Robert wrote:
>Thats different from my problems with Epson UK over the Orange shift, I
have to take them to court now to get any satifaction, They used big boy
bully tactics, to try to force me not to take legal action
Those guys show up in every organization, and (obviously) in every
country--somebody "doesn't get the message" and/or thinks he/she is "bigger"
than the accepted rules. It's usually a "wonk" who is trying to climb the
success ladder very fast or is unusually impressed with their own power.
So at the first signs of contention (or sometimes before) I go straight for
the CEO when I have a serious complaint with a company. A formal letter is
the ticket, with a real envelope and real stamps--email is too deletable,
phonecalls make you wade through layers of beaurocracy.
Your letter should be polite, regardless of how angry you are. Firmly state
your dissatisfaction, list the problems and reasons why you expected better.
Beware of sarcasm unless you're able to use it effectively--never "pull a
Dicky," with foul language, misused vernacular, and misspellings. That
reduces your credibility.
Chances are slim that the CEO of a large company will *read* your letter,
but he (or she) will pass it on to the person who really *does* handle these
problems--so he/she doesn't have to keep dealing with you if for no other
reason! :-)
He/she also realizes that a dated, formal letter of complaint can become
evidence in court. I have never (had to) let a matter re:complaints go to
court--several hours on a typewriter/word-processor beats the heck out of
several days in court (done that!). Usually, the company will respond in a
positive way--some, more positive than others, as in Larry's case. But
sometimes, never again buying a product from a company with bad customer
service, and *telling* people about it, is all that's left to do.
Good companies know this; lesser companies find out the hard way, when their
sales go into the toilet. You'd think that a competent Business School
would/should require a 6-hour course block on "Customer Relations," but if
they do, some 'em aren't teaching it right, while others are. Seems to me I
had an accounting teacher who "hammered" us with it. :-) Anyway, it makes
me appreciate all the more OEM guys like Ed, David, and Jack who really take
the time to listen to what their Market is saying by being on a list like
this.
My take on this discussion; best regards--LRA
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