experiences, especially in the service industry, restaurants and hotels.  I don't "look" per se for problems, but after my recent experience at a restaurant in which I described the dirty pagers and employees on cell phones, let's just say I perk up a bit when I see things.  When you are wronged, see if you can be righted, as I will explain.

Last weekend, I stayed at an awesome hotel in New York City (nameless), but had a small unfortunate experience with the cleanliness of the room.  The property belongs to a major hotel line and I have mid-level elite status with them, and it was no dump, just to set the record.  However, it was obvious that our room hadn't been properly cared for after the previous guest.  In short, there was some broken glass on the wood floor that I stepped on after showering.  Ouch.

I called the front desk and they were immensely apologetic, sent up a bottle of champagne, and promised to clean the room around dinner time.  End of story, right?  Not quite.  On my check out day, I was putting things away and noticed that there was still shards of glass that could have been stepped on again.  This time, I was a little more frustrated.  We all make mistakes, but this was just sloppy.  I documented the area where I found glass and went to the front desk.  They were embarrassed to say the least.  I wondered, are they going to comp me something, like breakfast?  Nope.  

I decided that it was time to pull out my oldest trick in the book--a complaint letter.  I had photos, proof that they were aware of the problem and hadn't addressed it, and a respectful but firm story to tell.  I banged out the letter on the way home, ensuring that I had all of the details straight, and emphasizing my elite status, too.  Next step, find out to whom I send it.  One look at the hotel's website caught my eye--an online customer service form.  Awesome!  This will be quick.

Pressing send, I wondered how long it would take to respond.  One day?  Two days?  Today, I received both a really nice phone call from one of the property managers, and an e-mail response from their headquarters, rewarding me with several thousand loyalty points for my trouble.  Score!  I kept my wits, pointed out an error, and had a nice chat on the phone as well.  A great way to end the day.

The point is that you should never pass up an opportunity to write a complaint letter when you have experieced truly poor service.  In this case, it was a legitimate gripe that I only save for egregious cases.  Not only can you help out the business that screwed up, but you might just be rewarded, too.  In future posts, I will describe in greater detail the basis for good complaint letter writing.

Call customer service and score a better deal with a human

While it's generally easier and more efficient to handle basic customer service requests from a company's website or automated phone system, sometimes it's a lot more effective to call an actual real live human being.  After reading a very insightful book recently, "Your Call Is Not That Important To Us," about the customer service industry, and having an overwhelmingly positive experience replacing an expensive Verizon smartphone that I had lost a few days ago, I am a convert to human-to-human communication when resolving problems. 

But first, here is my experience with each company "touch point" and third-party option which led to my eventual success and satisfaction.  First, I pondered all of my options:  eBay, Amazon, visit the Verizon store near my office, visit their website, go through an authorized retailer like Wirefly, or plea with Verizon's customer service over the phone.  Their results:

1. eBay -- new and used equipment was expensive and I have had bad experiences buying through them
2. Amazon -- pretty much the same price
3. Verizon store (option 1) -- full retail replacement --  would you like a pint of blood, too?
4. Verizon store (option 2) -- better, they wanted to switch my upgrade eligibility discount with my wife's and still charge, what I thought, was too much
4. Website -- confusing to navigate the "replacement" options they were offering, such as certified pre-owned models, and still more than I wanted to pay
5. Wirefly-- they wouldn't understand me and nor would I understand them over the phone (this is a good website if you are a new, or renewing customer, not if you are trying to replace your lost phone).  Be wary of outsourced customer service (see book for details).
6. Customer Service Representative--wow!  they made my day.  Not only did I get one replacement phone, I got two with a promotion they were offering, and after rebates and potentially selling the unused phone, I might just make money on the deal.  One drawback: I was forced to buy handset replacement insurance, which is I think a scam, but will save a headache the next time I lose the phone.

The takeaway here is that it can definitely pay to call the customer service number directly and plea your case.  Reps have the power to do things and override what a website selling to you can do, and even what store employees can do.  It's a good lesson for other customer service transactions, too.

Customer service: the difference is persistence

When you have an issue that needs resolving, do you perform the due diligence required to reach the right person, with the right information, and within the right time?  It's usually pretty easy to find customer service contact information on a company's website, but the key ingredient to making it happen is being persistent.  Sometimes it takes a few "touches" to make it happen. 

