COMPLAINTS, CLAIMS AND ADJUSTMENTS

 

COMPLAINTS

When a customer is dissatisfied with goods or services, a complaint letter will inform the company or organization of the problem. Such a letter should both present the facts and express the customer’s dissatisfaction.

Because a complaint, unlike a claim, does not necessarily call for action or compensation from the company, it should be answered gracefully. In­deed, the writer of a complaint is offering help to the offending organiza­tion, an opportunity to improve its operations. Therefore, the response to a complaint should be concerned and courteous, not defensive. It may offer an explanation and suggest remedies that are being followed. It def­initely should extend an apology.

 

CLAIMS

Countless aspects of business dealings can break down, but the most common causes for claims are:

1. an incorrect bill, invoice, or statement;

2. a bill for merchandise ordered but never received;

3. delivery of unordered merchandise;

4. delivery of incorrect merchandise;

5. delivery of damaged or defective merchandise (Figure 6-4);

6. an unusually delayed delivery.

Two other more specialized types of claims are:

1. a request for an adjustment under a guarantee or warranty;

2. a request for restitution under an insurance policy.

 

21 West Main Street Cochecton, NY 11222   October 9, 19—   Dr. Linda Peters, Director County General Hospital Route 97 Callicoon, NY 11203   Dear Dr. Peters:   On the afternoon of October 8, my neighbor’s son, Kevin Sawyer, was raking leaves in his family’s yard when he tripped and fell. From the degree of pain he was obviously experiencing, I sus­pected he might have broken his ankle. Thus, as the only adult around at the time, I drove him to your hospital.   When we arrived at the emergency room, no one was available to help Kevin from the car, and I had to help him hobble in as best I could. The effort increased his pain, yet when we were inside, the receptionist, without looking up, told us to take a number and wait our turn. We waited for more than two hours before Kevin was seen by a doctor.   As a member of the community your hospital serves, I am outraged by the treatment my young neighbor received. The lack of concern was upsetting; the lack of attention could have been life threatening. All of us in Wayne County deserve better treat­ment, and I hope you will look into the situation to see that the suffering endured by Kevin Sawyer is never again inflicted by an employee of your institution.   Yours truly,   Michelle Sussman

 

A claim is written to inform the company of the problem and suggest a fair compensation. No matter how infuriating the nature of the problem nor how great the inconvenience, the purpose of a claim is NOT to ex­press anger, but to get results.

Therefore, it is important to avoid a hostile or demanding tone. A claim must be calm and polite though, of course, also firm.

A claim should begin with the facts, first explaining the problem (such as the condition of the merchandise or the specific error made). Then all the necessary details should be recounted in a logical order. These details may include the order and delivery dates, the order or invoice number, the account number, the method of shipment, etc. A copy of proof of pur­chase, such as a sales slip or an invoice, should be included whenever possible. (Always, of course, retain the original.)

Remember: You are more likely to receive a favorable response from an adjuster who understands your problem thoroughly.

 

811 Regent Street Phoenix, Arizona 99087   December 3, 19—   Gleason’s Department Store 2297 Front Street Phoenix, Arizona 99065   Dear Sir or Madam:   I have just received the November statement on my charge account (No. 059-3676). The statement lists a purchase for $83.95, including tax, which I am sure I did not make.   This purchase was supposedly made in Department 08 on Novem­ber 12. But because I was out of town the week of the tenth and no one else is authorized to use my account, I am sure the charge is in error.   I have checked all the other items on the statement against my sales receipts, and they all seem to be correct. I am therefore deducting the $83.95 from the balance on the statement and sending you a check for $155.75.   I would appreciate your looking into this matter so that my account may be cleared.   Sincerely yours,

 

The second part of the claim should emphasize the loss or inconve­nience that has been suffered. Again, the account should be factual and unemotional, and naturally you should NOT exaggerate.

Finally, you should state a reasonable adjustment. This should be worded positively and convey your confidence that the company will be fair.

As you read the sample claims, notice especially how they state all the facts calmly. The writer never loses his or her temper, never makes a threat, and never attempts to place blame. At all times, the letter is directed toward the solution.

