Most people will need to complain about unsatisfactory goods
or bad service at some point in their lives. If you are writing a letter of
complaint, there are some dos and don’ts that can help you get the right
outcome.
Do
Gather all your facts before you start writing the letter,
e.g. where and when goods were bought, any customer reference numbers or
invoice numbers, or a record of any previous communication with the company
concerned.
Get straight to the point and set out exactly what the
problem is.
Give all the relevant information in a clear and logical
sequence.
State what action you want the company to take and when you
expect them to have done this.
Enclose copies of any relevant documents that support your
case.
Don’t
Use abusive language, however frustrated or angry you might
feel.
Allow yourself to get sidetracked from your specific problem
into generalized criticism of the company or its products or services.
Send your letter without checking it carefully for grammar
or spelling mistakes.
Structuring your letter
The opening
Start your letter with the greeting Dear Mr. (or Mrs., Ms.,
Miss, etc.) Surname.
If you don’t know the name of the person you are writing to,
begin with Dear Sir or Dear Madam; if you don’t know their name or sex, use
Dear Sir or Madam.
The content
Begin with a heading alerting the reader to the subject of
the letter, and in your first sentence draw their attention to the matter
you’re going to raise or discuss. For example I am writing to complain..., or I
wish to express my dissatisfaction with ... or thank you for your letter of...
Introduce your main point as early as possible, stating your
reason for writing in a clear, concise way. Once you have done this, you may
want to give more details, perhaps adding further background or relevant facts.
In conclusion, you should state what your expectations are,
for example Please let me know as soon as possible what action you propose to
take or I look forward to hearing from you within the next ten days.
The close
The wording at the end of a formal letter follows a standard
format:
If you know the name of the person you’re writing to, you
should end the letter with yours sincerely.
If your letter begins with Dear Sir or Dear Madam, it should
end with yours faithfully.
Your own name should be typed out underneath your signature.
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