I promised to keep you updated on the status of my complaint letter to SuperShuttle. Well, I am happy to report that I received a full refund in the amount of $29.18 for the horrible experience I had using their service home from the airport.
Bad customer service can ruin the happiest and most well-planned vacation so when something goes awry, take the time to write a complaint letter. Not only will the letter help you let off some steam but it will usually garner you a refund or some other form of compensation. For example, a few years ago I wrote American Airlines to complain about a broken seat on a 9 hour transatlantic flight that made my journey very uncomfortable. They awarded me 15,000 frequent flier miles.
If I take the time to write a complaint letter it means that my experience was really dreadful. My hope is not only that the company will rectify my situation but also to make sure that other travelers are not impacted in the same way. Here are a few tips to writing a successful complaint letter that will get you the desired response.
1. Give as many facts as possible. The time the incident happened, your reservation number, flight number, vehicle number, etc. are all key information. Let them know how long you have been a customer - they want first-time customers to give them another chance and want long-time customers to remain loyal.
2. State what you expected. Remind the company of the service that you paid for and what you were told you would receive.
3. Detail how the company failed to deliver the service you paid for. Be as clear as possible in showing how the company did not satisfy you as a customer. Show how the service delivered was not the service they promised. Did their bad service cost you time and/or money? Did you feel uncomfortable or unsafe? Was an employee rude to you? Give as many relevant details as possible.
4. Clearly state what you want the company to do in order to resolve your complaint. I asked SuperShuttle to refund my money and they did. In other situations, a voucher or frequent flier miles might be an appropriate form of compensation.
5. Keep it professional. Profanity is never appropriate. If there was one positive moment in your negative experience, let them know. I let SuperShuttle know that I had used them before and that the previous level of service had been acceptable. This made the negative experience stand out even more.