1. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT
-Think throughwhat you want to achieve by complaning. You may just want to sound off in the hope of someone will listen & prevent another person from being victimised like you. Or maybe you'd like to see a complete policy change. is it compensation you are after, or at least a refund? Do you want them punished? Would an apology suffice? you may want several outcomes at once, but if you know what you are looking for,you have a better chance of getting it.
2. KNOW WHERE YOU STAND
-Unless your complaint is minor it is worth knowing where you stand. You do not need to be a lawyer, but it helps to show you know your basic rights & entitlements and that you are familiar with any relevant code of practice or customer charter. Beside, if it turns out that you don't have any rights, wouldn't you rather know it sooner than later?
3. GO BY THE BOOK
-If there are complaints procedures offered, do follow them. Make sure you complain to the right person. If you jump the earlier stages & complain directly to someone very high up in the organisation, your protests will probably be ignored & you may antagonise the person lower down for complaining over thier heads.
4. PROVE YOUR POINT
-You will need to back up your complaint, of course, & this means evidence-the identities of person involved, reference numbers, times, dates, receipts and bills. For some long-running problems, keep a journal of events. Also, if you are pursuing a complaint via new avenues, you will need to present evidence of how your complaint has been dealt with so far, so keep a file.
5. PUT IT IN WRITING
-A phone call or personal visitis often the most effective way of making a complaint, but unless the resolvesthe problem instantly, you should always follow this up in writting. This serves as evidence that you have complained. Keep copies of all letters or emails, and keep a diary of all phone conversations.
6. CONTROL YOUR ANGER
-Effective complaining boils down to channelling your anger in the right way. Getting aggressive does not usually help your case. you will make a personal enemy of someone who is likely not to blame anyway. the point is to give the impression of utter reasonableness, taking a "you know it makes sense" position.
7. KEEP TO TIME
-Strike while the poker is hot. Complain immediately when you realise there is a problem, or you may lose your right to complain altogether.
