NBWU 2082 | WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION SKILLS | 2018/2019 II 1

COMPLAINT & REPLY

LETTER

NBWU 2082
22/11/18 WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION SKILLS
 COMPLAINT LETTER
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¨ No matter how good our intentions and efforts,

there are bound to be occasions when it is
necessary to deal with a complaint, or even make
one.

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 COMPLAINT LETTER
4

¨ Complaints may be necessary for several reasons,

such as:
¤ Wrong goods received
¤ Poor service
¤ Unsatisfactory quality of goods

¤ Late delivery

¤ Damaged goods

¤ Prices not as agreed

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 COMPLAINING ABOUT GOODS
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¨ Be sure to keep your receipt for all goods you buy

and go back to the shop as soon as possible.
¨ Explain what the problem is (be assertive, not
aggressive) and say what you expect to be done
about it.
¨ Hopefully the person in charge will deal with your
complaint satisfactorily.

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 COMPLAINING ABOUT GOODS
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¨ But if you are still not satisfied you will need to put
your complaint in writing.
¨ Address your letter to the Customer Service
Manager, and if possible find out his/her name so
that you can address the letter personally.

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 COMPLAINING ABOUT SERVICES
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¨ Give the supplier a chance to put matters right.

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 COMPLAINING ABOUT SERVICES
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¨ If it is necessary to put your complaint in writing, say

what you expect to be done and set a deadline.
¨ You may wish to consider withholding any further
money until problem has been sorted out
satisfactorily.
¨ But do check the small print of any contract or credit
agreement that you have signed.

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 MAKING A WRITTEN COMPLAINT
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¨ When you have a genuine complaint you will feel

angry, but you must show restraint in your letter, if
only because the supplier may not be to blame.

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 MAKING A WRITTEN COMPLAINT
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¨ The following points need to be remembered.

a) Do not delay as this will weaken your position,
and the supplier may have difficulty investigating
the cause.
b) Do not assume that the supplier is automatically to
blame. They may have a perfectly good defense.
c) Avoid rudeness. This would create ill-feeling and
cause the suppliers to be unwilling to resolve
matters

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 MAKING A WRITTEN COMPLAINT
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d) In your letter:
§ Describe the item or service you bought
§ Say where and when you bought the item (or
when the service was carried out) and how
much it cost
§ Explain what is wrong, any action you have
taken, to whom you spoke and what happened
§ Explain what you expect to be done to rectify
the situation, for example a refund or repair, or
the job done again without charge

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 MAKING A WRITTEN COMPLAINT
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e) Use recorded/special delivery so that you have a

check that you letter have been received.
f) Keep copies of your letters, never send original
documents or receipts.

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 Sender’s Address
Format of a Complaint
Date
Letter
Recipient’s Address

Salutation
Heading/ Title

1. INTRODUCTION

2. DETAILS
4 POINT PLAN
3. RESPONSE or ACTION

4. CLOSE

Complimentary close
Signature
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Name
 4 POINT PLAN for COMPLAINT LETTER
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• Reason for writing the letter

1 • State background and provide situation/problem

• Actual details of the problem

2 • The effects of the problem

• Suggestion on how you want them to solve the problem

3

• Appropriate closing
4

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 DEALING WITH A COMPLAINT
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¨ Most supplier naturally wish to hear if customers

have cause to complain. This is better than losing
custom or trade being taken elsewhere.
¨ It also provides an opportunity to investigate, to
explain, and to put things rights.
¨ In this way goodwill may be preserved.
¨ Receiving such complaints may also suggest ways in
which the supplier’s products or services could be
improved.
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 DEALING WITH A COMPLAINT
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¨ When dealing with dissatisfied and unhappy

customers, remember the following guidelines:
a) It is often said that the customer is always right. This
may not always be the case, but it is sound practice
to assume that the customer may be right.
b) Acknowledge a complaint promptly. If you are
unable to reply fully, explain that it is being
investigated and a full reply will be sent later.

