My new book, in which the Problem Solver gives tips on everything from writing a complaint letter to how to use the Internet in your battle, comes out Tuesday.
It’s titled “What’s Your Problem? Cut Through Red Tape, Challenge the System, and Get Your Money Back.”
Here is an excerpt on what to do before dialing customer service.
*Try, try again. If the first agent isn’t helpful, call back, and continue calling until you get an agent you’re comfortable with. Don’t be intimidated by the process or by some thickheaded, uncaring agent. You’re paying his or her paycheck — you deserve quality care.
*Take your time. When you find a customer service agent you’re comfortable with, don’t rush. Have your facts and paperwork in front of you, both to ensure you can answer the agent’s questions and to ensure you bring up all of your concerns. Before calling a company, I often jot down in a small outline or cheat sheet all of my points and some of the key facts I want to discuss. I check off the points as I talk to make sure I don’t miss anything. There’s nothing worse than finally getting through to a competent call taker, only to have to call back again because you forgot something.
*Get it in writing. Always, always ask for promises to be made in writing. I can’t tell you how many people have written to me to say a customer service agent promised to erase an erroneous charge, only to find no changes had been made to his or her bill. In some cases, the company will argue “there’s nothing in our computers that shows you were told you will get a month of service for free,” or “our customer service agents aren’t authorized to give you such a deal.” If you ask for the agreed-upon changes to be written down and sent to you, either in the mail or by email, you have rock-solid proof.
*Read the terms and conditions. This is particularly important when it comes to contracts agreed to over the phone. One of the most frequent complaints I receive is that a cell company or satellite television provider has locked a customer into a multiyear contract that includes a hefty cancellation fee, sometimes in the hundreds of dollars.
