By Bizna Brand Analyst
As they say, a wise man learns from the mistakes of others rather than his own. Popular TV anchor Lilian Muli has been trending for all the wrong reasons after recordings emerged that showed her cursing and hurling insults at a waitress at a popular night spot. This hasn’t gone down well with Kenyans as the majority have wasted no time in haranguing her.
It’s true that Lilian Muli made a huge mistake. I am not going to defend her. We all face bad customer service from time to time. When confronted with bad customer service, do you sometimes think it will end up being too much hassle to speak up about it? Or can such situations have the opposite effect on you, prompting you to go so ballistic that you can never do business with the erring company again?
Here’s the problem with those approaches: They frequently result in unpleasant consequences for you, either in the short term or in the long term. The good news is that there’s another way to proceed. The following tips can help you lodge effective complaints that yield real results.
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Stay calm
Make a genuine effort not to get emotional. Doing so could damage your argument and your credibility. Behave as professionally as possible, and always remember this: You’re talking to a fellow human being. In many cases, the person on the receiving end of your complaint may not have had anything to do with what went wrong.
2. Don’t delay and accumulate the fury
If you want a quick resolution to your problem, don’t wait for hours, days or weeks to complain about it. Don’t wait to do it when you’ve reached that point where you have had enough. Immediate action can get the ball rolling and help the customer service representatives in question take your situation more seriously. Just do so decently, the first time it happens. Lilian Muli had probably faced the same bad service more than once that’s why she was so upset about it.
3. Request special treatment if warranted
Do you do lots of business with the company in question? Are you a frequent customer? If so, be sure to mention that in all of your conversations and correspondence about the complaint. It really should count for something.
4. Try the easiest approach first
Call, e-mail or visit the company’s customer service department or talk politely to the immediate employee you are dealing with. Explain your situation clearly, and say how you would like to see it resolved. This step alone could make the problem evaporate. If the first customer service representative you reach turns out to be unhelpful, ask to speak with that person’s manager. Again…don’t yell unless you are being provoked
5. Keep good records or evidence
If none of that works, take down notes about each encounter you’ve had with people at the company. Have evidence of bad service so that the company involved can’t get away with it. If an employee talks to you rudely, you can secretly record the conversation. Your documentation will demonstrate your efforts to resolve the problem.
6. Contact the right person
Draft a concise letter to the manager of the company. You can get the boss by calling the company, visiting the company’s website or social media account of the manager. In some cases you’ll be able to e-mail the boss directly; in others you might have to mail your letter to the person’s attention at corporate headquarters.
7. Be specific
Describe what occurred without any exaggeration or embellishment. Depending on the situation, consider demanding a resolution as quickly as possible. Let the company know that you expect a resolution to the problem, and say what you hope that resolution will be. Don’t be unrealistic or demand too much, and set a reasonable time limit for the company to get back to you or a reasonable action that can be taken immediately
8. Maintain your momentum
If your issue is serious, be aware that it could take months for it to be settled. Be persistent, and be prepared to do whatever it takes. If the company doesn’t want to resolve your problem, you can also cut ties with them completely.
These steps are far much better than yelling and screaming at innocent employees that are probably battling stressful conditions of their own. No matter how much of a big shot you are, be civil and noble. You should only opt for aggressive measures when your politeness isn’t being reciprocated.