Jess had been holding for 10 minutes.
What she thought would be a quick call about an internet outage, was quickly eating up her lunch break. Outraged, Jess hung up the phone before the representative had a chance to provide her with a date the internet would be back.
If you’ve ever called to file a complaint but hung up before getting a resolution, you’re not alone. About 57% of consumers get so heated, they hang up the phone before making any headway on their problem.
Whenever you call for a dispute resolution, resist the urge to push the end button, and instead wait to get the information you need. What other tips should you follow when filing a customer complaint or dispute? Read on to find out!
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Do an Emotional Check-Up
For starters, when seeking out a dispute resolution, it can cause feelings of disappointment, sadness, and anger to bubble up. Before you call or send out an email to express your discontent, take a moment to check your emotions. Close your eyes, and take a deep breath in, and fully exhale.
Remember that the company isn’t personally attacking you, and it’s likely that they’ll be eager to make you a happy consumer once again. Instead of feeling like you’re going into a battle, think of your dispute as a business meeting.
You’re simply going to be contacting a company to let them know that their business has let you down in some way. When done correctly, you can get tremendous results and even wind up with a few customer perks!
Get the Facts First
Are you going to be calling to make your dispute? Whether you’re calling to learn how to file an Equifax dispute, or you’re filling a bill-related dispute, it helps to get the facts. Once you get a customer service agent on the line, you’ll want to gather a few facts. As politely as possible, let the customer rep know that you’d like their name and a contact number in case you get disconnected.
The representative might not be able to provide you with their real name or a direct line to their phone. However, you should at least be able to provide your name and number so that if you’re disconnected the customer service agent can call you back.
Next, ask what department you’re speaking with before you provide all the details of your dispute. The last thing you want to do is explain the ins and outs of what you’re dealing with, only to be told you’re talking to the wrong person!
Give Relevant Details
Once you’re ready to launch into the details of your dispute, you’ll want to make sure you stick to the facts. Since it can be easy to go off course, we suggest jotting down a few notes before calling customer service.
Your notes should include the most important details of your dispute. For example, when did the incident that you’re unhappy with happen? Get the time and day if possible. After writing down the date and time of your grievance, list the ways that this incident has impacted you.
For instance, let’s say you’re filing a dispute because the company charged you twice for the same product. After letting the customer service agent know when the charge took place, let them know how this overcharge has impacted you. Perhaps, you weren’t able to buy your groceries of the charge. Maybe you had to deal with an overdraft fee. When you let the customer service and set you for the inconvenience.
Get Clarity About the Resolution
After you tell the customer service agent what happened and when the next step is to find out the course of resolution. Will the customer service representative be opening up a ticket to resolve the issue? Is your grievance something that can be taken care of immediately over the phone?
Ask for details about how your situation is going to be resolved, and make sure you fully understand them before you get off the phone. If the company is going to open up a ticket to resolve your problem, then double-check that they have all of the right contact information.
Provide them with the most convenient email, and phone number, so they can provide you with updates regarding your dispute. Next, ask when you can expect to receive an update, and write that date and time down.
Avoid Hasty Decisions During Consumer Disputes
At the beginning of this article, we talked about how filing disputes can be an emotional experience. Keeping your cool when you cal, helps ensure that the customer service agent gets the right information for your problem. However, staying calm is something you’ll need to do far beyond making that first phone call.
Next, on our list of consumer dispute resolution advice, we want to talk about escalating complaints. If you’re not getting the results you want, in the time frame you want, you might be tempted to jump ship. However, switching companies because you’re upset, could wind up costing you time and money in the long run.
The next time you call for an update on your problem, let the customer service agent know that you need to speak to a supervisor immediately. Once you have a supervisor on the phone, let them know that you’re getting ready to take your business elsewhere if the issue isn’t resolved promptly.
Finding a Dispute Resolution
There you have it, the best tips for finding a dispute resolution, no matter what type of company you’re calling. Remember that your frame of mind is crucial to finding a resolution, so you’ll need to keep your cool throughout the entire dispute process.
Since having a detailed written account of what’s wrong can help you avoid rambling, go ahead and grab a piece of paper right now. Write down the details of your dispute, and be sure to include any date or time information you have. For more advice, explore the rest of this site.