 

Jack's Hardware Store 72 Elm Street Kennebunk, Maine 06606   April 12, 19—   Eterna-Tools, Inc. Route 9 Saddlebrook, New Jersey 07666   Dear Gentlemen and Ladies:   On March 1, we ordered and subsequently received one case of handsaws, model 88b. We paid for the order with our check no. 7293, a photocopy of which is enclosed.   When we decided to order these saws instead of model 78b, it was at the urging of your sales representative, Harold Saunders. He assured us that the new saws were more durable and efficient than the older model. However, we have now had the saws on our selling floor for three weeks, and already six have been returned with broken teeth by extremely dissatisfied customers.   We are therefore returning the entire order of 88b saws and would like to be refunded for their full purchase price plus ship­ping expenses.   Yours truly,

 

ADJUSTMENTS

Claims should be answered promptly with a letter that will restore the cus­tomer’s goodwill and confidence in the company. Like a claim, a letter of adjustment should emphasize the solution rather than the error and con­vince the customer that you understand and want to be fair.

An adjustment letter should begin with a positive statement, expressing sympathy and understanding. Near the start it should let the reader know what is being done, and this news, good or bad, should be followed by an explanation. The letter should end with another positive statement, reaf­firming the company's good intentions and the value of its products, but NEVER referring to the original problem.

Whether or not your company is at fault, even the most belligerent claim should be answered politely. An adjustment letter should NOT be negative or suspicious; it must NEVER accuse the customer or grant any adjustment grudgingly. Remember, your company’s image and goodwill are at stake when you respond even to unjustified claims.

When the facts of a claim have been confirmed, one of three fair solu­tions is possible:

1. The requested adjustment is granted.

2. A compromise adjustment is proposed.

3. Any adjustment is denied.

Responsibility for the problem, reliability of the customer, and the nature of the business relationship are all considered in determining a fair adjust­ment. But the ultimate settlement must always be within the bounds of company policy.

 

Granting an Adjustment

This letter should be cheerful, freely admitting errors and willingly offering the adjustment. It should express appreciation for the information provided in the claim. The letter may include an explanation of what went wrong; it should include an indication that similar errors will be unlikely in the future. Finally, it should resell the company, perhaps by suggesting future busi­ness.

 

Gleason's Department Store 2297 Front Street Phoenix, Arizona 99065   December 8, 19—   Ms. Rosetta Falco 811 Regent Street Phoenix, Arizona 99087   Dear Ms. Falco:   As you mentioned in your letter of December 3, you were indeed billed for a purchase you had not made. According to our records, you should not have been charged the $83.95, and the sum has been stricken from your account.   Thank you for bringing thus matter to our attention. We hope you have not been inconvenienced and will visit Gleason’s soon so that we may again have the pleasure of serving you.   Sincerely yours,

 

Offering a Compromise Adjustment

This letter will be written when neither the company nor the customer is entirely at fault. It must express an attitude of pleasant cooperation. It should be based on facts and offer a reason for refusing the requested adjustment. It should immediately make a counteroffer that meets the customer halfway. Of course, it should leave the decision to accept the adjustment to the customer and suggest a course of action.

 

Eterna-Tools, Inc. Route 9, Saddlebrook, NJ 07666   April 19, 19—   Mr. Jack Patterson Jack’s Hardware Store 72 Elm Street Kennebunk, Maine 06606   Dear Mr. Patterson:   We are sorry that the model 88b handsaws you purchased have not lived up to your expectations. Frankly, we are surprised they have proved so fragile and appreciate your returning them to us. Our lab people are already at work trying to discover the source of the problem.   We are glad to assume the shipping costs you incurred, Mr. Pat­terson. But may we suggest that, instead of a refund, you apply the price of these saws to the cost of an order of model 78b saws, Your own experience will bear out their reliability, and we are sure your customers will be pleased with an Eterna-Tool Product. If you will drop us a line okaying the shipment, your 78b hand­saws will be on their way within the week.   Sincerely yours,

 

Refusing an Adjustment

Like all refusals, this adjustment letter is most difficult to write, for you must try nevertheless to rebuild your customer’s goodwill. It must say no graciously but firmly while convincing the customer of the company's fair­ness and responsibility.

A letter refusing an adjustment should begin by expressing the cus­tomer’s point of view. It should demonstrate your sympa­thy and desire to be fair. It should emphasize the careful consideration the claim received.

When saying no, it is often tactful, moreover, to present the explanation before the decision and to include an appeal to the customer's sense of fair play. Also, an effective conclusion might suggest an alternative course of action the customer could take.

