UNIT XI

WRITING A COMPLAINT
ABOUT A PRODUCT OR SERVICE

A. Complaint Letter Definition

A Complaint letter is a request for an adjustment. In other words, it
is a letter that describes about the damage; errors or mistakes;
unsatisfactory servicing happened to the delivered goods and/or
service, therefore claims for compensation.
1. Problem with the delivered goods: If the goods that are
delivered are :
• Under weight,
• Obsolete,
• Defective,
• Incomplete,
• Not according to buyer’s specification such as color, brand,
size etc.
• Wrong or poor quality; then buyer can make a claim to the
seller for the mistake.
2. Pricing: If there is any mistake in preparing the invoice of the
shipped goods, then such letter is written.
3. Packing: Faulty or poor packing of the goods causes damage to
the goods which can be claimed to the seller.
4. Transport:Goods are supposed to be shipped according to
convenience of the buyer. But if wrong carrier is used it may
call for writing such letter.
5. Terms& Condition: If the terms and condition of business are
violated by the seller then such a letter is placed.
6. Faulty Insurance: If insurance coverage is not made properly
according to instruction of the buyer, then there may be claim
through complaint letter.

B. How to Write a Complaint Letter

77
 • Include your name, address, and home and work phone
numbers.
• Type your letter if possible. If it is handwritten, make sure it is
neat and easy to read.
• Describe your problem and the outcome you want
- Make your letter brief and to the point. Include all important
facts about your purchase, including the date and place
where you made the purchase and any information you can
give about the product or service such as serial or model
numbers or specific type of service.
- State exactly what you want done about the problem and
how long you are willing to wait to get it resolved. Be
reasonable, means ask for a response within a reasonable
time
• Include all documents regarding your problem. Be sure to send
COPIES, not originals.
• Avoid writing an angry, sarcastic, or threatening letter. The
person reading your letter probably was not responsible for
your problem but may be very helpful in resolving it.
• Keep a copy of the letter for your records.

• Part of Complaint Letter

• Background
This section describes the situation; e.g.
A. I am writing to inform you that the goods we ordered from
your company have not been supplied correctly.
B. I attended your exhibition Sound Systems 2015 at the
Fortune Hotel (22-25 January) and found it informative
and interesting. Unfortunately, my enjoyment of the event
was spoiled by a number of organizational problems.
C. I am a shareholder of Sunshine Bank and I am very
concerned regarding recent newspaper reports on the
financial situation of the bank. Your company is listed as
the auditor in the latest annual report of the bank, so I am
writing to you to ask for an explanation of the following
issues.

78
 D. I am writing to inform you of my dissatisfaction with the
food and drinks at the 'European Restaurant' on 18 January
this year.
• Problem
Cause:
A. On 30 October 2015 we placed an order with your firm
for 12,000 ultra super long-life batteries. The
consignment arrived yesterday but contained only
1,200 batteries.
B. Firstly, I had difficulty in registering to attend the
event. You set up an on-line registration facility, but I
found the facility totally unworkable.
C. You sent us an invoice for $10,532, but did not deduct
our usual 10% discount.
D. We have found 16 spelling errors and 2 mislabeled
diagrams in the sample book.
Effect:
E. This error put our firm in a difficult position, as we had
to make some emergency purchases to fulfill our
commitments to all our customers. This caused us
considerable inconvenience.
F. Even after spending several wasted hours trying to
register in this way, the computer would not accept my
application.
G. I am therefore returning the invoice to you for
correction.
H. This large number of errors is unacceptable to our
customers, and we are therefore unable to sell these
books.
• Solution
A. I am writing to ask you to please make up the shortfall
immediately and to ensure that such errors do not
happen again.
B. Could I please ask you to look into these matters?
C. Please send us a corrected invoice for $9,479

79
 D. I enclose a copy of the book with the errors
highlighted. Please re-print the book and send it to us
by next Friday.
• Warning (optional)
A. Otherwise, we may have to look elsewhere for our
supplies.
B. I'm afraid that if these conditions are not met, we may
be forced to take legal action.
C. If the outstanding fees are not paid by Monday, 16
November 2015, you will incur a 10% late payment
fee.
• Closing
A. I look forward to receiving your explanation of these
matters.
B. I look forward to receiving your payment.
C. I look forward to hearing from you shortly.

• Complaint letter template

[Your name]
[Your address]
[Email and/or phone]
Dear Manager
Re: COMPLAINT ABOUT [INSERT NAME OF PRODUCT OR
SERVICE] PURCHASED AT [INSERT BUSINESS NAME] ON
[INSERT DATE]
State that you have a problem with goods or services bought from
the business at a particular location and date and that you want the
problem fixed.
Explain the key details of the problem including when you
discovered it and any other steps you’ve already taken to get it
fixed, such as a telephone call or a visit to the store. Note who you
spoke to and any results of your efforts.
State that you have enclosed copies of relevant documents, such as
a receipt of bank statement for proof of purchase.
State the steps you want the business to take to fix the problem.

80
State that you expect to hear from the business with a solution by
[insert date or within 10 days]. Describe what you intend to do if
the business fails to fix the problem—such as making a formal
complaint to the ACCC or the consumer protection agency in your
state or territory.
List your business and after hours contact details.
Yours sincerely
[Your name]
Enclosed: Copy of the receipt for [insert name of product or
service]

Worksheet 1

Identify the information of complaint letter by filling the

following table!

