Of course, like anything else, there seems to be a right way and a wrong way to make your point. Some people even say that complaining is an art. (Personally, I think if they've invested that much time and energy into complaining, perhaps they should find another hobby.)
I don't complain constantly, but I do seem to complain fairly regularly. About education (class sizes too big), about the occasional commercial (exploiting children), and one time I phoned a company because their bread smelled funny (turned out they had changed manufacturing plants and there was a problem with the yeast.)
The list of things I don't complain about is actually much longer. And it's not that all of these things are perfect, it's just that I can live with the imperfections. And I really don't want to spend my time and energy on them.
So to be an effective complainer, first you need to decide if this is worth the effort. Maybe a five-minute rant, in private, is all you need. If that doesn't do it for you – steam is still coming out of your ears, your teeth are clenched – it's time to take action.
And the first thing to do is ... nothing. It sounds a little strange, but I've found it's the best way to prepare myself for the work that lies ahead. It will give you a little cooling-off period and a chance to focus your energy on getting what you want instead of how you feel.
When you're calm, sit down and figure out a few things:
- Define your problem in as few words as possible (who, what, when, where)
- What you need to resolve this issue (reimbursement, apology etc.) - Don't underestimate this step; the person you complain to may not know what exactly you want or need, so spell it out for them. And have a reasonable deadline in mind too.
- How to complain (in person, by mail, by phone etc.) The method you choose will depend on your problem. If Joe at the corner store charged you twice for the same item, you may just want to wander back there with your receipt and tell him what happened.
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