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 Sender’s Address
Format of Reply/
Date
Adjustment Letter
Recipient’s Address

Salutation
Heading/ Title

1. INTRODUCTION

2. DETAILS
4 POINT PLAN
3. RESPONSE or ACTION

4. CLOSE

Complimentary close
Signature
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Name
 4 POINT PLAN for REPLY to COMPLAINT LETTER
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• Refer to the complaint letter received

1 • Thanking the recipient for pointing out the issue

• Apology for the complaint made

2 • Explanation for the complaint made

• Provide possible solution

3

• Appropriate closing
4

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20 SAMPLE LETTERS

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 COMPLAINT CONCERNING GOODS
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¨ If goods are received which are not the kind or

quality ordered, then you are entitled to return
them at the supplier’s expense

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 COMPLAINT CONCERNING GOODS
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On 12 August I ordered 12 copies of Background music by H

Order no and Lowery under my order number FT567
date

Reasons for On opening the parcel received this morning I found that it
dissatisfaction contained 12 copies of History of Music by the same author. I
regret that I cannot keep these books as I have an adequate
stock already. I am therefore returning the books by parcel
post for immediate replacement, as I have several customers
waiting for them.

Action
Please credit my account with the invoiced value of the
requested returned copies including reimbursement for the postage cost
of RM17.90

Closing Thank you.

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 REPLY
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I was so sorry to learn from your letter of 18 August that a

Express regret mistake in dealing with your order.

This mistake is entirely our own and we apologise for the

Explain how inconvenience it is causing you. This occurred because of staff
the mistake shortage during this unusually busy season and also the fact
occurred that these 2 books by Lowery have identical bindings.
Action to
rectify the 12 copies of the correct title have been sent to you today.
matter
Your account will be credited with the invoiced value of the
books and cost of return postage. Our credit note is enclosed.
A closing
apology
Our apologies again for this mistake.

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 COMPLAINT CONCERNING QUALITY
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¨ A buyer is entitled to reject goods that are not of

the qulity or description ordered.
¨ However, later deliveries may also not be accepted,
even if the goods are correct

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 COMPLAINT CONCERNING QUALITY
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We have recently received several complaints from customers about

Reasons for your fountain pens. The pens are clearly not giving satisfaction and
complaint in some cases we have had to refund the purchase price.
The pen are part of the batch of 500 supplied against our order
Further details
number 8562 dated 28 October. This order was placed on the basis
of a sample pen left by your representative. We have ourselves
compared the performance of this sample with that of a number of
the pens from this batch, and there is little doubt that many of them
are faulty – some leak and others blot when writing.
The complaints we have received only to pens from the batch
mentioned. Pen supplied before these have always been
satisfactory.
We therefore wish to return the unsold balance, amounting 377
Action required pens. Please replace them with pens of the quality which our earlier
dealings with you have led us to expect.
Closing Please let us know what arrangements you wish to make for the
return of these unsuitable pens.

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 REPLY (Accepting Complaint)
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Thank you for your letter dated 18 November pointing out

faults in the pens supplied to you order number 8562. This
has caused us a good deal of concern and we are glad that
you brought this matter to our notice.
We have tested a number of pens from the production batch
you mention, and agree that they are not perfect. The
defects have been traced to a fault in one of the machines,
which has now been rectified.
Please arrange to return to us you unsold balance of 377
pens; the cost of postage will be reimbursed in due course.
We have already arranged for 400 pens to be sent to
replace this unsold balance. The extra 23 pens are sent
without charge, and will enable you to provide free
replacement of any further pens about which you may
receive complaints.
We apologise for the inconvenience this has caused you.

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 ALTERNATIVE REPLY (Rejecting Complaint)
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¨ If circumstances show that a complaint needs to be

rejected, you must show an understanding of the
customers’s position and carefully explain why a
rejection is necessary.

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 ALTERNATIVE REPLY (Rejecting Complaint)
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We are sorry to learn from your letter of 18 November of the difficulties

A tactful
you are having with the pens supplied to your order number 8562.
opening
All our pens are manufactured to be identical in design and performance
Explanation of and we cannot understand why some of them should have given trouble to
quality control your customers. It is normal practice for each pen to be individually
examined by our Inspection Department before being passed into store.
However from what you say, it would seem that a number of the pens
included in the latest batch escaped the usual examination.
Reject the
request, but We sympathise with your problem but regret that we cannot accept your
very suggestion to take back all the unsold stock from the batch concerned.
diplomatically Indeed there should be no need for this since it is unlikely that the number
of faulty pens can be very large. We will gladly replace any pen found
The offer of to be unsatisfactory, and on this particular batch are prepared to allow
discount ass a you a special discount of 5% to compensate for your inconvenience.
‘softener’
We trust you will accept this as being fair and reasonable solution to this
matter.
Please give me a call at 0389221000 if you have any further questions.
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 COMPLAINT CONCERNING DELIVERY
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¨ No supplier likes to be accused of negligence or

