Tip of the week: How to complain to customer service—and win

Be calm. Don’t let anger take over when you have a complaint. Think of yourself in the third person—“almost as if you are handling a matter on behalf of someone else”—then lay out the story concisely, including only relevant facts.

Be realistic. Don’t ask for the moon. Name a resolution that would satisfy you—such as an exchange—and ask that the company commit to a deadline for its decision.

Be a partner. A service representative can use the thank-you’s you offer in an email or recorded call for performance reviews, so offer positive feedback. It’ll motivate your contact to help you.

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Go online. Find the company’s Facebook page and express your disappointment in a business-like post. Simply asking, “Anyone know how I might be able to fix this?” could get a fixer to take up your case.

Source: USA Today