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Tip Sheet: How To Get Better Customer Service
Marketplace presents tips on how to complain more effectively. If you're unhappy with customer service, here are some strategies to get results:

1. Be persistent but polite when complaining, and be clear about exactly what you want.

2. Use social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Yelp to communicate your experience the company and to let other people know about bad customer service.

3. If the store manager won't solve your problem, escalate your complaint to the stores executives. Bypass the general customer service centre and look for direct-mail addresses online.

4. If you don't ask for better customer service, you wont get it. So ask. And make sure you're talking to the right person. Don't give up: keep complaining about your issue until you get a response.

5.
If a store is out of stock of a sale item, ask for a raincheck.

6. If a customer service problem has been a real inconvenience, ask what the company will do for you, like giving you a discount or a gift card for your trouble.

7. If a store does not stock advertised items or wont honour its advertised price, take your complaint to the federal Competition Bureau in Ottawa.

8. Keep records: Write down every time you contact the store, including the date and time, who you spoke to, and what was said.
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Broadcast Date: January 6, 2012
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