Josh Hamilton
Store Manager
G Mart Pvt. Ltd.
863, Main Street,
1423, New York City, New York

Dear Mr. Hamilton

I have been a loyal customer of your stores for the past 5 years, I
have time and again received great service at your mart which is
one of the main reasons I shop at your store. But to my surprise, on
the date of 23rd August, 2010, I was at the receiving end of some
very poor service at your mart.
On the said date, I made the purchase of my weekly groceries, and
headed towards the cash counter to pay for them. The person
sitting at the counter, who was wearing the name tag of Jen, was
talking on her cell phone. When I asked her to make the bill, she
said she would do it in 5 minutes, and resumed her conversation on
the phone. After a good 10 minutes, she started with her work and
did it very slowly. The bill, apparently totaled up to more than I

81
 expected, so I asked her to recheck it. Instead, she talked to me
very rudely, and told me that if I did not like the prices, I could
take my business elsewhere.
I was appalled at such behavior, and have a good mind to take my
business elsewhere as suggested. I hope you would look into the
matter, and make sure such an incident is not repeated. Your
company has been known to provide good services, and such
events tarnish the company name, so please address this issue
soon.
Thank you for your co-operation.
Sincere Regards,
Timothy Stark

BACKGROUND
CAUSE
EFFECT
SOLUTION
WARNING
CLOSING

Worksheet2
Complete the complaint letter bellow!

……………… 1.
123 Street
jane@brown.com.au

……………. 2.

Dear Manager
Re: Complaint about Faulty Television Cabinet Purchased
at Cabinet World on 15 December 2012

I am unhappy with the quality of a television cabinet I bought at 5

Street on 15 December and……………

82
……………………………………4.and the stain on the cabinet is
uneven, with one half darker than the other. The cabinet was
delivered on 30 December and……………………………….5.
The cabinet is not of acceptable quality and does not match the
sample cabinet I was shown in store. …………………..6.and
finish as the sample and arrange for return of the faulty cabinet at
no cost.
……………………………………………. 7.
I would like to have this problem fixed quickly
please. ………………….8., I will lodge a formal complaint with
Consumer Affairs in my state.
………………………….9.or after hours on 123 456 789 to
discuss this matter further.
Yours sincerely,
Jane Brown

Enclosed: …………………… 10.

a. The cabinet doors do not open and shut properly

b. You can contact me on 1234 5678 during working hours
c. 1 January 2013
d. I have attached a photocopy of my receipt as proof of
purchase.
e. Copy of the receipt for television cabinet
f. Jane Brown
g. I noticed this problem as soon as I unpacked it from the
box.
h. If I do not hear from you within 10 days
i. I am writing to seek a replacement.
j. I would like you to replace it with one of the same quality

83
 Worksheet 3
[Your name]
[Your Address]
[Your City, State, Zip Code]

[Date]
[Name of Contact Person]
[Title]
[Company Name]
[Street Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]

Dear [Contact Person]:

On [date], I bought [or had repaired] a [name of the product with
the serial or model number or service performed]. I made this
purchase at [location, date, and other important details of the
transaction].
Unfortunately, your product has not performed well [or the service
was inadequate] because [state the problem].
To resolve the problem, I would appreciate your [state the
specific action you want]. Enclosed are copies [copies, not
originals] of my records [receipts, guarantees, warranties,
cancelled checks, contracts, model and serial numbers, and any
other documents] concerning this purchase/repair.
I look forward to your reply and a resolution to my problem. I will
wait[set a time limit] before seeking third-party assistance. Please
contact me at the above address or by phone[home or office
numbers with area codes].

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Account Number]

84
Worksheet 4

Write a complaint letter by choosing one of the samples bellow!.

Start your work by making brainstorming of your complaint letter.

Sample 1
Last September we purchased one of your five-gallon water
distillers from your Springfield distributor, John Doe. We find now
that the holding chamber has a leak where the stainless steel
sections come together, and it loses water almost as fast as it
distills it.

Since John Doe has moved to another state, I turn to you to honor
the lifetime guarantee on this unit. I am returning this part of the
distiller for a replacement. Enclosed is a copy of the warranty and
my registration number. I understand that I incur no costs with this
exchange. I appreciate your service.

Sample 2
I have not yet received the refund of $226.98 you promised to send
me two weeks ago for the faulty lawn mower. I trust this delay is
just an oversight, but I need the refund immediately so I can
purchase another machine.

To refresh your memory of the details of my case, I have enclosed

copies of my sales receipt and the warranty card. I look forward to
receiving the check soon. I need the money by next Monday.

Sample 3
The CV joint you recently installed has gone bad in less than two
weeks. Since I travel extensively for my work, I need that joint
repaired as soon as possible. Your service manager insisted that
next Friday is the earliest he can schedule the work. Given that I
waited three weeks last time only to have a bad part installed, I
think that scheduling the repair work within the next two days is

85
 reasonable. I trust that you will agree. I'll call this afternoon to
verify the time. Thank you.

Homework Planning

Write a complaint letter of both (product and service) based on

your own experience!

Check out these videos to learn more about this material :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd4UlwWqDnI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NTTNPzNeW0

86