by Dawn Hawkins

Created on: October 02, 2007   Last Updated: June 13, 2009

Complaining to customer service can be a very frustrating experience if you don't do it correctly. Often times, you find yourself being passed from one unknowing person to the next in search of an answer. It doesn't have to be a task that drives you insane.

There are ways to make your experience with customer service easier for both you and the person on the other end of the phone. Here are some tips:

1. Please always remember that the customer service representative is trying their best, in most cases, to serve you quickly and politely. They are under a great deal of stress. Usually they have received many calls that day and have gotten yelled at several times over about the companies policies or just about anything else. None of these things are the CSR's fault. Be as polite to them as you expect them to be to you. If not, you will surely have to be passed on to someone else to resolve your problem. Remember that this is time consuming.

2. Have as much information ready as possible. Have all your paperwork in front of you so that you can quickly reference the information that the CSR asks you for. You will also be able to give factual information rather than just guessing at the answers.

3. They say the squeaky wheel gets the oil. This is sometimes true, however, I wouldn't count on that if I were you. If you are loud and belligerent with the person on the other end of the phone, you might find yourself talking to a dial tone. The reason for this is that many CSR's these days are told they don't have to put up with certain things. Among them are being called names and/or being cussed at. Mind you, they will have to warn you that they are going to hang up the phone if you talk to them in that manner. Once they do warn you and you continue in that manner, they will hang up. If this happens, cool down before you call back and remember how far that behavior got you the first time around.

4. I find that often times, customers will call and complain about something that they know is in the store policy before they ever placed their order. You must make yourself aware of the store policy on returns for refund/exchanges. I.E. More often than not, you will not get refunded for shipping charges that you paid to an online store unless they were at fault. When you order, make sure you get the right size the first time!

5. Customer service is there to help you. They will do everything in their power to satisfy you. They know the customer is their bread and butter. You shouldn't have any problems with Customer Service Reps as long as you follow the above guidelines.

6. Explain your problem clearly. If you can't explain the problem clearly they can't help you. If they ask you questions about the problem, it's usually because they need more information to ensure that it is being addressed properly. They have to go by the policies set in place. Therefore, the questions they ask may have to do with any policy that might be set in place.

Keeping a cool head and having your facts organized are the keys to a great customer service experience. Customer service is there for your conveniance. Please remember that they are human beings and should be treated as such. Here to smooth sailing with your Customer Service experience!

Learn more about this author, Dawn Hawkins.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.