How you complain makes a difference

Customer service is going to be a ‘hot topic’ in Rwanda for many years to come. Somehow, we are all service providers, one way or the other since we all have something to sell or buy and, therefore, deserve good service.So, complaining about poor service is every consumer’s right. I am glad that, today, many customers in Rwanda know this, thanks to campaigns by the government and private sector on the need to refuse poor service. As a customer, when you keep silent about poor service, you are encouraging the service provider to continue offering that level of service. This ‘I dont care’ attitude has to change if we are to get the service we deserve. So, how does one give effective feedback on poor service? Apart from the obsolete suggestion box, today, there are simpler and fast ways of expressing your dissatisfaction, including writing letters and emails or using social media. In today’s dotcom world, the most used form of giving feedback around me is, undoubtedly, social media. Usually, what prompts customers to complain is the frustration and injustice they feel after getting poor service or when they are humuliated by a service proviser. Most dissatisfied customers do not control their anger and complain anyhow after the incident. But this might not yield any results.Always remember that it is not because you have easy access to social media on your phone that you should not respect basics principles, as far as complaining about under par service is concerned. Here are few tips to make your complaints yield positive results:Be factual and preciseThe main reason we complain is to have solutions to our problems. It is, therefore, important to describe the situation as it happens without exaggerating. State when, how, who, etc, so that the receiver understands the issue well. Remember, the one receiving your feedback is probably not the person you dealt with directly. As time is money, value the time of the reader by avoiding the long stories. Be precise.Be politeNo matter how genuine the complaint is, it is paramount to remain polite in the way we complain. If you use abusive or insulting words, your complaint will lose its effect. Avoid being emotional and hostile to the reader because being enraged will ‘kill’ the complaint itself.Treat the person you speak or write to with respect. Always remember you can catch more flies with sugar than with vinegar. So make the person you are complaining to a partner and not an enemy.Give out namesIn order to have an effective feedback, it is essential that you give your name and details. Hiding behind a fake name or refusing to give your details shows your feedback is probably not genuine. It is also necessary to mention the name of the unhelpful employee you dealt with.Be patient and persistentOne email or one post on the company’s Twitter wall might not be sufficient if you want a solution. This is so because most of organisations just create social media pages and do not recruit people to manage them. You might need to be persistent and send several reminders until the service provider sees or responds to your complaint. Take the case furtherIn case your complaint is not dealt with, you might think of taking it to the manager and even the CEO. You could also write to the media, publish an official complaint in the newspapers or post that complaint online on an influential website. For instance, you could join The ServiceMag Facebook group page. Until we get consumers protection associations in Rwanda to fight for consumers’ rights, it is our individual and collective responsibility to seek good service. Use your right to refuse poor service. Complain positively so that it can help raise the level of service delivery in the country. The author is a customer service consultant and the publisher of The ServiceMag