 

Atlas Photocopiers, Inc. 81 Warren Street New York, New York 10003 August 28, 19—   Mr. Thomas Shandy Finance Director Handleman &; Burns, Ltd. 41 Maiden Lane New York, New York 10002   Dear Mr. Shandy:   We are sorry that you are not completely satisfied with your Atlas photocopier. You are entirely justified in expecting more than eighteen months of reliable performance from an Atlas office ma­chine, and we are always eager to service any product that does not for some reason live up to standards.   We appreciate your giving us the opportunity to inspect the mal­functioning copier. According to our service representative, two problems contributed to the unit's breakdown. It is apparently being used for a significantly higher volume of copying than it was built for (as is clearly indicated in both the sales material and user’s manual with which you were provided). Furthermore, there are indications that a number of people in your department are not properly closing the cover before copying documents. The resultant “sky shots" can lead to the burn-out of a number of mechanical parts.   Although we are not prepared to offer you a replacement copier as you suggested (indeed the one-year warranty has been expired for six months), we would be happy to take the damaged copier as a trade-in on another, larger-capacity Atlas copier. We believe this arrangement would better meet your department’s needs and be more economically advisable than additional repairs on the old unit. Please let us know if you would like to speak to a sales rep­resentative about the terms of a trade-in.   Yours truly,

 

SALES AND PUBLIC RELATIONS LETTERS

All business letters are in a sense sales letters, as we have already ob­served. And all business letters are also public relations letters in that one must always seek to establish and maintain goodwill. But some letters are written for the express purpose of selling, and others are written for no other reason than to earn the reader's goodwill.

These letters —sales letters and public relations letters—require a highly specialized style of writing. Both demand a writer with flair and the ability to win the reader with words. For this reason, most large companies em­ploy professional writers—advertising and public relations specialists— who handle all the sales and publicity writing.

Not only do advertising or public relations writers know how to appeal to people’s buying motives; they know how to find potential buyers. They must know how to acquire mailing lists (such sources as a company’s own files, telephone books, and directories are good starts) and how to select the right audience from those lists.

Nevertheless, and especially in smaller companies, there are times when almost any businessperson will have to compose either a sales let­ter or a public relations letter. While the nuances of style may be beyond the scope of this chapter, certain basic guidelines can help you win a de­sired sale or earn an associate’s goodwill.

 

SALES LETTERS

Sales letters may be broken down into three categories: Direct Mail, Re­tail, and Promotion. While the manner of the sale is different for each, all share a common purpose—to sell a product or service.

Direct Mail Sales Letters

Direct mail, or mail order, attempts to sell directly to the customer through the mall. The direct mail sales letter, therefore, does the entire selling job. A salesperson never calls on the customer; the product is never even seen in person. Solely on the basis of the description and in­ducements In the letter, the customer is urged to buy—to mail a check and wait for his purchase to arrive.

A direct mail letter must, consequently, include a "hard sell." It must grab the reader’s attention with its physical appearance; the use of flashy envelopes and the inclusion of brochures or samples often help. It must develop the reader’s interest with appealing headlines and thorough physical description of the product; several pictures, from different angles, are a good idea.

Moreover, a direct mail letter must convince the reader of the product’s quality and value; such evidence as details and statistics, testimonies, and guarantees are essential when a customer cannot see or test a prod­uct for herself. And finally, to clinch the deal, a direct mail letter must facilitate action: clear directions for ordering plus a reply card and postage-paid envelope make buying easy; a “send-no-money-now" ap­peal or the offer of a premium provides additional inducement.

 

APAll-Pro Sporting Supplies, Inc. Box 8118, Phoenix, Arizona 85029   March 3, 19—   Dear   What do Miss Universe and Mr. America have in common? They both lift weights to keep in shape—with very different results, of course. And many women across the country are discovering— just like Miss Universe—that weight lifting is an effective and fun way to a better-looking body and better health in the bargain.   All-Pro has put together a special package to help women get started. We will send you a pair of three-pound dumbbells and a fully illustrated body-building regime. In just 45 minutes a day, three days a week, these easy-to-follow exercises will firm up every muscle of your body from your deltoids to your calves. Despite the myths that have grown up around body-building, lift­ing weights will not make a woman look like a man. Docs Demi Moore look like Bruce Willis? And weight lifting is completely safe. According to Dr. Leonard Paddington of the Phoenix Sports Medicine Institute, “Weight lifting, which strengthens the cardio­vascular system, is safe for people of all ages. If you start a weight-lifting program now, you will be able to continue to what­ever age you want”.   Weight lifting shows results faster than any other form of exer­cise. Get started now and you’ll be all set for your bathing suit and the beach this summer.   Our Women’n’Weights package, with the two dumbbells and com­plete exercise regime, at the low, low price of $21.95, is available only through the mail. You can’t buy it in any store. And for a limited time only, we will send you, along with your purchase, an exercise mat FREE. This 100% cotton, quilted mat is machine washable, a $6.96 value.   To order your Women’n’Weights package, and your free exercise mat, SEND NO MONEY NOW. Just fill in the enclosed postage- paid reply card, and your better body will be on its way to you.   Yours truly,

 

Retail Sales Letters

Retail sales letters are commonly used by retail businesses to announce sales or stimulate patronage. Their advantage over other forms of advertising (such as television, radio, or newspaper ads) is that letters can be aimed selectively—at the specific audience most likely to buy. An electronics store, for example, holding a sale on electronic phone books and digital diaries, could target letters specifically to businesspeople and professionals as opposed to, say, homemakers or educators, thus reach­ing customers with the clearest need for the product.

