Do you make polite complaints ?
Hi Folks,
I mean just standing your ground a bit, in a decent manner.
I would never be abusive to others, but I'm jiggered if I will be treat like a fool being diddled with a shoddy product, or conned out of something.
It is offensive, so I will have my say, that I feel I am right, and you, the shop-person or whatever are totally wrong, and I do not mind embarassing you in front of other customers & your "boss", who should know better !
Are we getting too soft when being ripped off ?
How do you naturally react to this prevalant nonesense on the High Street ?
(Or am I becoming a grumpy old man ! )
Bob
Comments
A polite complaint is often well received by those of us on the other side of the counter.
If the customer is being reasonable a good retailer will go out of their way to remedy the situation. However from time to time, even the most polite complaint can be unreasonable, and can turn into a battle.
I am young, I own my own company. I have run into my fare share of unreasonable and polite customers. I have a very liberal return policy however there are a few restriction.
I sell consumable, these consumables take most people a couple months to use. I assume that if a customer has had my consumable for 4 month and has used it to it's entirety they are satisfied. The time and place to complain about my product is not 4 months after purchase, when you have used it completely. It is when you have first began to use it and decided you are not happy.
Problems happen, I have returned faulty merchandise before with little incident. However having worked in the position of being on the other side of the desk there are a few ground rules to follow.
- Every business has a return policy, know it before you purchase and if it is unreasonable, don't purchase from them.
- Stay within the terms of that return policy, if they offer a 90 day money back guarantee, don't come in 180 days later and demand the same level of service.
- Time time to complain is when you first decide you are unsatisfied. If you are unable to make it in, call the store, speak with a manager, alert them of your grievance.
- Outline what your issue with the product is.
- Be polite, and work with the staff on a resolution. Some policies are carved in stone by a corporate office. It may be a matter of them physically not being able to process your demands. Likewise, in many cases they too have to return a product to a manufacturer and are subject to their terms. This is why many stores set limitations, like 90 days.
- Making a scene is not going to help you out. Berating the staff, threatening, or even going as far as trashing the store is not only going to leave a bad taste in the retailers mouth, it is going to possibly land you in legal trouble. If the store in unreasonable contact a third party mediator like the better business bureau. They are there to mediate and resolve claims.
Most retailers don't stay in business by ripping people off. Without happy customers, you do not have a business. However not everybody can be satisfied. In my time I have had customers make requests that were not only unreasonable (like refunding a product that was clearly not mine) But illegal (refunding software which was not in congruence with the intellectual properties act). I have had people trash my store, I have had staff assaulted, spit on, I have had my store vandalized. UNfortunately, I am not alone in this. Almost every retailer I know of and have spoken to can report similar and often worse incidents.
The message is, know your rights as a consumer. Know the company you are dealing with, and finally you will get more leanicy with a smile than you will with a verbal assualt.
I am as polite as can be when making a complaint. If I get attitude in return, I smile and ask for a supervisor and start all over again with my original complaint and add on the attitude of their subordinate...all in a very polite, smiling way. I pay money for services/products, and I expect to get what I pay for. Period. I'll take my complaint all the way to the top of the company food chain if I have to in order to get satisfactory results.
But yes, I think a lot of people just let this kind of stuff slide, which may be causing the general decline of customer service overall. If the company doesn't hear complaints about bad service and products, how are they to know that there is any reason to be concerned? I am, more often than not, sincerely thanked for my input, since managers don't often get honest feedback from customers.
You're becoming a grumpy old man, m'dear! LOL!!!
Just last week, I had an incident where my debit card was refused because the merchant had a "Minimum Purchase" requirement. According to VISA (the issuer of the card) merchants are not allowed to have minimums. I told the clerk that they have to take the card. She refused, saying it was "policy." I said she was wrong. She called the supervisor over, who repeated the "policy." Again, I said they were wrong and that they HAVE to take my card. Then I heard the old line, "We're JUST doing as we've been TOLD." I said, "You've been told WRONG!!!" I was getting MORE and more aggrievated. I finally went to the car for my checkbook... I only take into the store what I need... and I didn't NEED my checkbook. She then asked me for Drivers Lic ID... and AGAIN... I had to go to my CAR for that! THEN she was RUDE to me and said in a gruff manner, "Oh FORGET it... I've had ENOUGH of YOU!" ... shoved my bag towards me. I took it and left.
Today, I called Visa and lodged a complaint against the merchant, and they will "take it from there."
I told the VISA person that I had been insulted and the clerk was RUDE to me. While I was upset, and "insistent" I was not RUDE.
Unfortunately, this is a small town, and it's hard to NOT shop at this store. Frankly, I would like an apology from them for the clerk's rudeness.... then I might consider shopping there again.
Have a polite day.
When I get ripped off, or need to take an item of clothing or whatever it may be to 'customer services' I do try to be polite.
Give respect to get respect.
However, you will always get that one worker who thinks they are superior and will try and make you feel like dirt for wanting money back for a faulty/not fit for purpose product.
They are the people I have a problem with, and they get no respect from me!
Yes, I make very polite complaints. Sometimes I preface my complaint with, "I do have a complaint, but I assure you that I will not yell at you. My mother taught me to be a lady."
I also find the the use of "Sir" or "Ma'am" also helps, even in a restaurant. People seem to like that and they stand with a look of pride.
Being a grumpy old bugger,I`m of an age when i really
do call a spade a shovel and will not let any thing slip
by me,weather they like it or not.I pays mi brass so i want
good service and serviceable products,there is no excuse
for any of this.Remember the old adage,The Customer
Is Always Right.Grumpy`s good these days Bob. lol
By reading the way that you asked this question, I can tell that you would complain in a very polite way. It seems that in this day and age money talks. If you ask for a refund or discount and let them know why (in a very polite way), it may make the statement that you would like to make. Good luck!
Your right on the money. I often notice people are too worried or anxious to make complaints. I agree they don't have to be rude or confrontational but on the soap box and have your say. Most times they will do what they can to sort it out. That's what i found anyway.
My best trick is to say to the shop-staff " I know this is not your fault, personally, but I'm asking you to please make it right to keep me as a customer."
The poor employees getting ranted at on a regular basis, and they didn't make the table leg break or the bread get dated wrong and mold.
But I've found if you're very respectful and let them know right off the bat that you don't blame THEM, but do expect them to make it right, they'll work miracles for you.
Just a tip.
i never used to complain but as i got older i thought NO i am not having thi and i know my rights i don,t need to shout i am just firm and i won,t budge an inch until the situation is resolved