Welcome to There, I said it.

Ever had a tiny gripe that you just never had the guts to speak up about?

Well I got sick of biting my tongue and decided instead to bite the bullet and start letting companies know what irks me - no matter how big or small the issue.

The point is not to make anyone feel bad. It is not to cost someone their job. It is not even about getting free stuff. The point, my friends, is to let the people in charge know how they can improve their products and services (and maybe get a laugh in the mean time).

Having worked in retail, call centres and marketing departments, I have a fair appreciation of how the person on the receiving end of a complaint letter feels. Being cranky is one thing, but if you want action, you need to consider the "needs" of the person who needs to act upon your correspondence.

They don't want to hear you whinge - they want suggestions for improvement. And I tell you this, they are more likely to act upon your letter if you make it stand out. How do I do that? I make it funny.

I've written a number of "complaint" letters over the years, and have received some great results. Obviously it hasn't made me rich but I've always received a good reaction - either something for free, monetary compensation, or in the very least, a phone call or email from a very appreciative customer service representative.

From time to time I will post my complaint letters and let you know the results.

Please feel free to let me know what you think of these letters, or send me examples of similar situations. Why not have a crack at writing your own complaint letter?

There, I said it.

PS - I figured it was important to add a disclaimer. All posts on this blog are my own work, except for comments, and unless another source has been credited. In some cases the names of individuals and/or companies may be deleted or changed. Currently I am allowing anybody to post comments on this site - please do not abuse this privilege. Please feel free to click on the ads on the right hand side of this page, if the subject matter interests you.