Writing letters

Try to meet first with the big boss- so your concerns can be clearly addresses. Discover the name of the person at the highest level. (Ask corporate headquarters or go to the library and get Standard and Poors Register or Corporations, Trade Names Directory or Dun & Bradstreet.

Address your complaint to the top corporate officer
Briefly explain the problem
Be prepared to discuss the items that need correction and a fair and reasonable solution to the problem. Be calm, polite, but assertive. Don’t threaten, as you clearly state what needs to happen to make it better; replacement, repair, reimbursement. (What you wish him to do to solve the problem to your satisfaction. 


Document the name of every person you speak to along with the date and what was discussed .

Be concise and factual. 
Have the dates, names, invoice numbers, receipts, even boarding passes, flight numbers and all correspondence that you have sent can be resent, etc at your fingertips.

Address the letter to the CEO/Pres.
Letter must be typed, single space, no more than 1 ½ pages no abbreviations, except Dr., Mr or Mrs. etc and mailed (NO E-MAIL)
Your signature goes above the typed name.

Do not attack- nobody likes that and it only puts them on the defensive!

Be very careful so you don’t violate any libel laws with statement you make in a complaint letter. Don’t even say “the rude salesperson”. Libel published written false statement that damages the good reputation of someone or something. So always say “In my opinion, the clerk was rude”, or “I believe, the treatment to be rude and unprofessional”.
Do not think you are just “voicing your opinion”. If you communicate anything about a person to another person that could cause them to be ridiculed, hated, viewed with contempt or public scorn you could be sued.!
Pay attention to what is written, about whom it is written and to whom we write it. Without knowing exactly what you are doing you could cross that very fine line of libel law. 

Do not attack by and because if that person loses his job, a salary increase or something else you could be named in a libel suit brought on by that individual for “publishing” a statement that damaged their personal reputation.

Don’t ever put into writing what you don’t want someone else to read.

Get paper proof from a mechanic showing that the odometer has been tampered with, as proof, but if it is your word against his you can say, “I believe that Mr. Smarmy deliberately misrepresented the facts. It is my view that his manner of doing business reflects negatively on your company.


Be thoughtful and organized- clear and compelling get to the point-don’t repeat yourself. 
Don’t ramble.
Number each point and conclude each separate point before going to the next. 

Place any and all data in chronological order. Stick to the facts . Don’t embellish.
Who
What
When 
Where
How

Introduce the problem and ways that you have tried to get it resolved. You want the person reading the letter to realize that you are not whining; you have a legitimate problem, have exhausted all other avenues, and he or she is indeed your last possible recourse. 

List in chronological order pertinent dates, costs and prior conversations and correspondence, the persons with whom you have contact. 


Wise to let them know that you have been a loyal customer (especially if you have a credit card with them.)

It is wise to have used a credit card as a way to protect yourself. If you do’t get what you paid for, you get your account credited.

I am sure that you will be as shocked and appalled as I am over the recent incident I have experienced with....

Suggest that the company could lose your business–Hint that you may decline to have future dealing with the company. (This is an “implied threat” that the company or corp will lose income because you will tell family, friends and strangers on the street) who will be “appalled” at your problem and the manner in which you were treated. The CEO who receives your letter will realize that a lot of people will think twice before they, too, take a gamble on losing money on a product or service offered by his or her company.
Avoid extortion claims by NEVER saying anything like “If I don’t receive my money back in two weeks my attorney and I will see you in court” or you may be the first there, handcuffed to a deputy sheriff.

You can declare that none of the people who were present at the party will purchase this product again until you get a satisfactory response from the CEO.

Because competition is today’s business world is so feverish most companies wish to assure further patronage through old and new customers. 

Close firmly and politely–Than the reader. (This is for reading the letter and for his assistance that you anticipate.) But let him know that you expect a quick answer. Specify the need for a response immediately or give a fixed period of time. “I expect to hear from you within two weeks regarding this situation.”

Proofread. Letter MUST be grammatically correct with no misspellings.

Include list of people to whom you will mail copies by showing the cc: at bottom

Airlines Rule 520- page 51 (because an airline overbooked and say you are just a nanosecond late they might try to justify having sold your ticket to someone else or bumping you off the oversold flight. Even if you have to travel on a different airline, your own airline MUST get you to your destination sooner than the one it chose for you. ) If the plane you are booked on lands between one and two hours later than your original arrival time, the carrier is to pay the lesser of $200 or the cost of the fare. This rule also applies if you missed a connecting flight because of delayed arrival of a prior flight. Even better, the sum arises to $400 or double the cost of your fare if yo are delayed more than two hours (4 hours internationally) and you get to keep your original ticket for use for another flight. 
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/travel/flyrights/flyrghts.htm or google under fly rights
None of these rules apply if the delay is caused by unavoidable circumstances such as lightning bolts hitting the runway or the engine hanging by a thread and certainly not if your own “nanosecond” of lateness for check in turns into minutes. 

