Even the smartest consumers sometimes wind up with a toaster that won't toast or a warranty that won't cover a laptop's hard-drive disaster. And even the most patient souls sometimes find themselves unable to get a customer-service rep to set things right.
While you know that screaming or threatening won't help, what should you do when you're at your wit's end? It's simple: Take a deep breath, then follow these three proven steps that will help you resolve a frustrating situation ASAP.
Manage the phone tree: Talking to customer service is step one in solving every kind of complaint — and, in many cases, it's the only step needed. To cut time navigating endless phone menus, visit gethuman.com for free tips on reaching a live person faster.
If the first rep you talk to isn't inclined to help, hang up and try again, suggests Bill Withers, Ed.D., a communications professor at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, who specializes in customer-service issues; you may find that your matter is quickly resolved by another agent.
No luck on tries two and three? Ask for a supervisor to step in. But don't skip this first step. Supervisors typically ask about your experience with customer service and with whom you spoke.
Contact the honchos: When customer-service reps can't or won't help, send a letter or an e-mail to higher-ups at the corporate office. This lets you voice your problem to a fresh set of ears attuned to the company's reputation.
Even though you may not get a personal response from the CEO, it may well get your problem in front of someone with the power to resolve the dispute, says Diane Gottsman, owner of the Protocol School of Texas, an etiquette-training firm that consults with corporate clients. Once you've drafted a letter or an e-mail, hunt down top executives' names, usually listed on the company's website under the "About Us" or "Investor Information" section. To help get the correct e-mail format, visit the free site executivebomb.com, which posts that info for more than 3,000 companies.
Kate Crane of Jersey City, N.J., reached out to managers at computer repair service Tekserve after the rep there wouldn't explain why her laptop needed major work. She located the manager's e-mail address on the business's website and sent a short e-mail citing her past positive experiences and the unfortunate one. "I had a response back within a half-hour with an apology," she says — not bad for e-mail sent Saturday night after closing.
Take it public: If your problem still hasn't been resolved, ask for help again — this time on social-networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, where companies can quickly lose face with other customers if they don't respond. Consider what happened to Pamela Dodd of Orlando, Fla.: She was more than a little peeved when the 1-800-Flowers.com Mother's Day bouquet she'd sent her mom never arrived. When she contacted the company's customer-service line, a rep said it had been delivered. So Dodd logged on to Twitter and posted a complaint on her account: "Disappointed in 1800Flowers.com. My 88-year-old mom's bouquet hasn't arrived. Wonder how many other moms didn't get their flowers?" "I heard back within five minutes from their customer-service blogger [@1800 Flowers]," says Dodd, whose mother got her bouquet bright and early the next morning, plus a free arrangement from the company.
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