Customer service contact information serves two purposes: one, to make the customer feel like they have a voice; but two, as a mechanism for mitigating customer concerns without actually doing anything.  Often, it comes down to a case of chicken:  who is going to get out of the way first?  Think in the past when you have called customer service only to be passed back and forth between one party to the next.  Each company contact did their "job" by addressing the customer's concerns, but by passing it on to someone else without doing anything.  The hope: the customer just gives up.

A recent example to illustrate my point.  With the Megabus experience a month or so ago, the first letter fell on deaf ears.  The second, a phone call, referred me to an email address to contact.  The third, was a Twitter address, which basically said to write the company an email.  Finally, an email back from the company came, but there's no telling if they would have contacted me back ever if I hadn't reached out that many times.  Understanding that the time invested isn't always worth the outcome, but once the initial letter is drafted, it's very easy to send a hard copy, fax, and email to cover your bases.  If you have a chance phone conversation with a responsible party, keep your letter handy to recite your concerns.

And, increasingly, as discussed before, companies have live customer service chat online.  I have used this with hotels in particular and it is very effective.  Perhaps since it's easier for the outsourced customer service rep to understand what you are talking about when it is written instead of spoken.  Perhaps it's cheaper because the rep might be working from home.

Last piece of advice, address your concerns in a timely fashion, immediately if possible.  If you have a laptop handy, start drafting your letter as the incident is occurring in order to capture as many details as possible.  Depending on how egregious your concerns are, there's a relatively short window, maybe a month tops, in which they remain relevant.  You don't want to miss out on an opportunity for restitution.

Megabus update

I got a note today from megabus apologizing for our uncomfortable experience from a few weeks ago from the loss of air conditioning.  They refunded my fare and gave me a couple of round trip tickets.  Definitely a happy resolution!

Be persistent with customer service representatives

Everyone at one time or another has had a grievance with a company that was worth bringing up after the fact with a customer service representative.  Maybe it was a bad experience at a restaurant, hotel (a favorite complaint among travelers), or shoddy product.  The key to winning the customer service battle can sometimes come down to being the more persistent one.  Also, knowing how to utilize various customer service avenues is key as well.

Find the correct customer service contact information
For example, most individual consumer-focused companies have a website for their customers.  At the least, a customer service phone number should be on the receipt from a good or service ordered.  But, if not the case, finding a customer service contact on the company’s website may take some digging.  If not immediately obvious on the home page, look for a “Contact us,” “About,” or similar hyperlink.  Click on it.  There might be a frequently asked questions (FAQ) guide or other means for addressing concerns.  That’s the first step.  The FAQ may then provide a means for contacting the company via secure email form on their website.  See it?  Good!  Now, it’s time to write the letter.

Think like Johnny Cochran and make the case
Before simply rattling off a note, check a few things first.  Ensure a state of calm.  No matter how bad the experience that led to contacting the company, no customer service representative likes an angry, ill-toned customer.  Instead, be relaxed, but firm, and be prepared with receipts and any other documentation to support the complaint.  Next, type the letter in Microsoft Word (or a favorite program) and spell/grammar check.  Just as it doesn't help to sound angry, customer service will appreciate a well-written, constructive letter, and not one riddled with errors (or profanity).  See the general theme?  Be sure to treat the company representative as an adult and they should reciprocate the gesture.  Also, for the reader, this shows that the writer cares, is intelligent, and not just blowing off steam.  When finished with the letter, cut and paste it back into the website’s form and send.

Go old school
So, it’s been a few weeks and still no word from the company, or the initial response was less than flattering?  It’s time to go old school.  Go back to the company’s website, locate an address, and point of contact, if possible, and snail mail them directly.  These days, web communication with a company may be read quickly, but can be easily forgotten among the pile of other emails sent in.  With a written letter, it will stand out among the crowd.  And, it’s a lot easier to provide important documentation, such as a receipt, in it.

Ultimately, these strategies may not work all of the time, but if never tried, there's no way of knowing if a problem could have been resolved favorably.  It might even be the case that the outcome is better than imagined.