carelessness, which is often what a complaint about
packaging amounts to.
¨ Such complaint must be carefully worded so as not
to give offence.
¨ Nothing is gained by being sarcastic or insulting.
¨ Show that you regret having to complain, but
explain that the trouble is too serious not to be
reported.
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 COMPLAINT CONCERNING DELIVERY
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¨ Complaint concerning damaged goods

¤ The writer of this letter points out damage which was
discovered after checking the consignment.
¤ Any suggestion that the damage to the goods is due to
faulty packing is tactfully avoided.

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 COMPLAINT CONCERNING DAMAGED GOODS
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OUR ORDER NUMBER R567

Introduction and
We ordered 160 hard disks on 4 September and they
background were delivered yesterday. I regret that 18 of them
details were badly scratched.
Explain details The package containing these good appeared to be in
which evolved perfect condition and I accepted and signed for it
after receiving
the goods without question. It was on unpacking the hard disks the
damage was discovered; I can only assume that this
was due to careless handling at some stage prior to
packing.
I am enclosing a list of the damaged goods and shall
Enclose full list
of damaged be glad if you would replace them. They have been
goods and kept aside in case you need them to support claim on
request your suppliers for compensation.
replacement

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 REPLY
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YOUR ORDER NUMBER R567

Acknowledge
letter and show I was sorry to learn from your letter of 6 September that
regret about some of the hard disks supplied to this order were damaged
damages when they reached you.
Replacements for the damaged goods have been sent by
Give details
about
parcel post this morning. It will not be necessary for you to
replacements return the damaged goods; they may be destroyed.
Despite the care we take in packing goods, there have
Give further recently been several reports of damage. To avoid further
information inconvenience and annoyance to customers, as well as
about follow- expense to ourselves, we are now seeking the advice of a
up action packaging consultant in the hope of improving our methods
of handling.
Assurance
about future We apologise once again for this, and hope the steps we are
orders taking will ensure the safe arrival of all your orders in future.

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 Useful Expressions (COMPLAINT LETTER)
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¨ Openings
i. The goods we ordered from you on… have not yet
been delivered.
ii. We have received a number of complaints from
several customers regarding the… supplied by you
on…

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 Useful Expressions (COMPLAINT LETTER)
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¨ Useful central phrases

i. I am very unhappy with…
ii. This situation is causing a great deal of
inconvenience.
iii. This standard of workmanship is not what I have
come to expect from you.
iv. This service is well below the standard expected.

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 Useful Expressions (COMPLAINT LETTER)
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¨ Closes
i. Please look into this matter at once and let us know
the reason for this delay.
ii. We hope to hear from you soon that the goods will
be sent immediately.
iii. I hope to receive a complete refund soon
iv. I look forward to receiving your explanation of these
matters.
v. I look forward to receiving your payment.
vi. I look forward to hearing from you shortly.

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 Useful Expressions (Replies to Complaint)
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¨ Openings
i. We are concerned to learn from your letter of…
that the goods sent under your order number … did
not reach you until…
ii. I am sorry that you have experienced delays in the
delivery of…
iii. I am very sorry to hear about… in your letter of..
iv. Thank you for your letter of …, which has given us
the opportunity to rectify a most unfortunate
mistake.
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 Useful Expressions (Replies to Complaint)
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¨ Useful central phrases

i. We appreciate the opportunity to clarify this issue.
ii. From your comments it is obvious that on this occasion
a mistake was made
iii. You have rightly pointed out that…
iv. Due to an oversight…
v. It is unfortunate that…
vi. I am sorry about the distress this has caused you.

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 Useful Expressions (Replies to Complaint)
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¨ Closes
i. We assure you that we are doing all we can to
speed delivery and offer our apologies for the
inconvenience this delay is causing you.
ii. We hope you will be satisfied with the arrangements
we have made.
iii. We regret the inconvenience which has been caused
in this matter.
iv. Thank you once again for taking the time to write to
us.
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