Unit 4

Unit 4. Complaints and adjustments

4.4 Specimen letters

1. Complaint of damage

Questions:

1. How had the damage occurred?

2. Why can't the garments still be sold?

3. What does Mr Crane intend to do with the damaged consignment?

4. Why does Mr Crane suggest Mr Causio has to deal with the documentary details of the complaint?

5. What is enclosed with the letter?

6. Which words in the letter correspond to the following: during transportation; assess; clothes; make up for the loss?

2. Reply to complaint of damage

Because Satex sells goods on a c.i.f. basis to their retailers, and in this case there was no special instruction to send the goods in a particular way, Satex will have to find out what happened and whether they can be compensated. Mr Causio could have asked Mr Crane to keep those items which were not damaged, and return the garments which could not be sold. However, he wants the shipping company to inspect the whole consignment in case they do not accept that the damage was caused by pilfering.

3. Complaint of non-delivery

The final example in this section is an illustration of a strong complaint to a supplier. In this case the customer, Forham Vehicles PLC, makes lorries for export. They placed an order with Baden, to supply them with 60 dynamos for an export shipment of lorries that were to be sent to Greece. Baden have neither delivered the order, nor answered Forham's previous letter urging them to make delivery.

4.5 Points to remember

1. Before writing a letter of complaint, make sure you have got your facts right.

2. Complaints are not accusations; they are requests to correct mistakes or faults, and should be written remembering that the supplier will want to put things right.

3. Therefore, write calmly, clearly presenting all the relevant information and making any suggestions that might help put the matter right.

4. Never make the complaint personal (your mistake, your fault, you are to blame). Use an impersonal tone (the mistake, it must have happened because, the error).

5. When answering a complaint, apologize for the mistake, thank the writer for pointing it out to you, explain how it occurred (but don't blame your staff) and how you intend to deal with it.

6. If you need more time to investigate the complaint, tell your customer so.

7. If the complaint is unjustified, politely explain why, but sympathize about the inconvenience it has caused.

8. Remember that, whether your customer's complaint is right or wrong, he/she /s your customer and his/her comments about you to other people in your trade or profession can either improve or damage your reputation.