Comments on: The strategy of writing a complaint letter or email http://mindyourdecisions.com/blog/2009/01/12/the-strategy-of-writing-a-complaint-letter-or-email/ Articles on game theory and personal finance Tue, 22 May 2012 08:57:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Presh Talwalkar http://mindyourdecisions.com/blog/2009/01/12/the-strategy-of-writing-a-complaint-letter-or-email/comment-page-1/#comment-7248 Presh Talwalkar Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:08:09 +0000 http://mindyourdecisions.com/blog/?p=1169#comment-7248 Sorry to hear your situation. Have you tried working with a patient advocacy group? I heard about the idea from this article about <a href="http://www.bundle.com/article/How-to-appeal-a-health-insurance-claim-denial-12526" rel="nofollow">appealing health claim denials</a>. Sorry to hear your situation. Have you tried working with a patient advocacy group? I heard about the idea from this article about appealing health claim denials.

]]> By: Deborah Burns http://mindyourdecisions.com/blog/2009/01/12/the-strategy-of-writing-a-complaint-letter-or-email/comment-page-1/#comment-7108 Deborah Burns Tue, 03 Aug 2010 05:06:55 +0000 http://mindyourdecisions.com/blog/?p=1169#comment-7108 I really need someones help! I will be as brief as possible. My husband has Multiple Sclerosis and has been going to a group of Neurologists for 6+ years now. All along things have been fine until just one month ago. My husband John had an emergency appointment to see one of the on duty Dr's. Because his appt. was early he seen one (of the 13 Dr's) which we had never seen before. My husband and I tried to explain to the Dr. our dillema with the 20% co-pay, and his monthly 350 perscription cost. We desperately tried to explain that we are really getting into financial difficulties, and if she could limit (if at all possible) any testing required. We are in serious trouble financially over this disease & no medical coverage. My husband and I both have the utmost respect for his specialists, so we were shocked when 1 week later my husband rec'vd a "Letter Of Warning" from this Dr. Just thereafter the blood lab bill came in and she had (unbeknowns to us) tested John for a drug screen panel (x7) at the tune of 729.00 -- There was nothing to substantiate any of this. We were, and still are appauled by this. I am trying to write a complaint letter where I will formally ask for the "Letter Of Warning" to be removed from his file, also I'd like to state that we have no intentions of ever returning to see her SPECIFICALLY, yet we do not want to lose the other Dr's within this practice. I want to send a "cc" to our regular Dr @ this office, also the President of "Michigan Neuroly Ass." - I just do not know where to begin, or what to say. I have researched my brain dry!! I understand how to format the letter & all, but exactly what to say, and how I am petrified. ANY help at all and I would be forever greatful. I really need someones help! I will be as brief as possible.
My husband has Multiple Sclerosis and has been going to a group of Neurologists for 6+ years now. All along things have been fine until just one month ago. My husband John had an emergency appointment to see one of the on duty Dr’s. Because his appt. was early he seen one (of the 13 Dr’s) which we had never seen before. My husband and I tried to explain to the Dr. our dillema with the 20% co-pay, and his monthly 350 perscription cost. We desperately tried to explain that we are really getting into financial difficulties, and if she could limit (if at all possible) any testing required. We are in serious trouble financially over this disease & no medical coverage. My husband and I both have the utmost respect for his specialists, so we were shocked when 1 week later my husband rec’vd a “Letter Of Warning” from this Dr. Just thereafter the blood lab bill came in and she had (unbeknowns to us) tested John for a drug screen panel (x7) at the tune of 729.00 — There was nothing to substantiate any of this. We were, and still are appauled by this.
I am trying to write a complaint letter where I will formally ask for the “Letter Of Warning” to be removed from his file, also I’d like to state that we have no intentions of ever returning to see her SPECIFICALLY, yet we do not want to lose the other Dr’s within this practice.
I want to send a “cc” to our regular Dr @ this office, also the President of “Michigan Neuroly Ass.” – I just do not know where to begin, or what to say. I have researched my brain dry!! I understand how to format the letter & all, but exactly what to say, and how I am petrified.
ANY help at all and I would be forever greatful.

]]> By: james http://mindyourdecisions.com/blog/2009/01/12/the-strategy-of-writing-a-complaint-letter-or-email/comment-page-1/#comment-5760 james Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:25:11 +0000 http://mindyourdecisions.com/blog/?p=1169#comment-5760 Really helpful article. I'm a new teacher and I was told to teach this to my students but I have no experience in the field so this helped a lot. I also found this article while researching the topic in case anyone else finds it useful. http://www.life123.com/career-money/business-correspondences/complaint-letters/writing-an-effective-complaint-letter.shtml Really helpful article. I’m a new teacher and I was told to teach this to my students but I have no experience in the field so this helped a lot. I also found this article while researching the topic in case anyone else finds it useful.
http://www.life123.com/career-money/business-correspondences/complaint-letters/writing-an-effective-complaint-letter.shtml