A letter announcing a sale must contain certain information:

1. the reason for the sale (a seasonal clearance, holiday, special pur­chase, etc.);

2. the dates on which the sale will take place;

3. an honest description of the sale merchandise (including a state­ment of what is and is not marked down);

4. comparative prices (original price versus sale price or approximate markdown percentages);

5. a statement encouraging the customer to act fast.

 

-Justin's- Winston-Salem, NC 27106   January 24, 19—   Dear Customer:   Now that the scaffolds arc down and the hammering has stopped, you are probably aware that Justin’s has opened a new store in the Bethabara Shopping Center. We are extremely proud of this gleaming new addition to the Justin family.   To celebrate the occasion, we are having a Grand Opening Sale, and every Justin store will be in on it. EVERYTHING in ALL our stores will be marked down 10-30%. Designer jeans that were $60-$90 are now $40-$60. An assort­ment of 100% silk blouses, originally $60-$95, are on sale for $40-$65. The savings are incredible.   The sale is for one day only, January 31. But the doors will open at 9 a.m., so you can shop early for the best selection. And, of course, your Justin’s and VISA cards are always welcome.   Sincerely yours,

 

Sales Promotion Letters

A sales promotion letter solicits interest rather than an imme­diate sale. It is written to encourage inquiries rather than orders. A prod­uct that requires demonstration or elaborate explanation, for example, could be introduced in a promotional letter; interested customers will in­quire further. Similarly, products requiring elaborate and expensive de­scriptive material (for example, a large brochure or sample) could be introduced in a promotional letter; uninterested names on a mailing list would then be screened out, leaving only serious potential customers and thereby cutting costs.

Like other sales letters, a promotional letter must stimulate the reader's interest and describe the product. But it need not be as detailed: cus­tomers desiring further information are invited to send in a reply card, con­tact a sales representative, or visit a local dealer. Of course, such inquiries MUST be answered promptly by either a salesperson or a letter. And the follow-up letter (which could include a leaflet or sample) should provide complete information, including specific answers to questions the cus­tomer may have asked. The follow-up must also attempt to convince the reader to buy and tell how to make the purchase.

All of the sales letters described in this chapter have certain features in common: they convey enthusiasm for the product and employ evocative language. They demonstrate the writer’s knowledge of both product and customer. And they illustrate the advertising principles known as AIDA:

1. Attention: The letter opens with a gimmick to grab the reader’s at­tention and create the desire to know more.

2. Interest: The letter provides information and plays up certain fea­tures of the product to build the reader’s interest.

3. Desire: The sales pitch appeals to one or more personal needs (such as prestige, status, comfort, safety, or money) to stimulate the reader's desire.

4. Action: The letter makes it easy for the reader to buy and encour­ages immediate action.

 

Similarly, to forestall complaints (and of course encourage business), large companies frequently send informative letters that educate the public. A supplier of gas and electricity, for example, may include with the monthly bill an explanation of new higher rates. Or a telephone company will enclose a fact sheet on ways to save money on long distance calls.

 

Smith & Marcus Financial Consultants 732 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 62633   February 10, 19—   Dear   In times of economic uncertainty, personal financial planning can pose more challenges than running your own business. Determin­ing the investment vehicles that will protect your own and your family’s future requires financial insight and information.   That is why many successful business owners like yourself have engaged the services of the personal financial consultants at Smith &; Marcus. We have both the expertise and objectivity to help you sort out your long and short term financial goals and then select the investment strategies that will meet those goals. Whether your immediate concerns are tax planning or estate planning, we be­lieve we have the answers to your financial questions.   To introduce you to the sort of answers we have, you are cordially invited to a seminar, “What a Personal Financial Planner Can Do for You." The seminar will take place on Wednesday, March 1, 19—, at 7 p.m. in the Essex Room of the Essex-Marlboro Hotel. Because seats are limited, we would appreciate your letting us know if you plan to attend by telephoning Dorothy Phillips at 771-3102, extension 222.   Yours truly,