What event or action made me upset? (For instance, your city removed stop signs on a residential street) When did it happen? (Two weeks ago) Why is it a problem? (Since then, cars have been speeding by, making it dangerous for children to play in the area)
For example, if you’re upset because you haven’t received a rebate for a phone you were promised, it can help to tell the recipient to get it to you as soon as possible. Your letter will be more successful if it focuses on solving the problem.
Writing to a specific person rather than a generic email like info@info. biz makes it much more likely that the problem will be taken care of. Research the business’s/organization’s website, or search for it online. Try to find a personal email address, like milton@info. biz, relevant to your complaint. If you’ve been in contact with someone who has caused a problem, you can try writing to someone over their head. Ask for their supervisor’s contact information.
“Dear Milton: I’m writing about the sign you installed in front of your store on July 7th. It is larger than city regulations allow, and it disrupts the visual appeal of Main Street. I would like to see the sign removed immediately. ”
“On July 7th of this year, I noticed that you installed the sign in front of your store. It was immediately clear that the sign was too large. As I watched from my window, I could see that pedestrians and cyclists had difficulty maneuvering around the sign, which juts into both the sidewalk and street areas. In some cases, this becomes dangerous, such as when people must step into the street to get around the sign. ”
If your criticism is the starting point in a negotiation, aim high, then expect to negotiate down. You can offer a couple of options for fixing the problem. For example: “City regulations state that storefront signs on Main Street must be no larger than 2 by 3 feet. Yours is 4 by 3 feet. I ask you to either remove the sign, or replace it with one that is no bigger than 1 by 2 feet, like those in front of neighboring businesses. ”
“Snow season is just around the corner, which will make it even more difficult for pedestrians to maneuver around your storefront sign. Please replace or change the sign by October 27th. If you do not take action by that time, I will have to register a formal complaint with the Downtown Development Authority. ”
If you do send enclosures or attachments, mention so in your letter: “Please see the attached sales receipt and warranty to verify my purchase and coverage. ”
For instance, consider revising a sentence like “I can’t believe that your company sells this kind of trash. This product isn’t worth one cent, let alone $200 of my hard-earned money. " Try rewriting it as “I am upset by the low quality of this product. I don’t believe that it meets the standards of your company. "
Give yourself 24 hours or so to think before writing the letter, especially if the issue is ongoing. If you can think clearly about what the problem is and how you want it to be fixed, you should be ready to write the letter.
For instance, if you’re writing to criticize a coworker’s performance, avoid statements like: “You never seem to get your reports on time, and you don’t seem to care about the rest of us. ” Instead, try writing: “I find it difficult to run data analysis efficiently when I don’t get your reports by the deadline. ”
Try to keep your letter to just a few paragraphs.
