How Should I File an Effective Complaint Against a Large Company?

Dear Lifehacker,
I just had a nasty run-in with customer service for a company I shop with, and I don't think they're listening to my complaints. How do I, the little guy, file a complaint appropriately when a large company has done something I find unfair to me? Who else can I contact?

Signed,
Not-So Important Caller

Photo by Patricia Feaster.

Dear Caller,
We know how you feel – everyone's been where you are at least once: wading through customer service reps trying to find someone who's willing to help with your problem instead of recite policy or procedure to you. Sometimes you'll have great luck and find reps willing and able to help. Other times you'll run into dead ends of call scripts and unhelpful policies.

Thankfully, if you have the time and the drive to follow your complaint through, that company's 1-800 number and constantly asking "can I speak to your manager" doesn't have to be your last resort. There are a number of places to go from here, some of which address the company in question, others which go over their head. Here are a few of them.

Take Your Complaint to Twitter or Facebook

Many companies have social media presences on Twitter and Facebook they they use for marketing and customer service purposes. Check to see if the company you have issue with has a presence there, and see if they're actively engaging their customers' comments or if they're simply using the medium as a way to broadcast information.

If you visit their Twitter account (assuming they have one) and you see company representatives replying to customers tweets or following as many customers as follow them, it's likely they're also handling customer service requests either openly or via direct message. The same applies for Facebook: if you see the company responding to comments or posts on their page, you may have more luck going that route than calling their 800 number or call center.

Keep in mind however that often Twitter and Facebook accounts are handled by marketing staff, who may wind up handing you off to customer service eventually, even if they're sympathetic. Still, it can be worth a try, especially if you express your frustration at having gotten nowhere with regular channels. Photo by West McGowan.

Write Instead of Call

If you don't need your issue resolved urgently, you can almost always get a better response by writing a corporate office than calling their 800 number. Not too many customers actually write instead of call anymore, and by writing in to the corporate office. Again, your letter may wind up going to the customer service department, but it's pretty likely it'll be read by someone either higher up the chain or at least in a different department than the customer service folks you've had a problem with.

You also have the option to send a letter directly to company management. Head over to the company's web site and see if you can find the director or vice president in charge of the area you're having an issue with, and then send a letter to the address listed, or to the company's headquarters with their name on it. Make no mistake, it's unlikely that person will read and personally respond to your message – they'll likely get it or it'll be intercepted by their staff, but you can be sure it'll be handed off to someone in customer service who's been tasked with making you-and your problem-go away.

You may also have some luck emailing the company's customer service address with your issue, especially if you note how little luck you've had with the company's front-line support. Unfortunately, email requests often wind up being handled by the same group that handles front-line support, so your mileage may vary when emailing, unless you know you're emailing a specific person.

Call The Better Business Bureau (BBB)

If you've run out of options when communicating with the company and you really do feel that you have a legitimate complaint that's simply not being addressed, you don't have to stop with the company's internal workings. You have the option to reach out to your local Better Business Bureau or consumer advocacy group. You can file a complaint online at the BBB's site, or you can find your local BBB office (also on their site) and call them during regular business hours.

Filing a complaint on the web is less effective than contacting your local BBB and dealing with them directly, but both methods register your complaint with the BBB, who then forwards it to the company in question within two business days. The company has 14 business days to respond, and if they don't, the BBB will forward your request again, and they'll have another 14 days to respond. The BBB will then let you know if the complaint has gone unanswered or if they've sent a response.

The trouble here is that the company in question isn't obligated to respond to the BBB in regard to your complaint. Companies are encouraged to, because complaints with the BBB can affect the company's accreditation with the bureau. If the company leaves your complaint unanswered, it'll sit on their report for three years, indicated as such. More often however, the BBB will get a response from the business, or the business will reach out directly to you to resolve the issue, after which they'll respond via the BBB and ask you to close the complaint. Worst case, the business responds that they think they're in the right, and the BBB will broker mediation or arbitration between you and the company.

Whatever You Do, Be Civil

Regardless of what approach you choose, keep in mind that being rude, aggressive, or impatient may backfire on you. Keep records of your evidence and your communications with company representatives and consumer advocates, and be polite and civil in all of your communications. Even the BBB says they reserve the right to not process complaints with foul or abusive language, so cool off a bit before you write your letter or submit your complaint.

You'll get better results with everyone you interact with, especially if you're escalating above people who have been previously unhelpful, if you take the high road, be clear about what you'd like from the conversation, and be assertive, as opposed to aggressive. Best of luck getting your issues resolved!

Sincerely,
Lifehacker

PS – we know these aren't the only ways to get your issues heard by companies who may be stonewalling you behind layers of customer service or bureaucracy. What are some of your favorite insider or commonly used tips for getting through to the right people? Share your experience in the comments.