]]> By: Presh Talwalkar http://mindyourdecisions.com/blog/2009/01/12/the-strategy-of-writing-a-complaint-letter-or-email/comment-page-1/#comment-4370 Presh Talwalkar Wed, 14 Jan 2009 05:15:56 +0000 http://mindyourdecisions.com/blog/?p=1169#comment-4370 I too like writing because as <b><em>Ashley</b></em> suggests you have a chance to organize your thoughts. <b><em>Scott</b></em> I think you are referring to this article about dealing with bad service: http://mindyourdecisions.com/blog/2008/05/27/how-to-deal-with-bad-service%E2%80%94be-reasonably-unreasonable/ The other article was dealing more with personal interaction--being slightly rude in person is one way you can signal your true frustration... For cable companies and others I agree it is annoying that they don't understand your frustration. This has become less of a problem for me as many of my services have improved their customer service quality in the last few years (they really want customer retention). Just be persistent and ask for someone that can help (a manager or just someone else). As for telemarketers, I hang up immediately even if they persist! I think this is a good solution for both sides. I certainly don't want their stuff and I want to end it quickly. This is good for them too--telemarketers are paid either on number of calls or commissions. The worst case is a customer that isn't interested but keeps leading them on and wasting their time. I am never rude but I do try to end their calls. I say "I'm not interested, good bye" and once (or twice if they persist) and then hand up. I too like writing because as Ashley suggests you have a chance to organize your thoughts.

Scott I think you are referring to this article about dealing with bad service:

http://mindyourdecisions.com/blog/2008/05/27/how-to-deal-with-bad-service%E2%80%94be-reasonably-unreasonable/

The other article was dealing more with personal interaction–being slightly rude in person is one way you can signal your true frustration…

For cable companies and others I agree it is annoying that they don’t understand your frustration. This has become less of a problem for me as many of my services have improved their customer service quality in the last few years (they really want customer retention). Just be persistent and ask for someone that can help (a manager or just someone else).

As for telemarketers, I hang up immediately even if they persist! I think this is a good solution for both sides. I certainly don’t want their stuff and I want to end it quickly. This is good for them too–telemarketers are paid either on number of calls or commissions. The worst case is a customer that isn’t interested but keeps leading them on and wasting their time. I am never rude but I do try to end their calls. I say “I’m not interested, good bye” and once (or twice if they persist) and then hand up.

]]> By: Scott http://mindyourdecisions.com/blog/2009/01/12/the-strategy-of-writing-a-complaint-letter-or-email/comment-page-1/#comment-4360 Scott Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:22:26 +0000 http://mindyourdecisions.com/blog/?p=1169#comment-4360 I seem to remember a similar article here (I cannot seem to find it) but with a slightly different tone. The previous article focused on a balance between "too polite" and "too rude". If you are too polite the company will realize that there is no significant chance of you leaving, so are not inclined to address your concern. Too rude, and they figure you will leave eventualy anyway, and are not inclined to address your concern (the "Fire your Customers" concept). Here, it seems the focus is more "polite" oriented. Which is a shame, because I rather enjoyed having a rational, game theory excuse for being at least a LITTLE rude. :) I think emotional satisfaction plays a part and emotional outburts allow for that, though they can be self-defeating in the end. Yes, you've yelled at the peon at the other end of the phone that is really not at fault for your problem, but that may simply hamper his efforts at fixing your problem. I've used tactics like you describe here before, but have not really had success. I've had periodic problems with my cable and, while explaining that I enjoy the service, also mentioned that the problems have been making it difficult to enjoy said service. While the other end of the phone appears to be sympathetic to my plight, I have really seen no tangible benefit from it. One cause of this, I believe, is that every time I call it's tabula rasa. I have to explain my problem, from the beginning over and over. With no sort of continuity, they really don't get a feel for the frustration I'm in. For them, there is no difference between me experiencing the problem once, or fifty times. But I have really only worked with the peons on the phone, so perhaps I will have better luck with an e-mail to someone higher up. I haven't experienced the problem as of recently, so maybe it won't have to come to that. What do you think about calls from business with whom you have no business nor intended business (random telemarketers)? Is there any drawback to simply being rude and complaining? (Burn bridges you don't have)? I seem to remember a similar article here (I cannot seem to find it) but with a slightly different tone.

The previous article focused on a balance between “too polite” and “too rude”. If you are too polite the company will realize that there is no significant chance of you leaving, so are not inclined to address your concern. Too rude, and they figure you will leave eventualy anyway, and are not inclined to address your concern (the “Fire your Customers” concept).

Here, it seems the focus is more “polite” oriented. Which is a shame, because I rather enjoyed having a rational, game theory excuse for being at least a LITTLE rude. :)

I think emotional satisfaction plays a part and emotional outburts allow for that, though they can be self-defeating in the end. Yes, you’ve yelled at the peon at the other end of the phone that is really not at fault for your problem, but that may simply hamper his efforts at fixing your problem.

I’ve used tactics like you describe here before, but have not really had success. I’ve had periodic problems with my cable and, while explaining that I enjoy the service, also mentioned that the problems have been making it difficult to enjoy said service. While the other end of the phone appears to be sympathetic to my plight, I have really seen no tangible benefit from it. One cause of this, I believe, is that every time I call it’s tabula rasa. I have to explain my problem, from the beginning over and over. With no sort of continuity, they really don’t get a feel for the frustration I’m in. For them, there is no difference between me experiencing the problem once, or fifty times. But I have really only worked with the peons on the phone, so perhaps I will have better luck with an e-mail to someone higher up. I haven’t experienced the problem as of recently, so maybe it won’t have to come to that.

What do you think about calls from business with whom you have no business nor intended business (random telemarketers)? Is there any drawback to simply being rude and complaining? (Burn bridges you don’t have)?

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