How to complain 

Previously, I wrote an article about how a 94 year old took on Canada’s largest bank – and won. Sooner or later, almost all of us will be involved with a dispute with our bank, a store, the cable company or a myriad of other large companies. Some of them have formal complaint procedures in place but surprisingly many of them don’t. 

Got a legitimate beef with a large business?  Here are some techniques to complain more effectively. 

In the complaint process, try to resolve your dispute locally. Hopefully your good looks and charm will win them over. If possible, setting up a personal meeting with a supervisor or manager could solve the problem right there and then. 

If you are still at an impasse, contacting the company's head office is likely to be more effective than a dozen heated telephone conversations with their call centre. Written communications leave a paper trail which can be useful for audit or reference purposes. Always, always keep your cool. Your letter should represent the facts. Leave out the emotions.  No luck with the Customer Services Relations supervisor at head office? Nowhere else to appeal?  Don't give up! 

Find the company's annual report (usually buried deep on their web site), find the name of the VP of the relevant department and write or fax a letter. Email can be effective but executive email addresses are not usually disclosed to the public these days. Chances are that you will not hear back from the VP directly but if your letter is well written and your cause is just, the VP is now on your side and you've won the battle! The VP will delegate someone in the organization with instructions to make you happy and things should move very quickly from there. Remember this one thing in the corporate world: Things move downhill a lot faster than uphill. 

Accept the offer graciously and put away the picket signs. Regale all your friends and colleagues (ad nauseaum) for hours on end about how you took on the "Establishment".