How to complain effectively and get compensated for it

I try to not to make it a habit, because let us face it, we all have had poor experiences with a Customer Service Representative, but sometimes you need to strike back by writing a complaint letter.  While it does take some time to pen a letter, it can be quite worth it. First, getting something off your chest is often what you are seeking deep down inside. However, secondly, it is good to point out when an employee or business has erred, because ultimately, the rest of us benefit from a lesson learned. Thirdly, there is a chance that a company will compensate you for your inconveniences.

Now, there is a right way and a wrong to complain. I have the following advice that should help you communicate a successful complaint: (1) know a store's policy (if applicable). Should your grievance stem from a violation of a store policy, (return policy, guarantee, etc.) be sure to cite it in your letter. At a minimum, this shows that you care enough to do your homework and are not simply complaining for the sake of doing so. It is easy to find store policies on their website, look under “Contact Us” or “Frequently Asked Questions” sections that are often at the very top or bottom. (2) Keep your receipts. You are not going to get far without documentation of your purchase, so do not even bother writing or calling if you do not have one. Loss-prevention is a constant battle for retailers, so if you claim you bought something and need to return it and you do not have a receipt, the burden is on you. (3) Know whom to contact. Usually, a store clearly posts customer service information on their website. However, in the event that it is not, do a little research by calling a company's 800 number and learn who you need to raise your grievance with by getting an appropriate department and name, if possible. (4) Be firm, but calm. No one likes an angry, belligerent customer, especially if they are unfamiliar with policies and procedures. Know the rules, keep your cool, and act like an adult. (5) Be patient. Do not expect an immediate response. It could take several days between when you lodged your complaint and any acknowledgment. With any luck, your case will be resolved equitably, and perhaps better, in your favor.

The method and length of your communication is up to you to determine.  Many companies now have resorted to using Twitter to solve problems.  This can be a quick, efficient means to solve your problem, if it is relatively simple in nature.  However, for more complex issues, a neatly presented, grammatically correct communique should receive a higher level of attention and hence response (financial or otherwise).

Should you have a grievance, I would love to hear about it and help you, if I can, in resolving it.  I personally love it.

How To Avoid Getting Scammed

Quick question: the last time you were at the mall, did you see a car on display that could be won?  I did.  Just fill out this card and you will be entered to win a new SUV...sounds great, doesn't?  Ever wonder who actually wins?  Ever wonder if EVERYBODY "wins"?  How would you know?

In the current economy, it's easy to be lured to contests such as this that offer fantastic prizes or trips.  I learned from a friend recently about another one going on.  In this case, the "winner" was chosen to win a trip to Orlando, Vegas, or Hawaii and a $1000 grocery card.  Sounds great, doesn't?  Funny, it seems like the telescammers move from offering gas cards to grocery cards probably depending on what seems to be rising faster.  (They somewhat move in tandem).  Since it sounded too good to be true, I did a bit of research and found out that the company had been referring people to a program that is basically an expensive coupon clipping service.  You can see the complaint here on Complaints Board.  What's more is that in order to claim this $1000 card, one has to attend a hotel ballroom-style presentation (timeshare) for an hour and a half.  You will be subject to over-hyped, high pressure sales tactics from beautiful people designed to get you excited.  Although there is no obligation, you will no doubt feel pressure from the sales team.

Next time before you take advantage of an offer that sounds outlandish, check out sites like RipOffReport or Complaints Board, or simply search for scam + [name of company, or prize].  Lastly, be careful with any hotel ballroom presentation.  They seem to follow a common pattern.

How To Get More Efficient Customer Service

Sometimes, we run into problems with a merchant.  Whether it's a lost item, over charge, etc., we need to talk with someone.  The dreaded experience doesn't have to be so bad.  I just had an experience with an on-line music service that was offering a free trial (to be cancelled within a week) no questions asked.  Although I had thought I had cancelled the service, my credit card was still charged.  Frustrating, of course.  But don't let that $12 escape your wallet so easily.

Instead of calling the 800-number to speak with someone, who may or may not understand the problem, I was able to utilize an on-line chat option.  The somewhat terse conversation proved very effective in allowing me to receive succesful resolution to my problem.  The rep. was able to look up and address my problem right away.  The flip side is waiting for an email to be responded to, or a customer rep needing to get permission from a higher up to authorize a charge back.

Your Questions answered...let me know what's on your mind  theconsumersedge@gmail.com

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