Complaining

Yes, I complain when things are wrong, my kids tease me mercilessly about it when we go out to eat. However, I will always point out good service too. I think nothing of telling the checkout girl that it was a pleasure to be served by someone who is smiley and friendly. If a meal is served at the right temperature, as described on the menu and tastes lovely, I will happily ask the waitress to compliment the chef.
Recently I had reason to write to the council over the binmen leaving bins in the middle of the drive which makes it very dangerous on our busy road. It is one particular team so I made sure that I also wanted them to thank the other teams who do put the bins back carefully.

I pick my battles too, I think we can be too polite saying things are fine when they’re not and expect things to improve. I recently complained to Co Op about a sandwich with hardly any filling and got my money back.

Now and then I do.

Best result was when I ordered something by phone, for next day delivery, since I was off on holiday soon. I paid quite a bit extra for the service, and was told they needed my phone number (which I dislike dishing out unless absolutely necessary) in case of problems.

Waited in the whole,of the next day for delivery - nothing.

Phoned them to ask why not - Oh, it was unexpectedly out of stock.
So why on earth hadn't they phoned to let me know - after insisting on a phone number? Grrrr! I made it very clear that I wasn't a bit happy.

I got a £20 voucher which I used for a nice Christmas present for a niece's baby.

My motto is - “Never complain, Never explain”.

I do give praise when/where deserved

I renewed insurance with a big 'extended warranty' company on one of my white goods. The following week the door fell off in my hand and could not be replaced. I spent all of Christmas with the door taped on, trying to use it! The insurance company said it was too much of a coincidence that the door had fallen off just as I'd taken insurance out with them, even though I'd already had the item insured on the shop insurance scheme (same warranty company) for 5 years. It took me months of telephone arguments, where they lied to me, put me back onto the customer helpline, and put the phone down for 15 mins (obv maximum allowed) before they agreed to replace it with an equivalent product. And they did that because I complained at last to the ombudsman. I do think companies expect us to give up eventually and mostly we do. I no longer take out any extended warranty cover.

Glad to hear your Council landlord is responsive. My families experience of private landlords is less favourable. Glad to know social housing hasn't been completely disbanded.

I don't complain often, but I'm quite good at it when I do.

I've taken on Barclays (for ruining a mortgage application and for irresponsible lending); I've taken on HMRC (had to get help from my local MP for that); various car sales people (via small claims) and the Council over a binbag issue (when wrongly accused of putting a bag out in the wrong place).

I think it's right to value and praise good service though. We don't do that enough.

Yes, but I don't waste my time on complaining where it is clear I am being fobbed off. I just issue proceedings through Money Claims on Line - very quick and easy to do and has never failed so far. Once there are legal proceedings, companies and individuals tend to take matters much more seriously and your complaint will come in front of a decision maker, rather than a customer services representative with no authority to rectify the problem.

From a different perspective, I work in complaints for a well known bank and actually enjoy my job. I've had people say how can you do that job, listening to angry, moaning people all day but I get good job satisfaction out of putting things right and enjoy being part of the full feedback/improvements process. I've moved from dealing with complaints myself and now train and coach complaint handlers and am involved in quality, making sure customers are getting fair outcomes without the need to go to FOS etc.

I can't stand serial complainers though and those that make a living out of getting comp, unless they have good reason to complain. It also gives me satisfaction when I see the bank deciding to close their accounts for abusing the system.

Feedback is so important to a company and if you are being provided with poor service then it is the best way to let them know where they need to make improvements. Although one thing I have never done myself is raise a complaint!