Remember you may be required to arrive as much as an hour before departure.

Be sure to check out the requirements of the airline your are traveling with because if you fail to observe the airline’s regulations (and the unavoidable circumstances are in play) the airlines owe you NOTHING! 

Do not allow the customer service representative to use his or her own talking talents to persuade you to accept a voucher as a replacement gesture unless that is what you want. You have the right to demand cash, and if you don’t get it, you can actually sue. The Supreme Court has ruled that a suit for compensatory damages is allowed if you need to recover any losses caused by the delay.


Voice your concerns in a timely manner–to the gate agent or in a letter to the airline management as soon as you reach your destination.
Remember to:
take notes on what happens, what is said and done.
Document the fiasco, with receipts, boarding passes, credit card slips, and so forth; and 
prepare to write a poison pen letter the moment you get home or to your destination, while the events are still fresh in your mind (even better, begin a draft while you are waiting at the airport.) 



Airline Rule 95- Guarantees a hotel room for one night for delayed passengers. Page 51
Airlines letter page 55
arbitration VS Mediation 177
Automobile buyers- lemon law page 70
Auto dealers 47, 74, 78, 82, 87 
BBB 108
Defective products letter 21
Damaged or shoddy goods 139
Doctors 170
Faulty product 33
HMO 160
Hotels 104
Home parties 131
Insurance 93
Mortgage late due to post office 115
Personal petitions 183 (child custody and visitation, child support, consumer fraud, environmental issues, debt management, subsidized houring problems, immigration and naturalization, Medicare and Medicaid issues, parent care, state funding for people with disabilities and the elderly, workers compensation disability) 
Post office 115
Prescriptions 166
Restaurants 98-101
Returns 137
Roofing Co 29
Rude employees and problems dry cleaners 6, 33
Services 151 
Small claims 181
Tenant landlord 204
Thank yous 209
Travel agents 29
Travel companies 62
Used car 47 (See auto dealers)
Warranties and Defective goods 147 (Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act )


Agencies www.consumer.gov
American society of travel agents 703 739-2782
Consumers Resource Handbook (Publication lists a huge number of agency and corp contacts 719 948-4000
Flyrights: A consumer guide to air travel 202 366-1111 (airline rules 240 and 380 explain consumer rights concerning overbook delays and compensation. ) see also rules 95 and 520 above 
Tele-Consumer Hotline 800 332-1124


******
Check for Ron:
Agencies www.consumer.gov
Department of Commerce http://www.doc.gov
BBB

American Arbitration Association
140 W. 51st 
New York, NY 10020-1203
212-484-4006
provides consumer info on request. Check local tel directory for listing. If there is no office in your area, write or call the office listed here. 

Consumer Action?
116 New Montgomery, Suite 233
San Francisco, CA 94105
415 777-9635

Call for Action
5272 River Rd
Suite 300
Bethesda, MD 20816
301-657-8260 Assists consumers with marketplace problems and helps consumers and small businesses through mediation of marketplace disputes.

Oklahoma Consumer Protection Unit 
Office of the Atty General
112 State Capitol Bldg
OKC 73105
405 521-3921



National Fraud Information Center
815 Fifteenth St NW, 
Suite 928-N
Washington, DC 20005 
800 876-7060
assists consumers in avoiding scams and fraudulant practices
(page 68)


Federal Trade Commission 
Sixth Street and Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Room 240
Washington, DC 20580 
http://www.ftc.gov 
202 326-2222
(The Bureau of Consumer Protection of the Federal Trade Commission) 

National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators
1010 Vermont Ave, NW 
Suite 514
Washington, DC 20005

Order:
About Taking Legal Action from the Consumer Information Center Dept 76 Pueblo, CO 81009 
719 948-4000
Airlines



Channel 8 (KTUL 8 On Your Side)
http://www.ktul.com/external.hrb?p=oys

Channel 2 Two works for you problem solvers http://2worksforyou.com/comm/works.shtml Fox Solving problems http://www.fox23.com/#

Tulsa World Action Line questions 699-8888 or e-mail phil.mulkins@tulsaworld.com. Action Line pursues consumer complaints submitted with photocopies of documentation to Tulsa World Action Line, P.O. Box 1770, Tulsa, OK 74102-1770.