If you have a dispute with a company, don’t lose your cool and shout disrespectfully at their innocent customer service representative. This will not likely get you what you want: resolution. Follow this procedure:
- Take 24 hours to cool off and discuss it with a spouse or friend, without unloading on them. The company is not likely going to pack up and fly to Mexico overnight (unless it’s a sole proprietor)! During this period, prepare for your defense by gathering all the facts of the case, including business name, account number, product/service name, order number, order date, messages, warranties and customer service phone number.
- After 24 hours, and you are calm and thinking clearly, call the innocent customer service representative and explain the dispute matter-of-factly. Avoid emotional ranting that is short on facts.
- Then state your fair, reasonable, acceptable terms to resolve the dispute.
- Then listen respectfully to hear their proposed resolution. If they are not willing to resolve the dispute to your satisfaction, then calmly hang up the phone without uttering anything more that might mislead them one way or another, and immediately document the phone conversation details for your records.
- Wait another 24 hours to cool off if needed. During this time,call your credit card company that was used to pay for the disputed product or service and request to “open a formal dispute” on the specific charge.
- File a formal complaint online with the proper agency. If the disputed company is a financial services company, then file your complain with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). If its regarding fraud or identity theft or anti-competitive business practices, then file it with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Otherwise, file your complain with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). If it’s something that may affect millions of other people and has class action potential, or is political in nature, then write to your Congressional Representative. Avoid emotional ranting that is short on facts. Before clicking the Submit button, copy and paste the text details of your complaint into your word processor for your records.
- Wait about 7-10 days for them to process your complaint (you’re waiting in line, online).
- When you receive the agency’s response to your complaint in the US mail, review it carefully.
- Follow any instructions provided in the letter.
- Continue to work with the agency until the dispute has been resolve to your satisfaction.
- If you are still unsatisfied, call the customer service number and demand to speak with the senior manager. Explain the dispute with him/her.
- If you are still dissatisfied, write and mail a certified letter to the company Vice President of Customer Relations and wait 7-10 days for a reply letter.
- If you are still not getting resolution, contact your state’s Attorney General’s office for assistance.
- If still unsatisfied, then, using a word processor, copy/paste the details of your complaint to begin writing a detailed, factual statement for posting onto a few prominent social media sites. Avoid emotional ranting that is short on facts. Be extremely careful what you say, that could spark a defamation lawsuit against you! Stick to indisputable facts and your “opinion”. Then go online and paste your saved statement at multiple social media sites, including Google, Facebook, Pissed Consumer, Complaints Board, Consumer Affairs, Trust Pilot, Sitejabber, Yelp, TripAdvisor and/or Ripoff Report.