Complaint Letters

Templates for Complaint Letters

Dear Ms. Frick,

We’re sorry you were disappointed with our service. It was disheartening for us to learn that after you contacted us directly with your concern, you immediately filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. We pride ourselves on delivering attentive customer service.

When we received your complaint, we apologized instantly (in less than 30 minutes after you sent us your message) and promised to pay you the amount due in full, including an additional $100 to compensate you for your inconvenience, as soon as you confirm the method of payment. Please note that our apology to you occurred BEFORE the Better Business Bureau posted your complaint.

We've never claimed to be perfect. Like all human beings, we sometimes make mistakes. We believe a person and a company should be judged not by their mistakes, but by their willingness to admit them, learn from them, and improve going forward. This is what we attempted to do in your case.

Our company is actively fighting check fraud and employs multiple security systems. In rare circumstances, our system makes a mistake and blocks legitimate customer checks. It is customer responsibility to notify us about a mistake in seven days. We will reissue the payment and reimburse customer any back fees upon providing a proof of bank charges.

In light of this, we hope you’ll consider contacting the Better Business Bureau to explain the situation and request that your complaint be removed. We feel this would be appropriate under these circumstances, and we would appreciate it.

Once again, we apologize for your hardship. We assure you that we will bring this issue to our CEO’s attention, fully discuss it at our next company meeting, and use it as an opportunity to improve our services.

Sincerely yours,

The Team.

Dear...  (BBB complaint)

The process of inspecting the items we receive is rather complex. We record the whole process: delivery, opening of the package, visual inspection. In some (very rare) cases, f we discover a problem with the device, we inform the customer and we offer him/her the option to re-quote it or to send it back to the customer. If the customer agrees with the re-quoting, he/she is paid accordingly. If not, we send the item back. We never exercise any pressure on the customer and it's completely his/her choice to accept the new quote or to get the item back.  Let us explain that we receive hundreds of items every day and every time we have to re-quote an item, we waste our time, efforts and money. We would be happy if we didn't need to re-quote items and lower their condition. For further information about conditions and re-quoting we can refer to our section Terms of sale - Our company considers the case closed.

Complaint:

I had to spend one hour on the support line before they could explain why did they requote my iPod touch I was selling. I chose a wrong model, so they didn't honor the initial quote of $150 and said they would pay only $120 and if I didn't agree, they would send it back to me. This man was not helpful enough even when I tried to explain that mine was iPod touch 5 and the difference with iPod 6 is minimum. He didn't want to accept it, so they finally paid me 120 instead of 150. They need to care about us, their customers. They will not survive without us.

Answer:

Dear Mr. Frick. Thank you for your input and thank you for dealing with us. Indeed, you inadvertently chose a wrong iPod model. If you go back to our iPod pages and choose the right model of your device, you will see the price we offer for iPod touch is $120, exactly the amount we paid. Sorry, but we can't pay $150 for a model that cost $120. We are all humans and we make mistakes, so we don't blame you for this mistake, we even offer to send the device back free of charge if you don't accept the new quote, even though the mistake was yours. You could ask for the device to be sent back to you and then try to sell it to anyone of our competitors (with all due respect to them, we think they wouldn't pay $120 for this model, and the state the device is in). That's because we care about our customers.

A complaint can be harmful to your karma. Photo by Elena.

Christina Dalcher

Christina Dalcher - Vox, a novel

I lunge forward on unsteady feet, but Lorenzo catches me by the arm. His grip is fir, almost bruising.

“No,” he says, “If she speaks again, the current will -”

He's stronger than I am, but I break away, flinging myself at the woman on the bench, whose body sags like a lifeless doll under the harsh overhead lights. She's no how I remember her, not in low-riding jeans and a crazily printed paisley blouse, not smiling from under a fringe of color-of-the week, hair while she brewed herbal tea in a crappy Georgetown apartment and cursed at the Ikea table instructions that defied minds with multiple degrees. She's in a gray tunic that matches her hair and the color of her skin, except for the palms of her hands, which have been rubbed as raw as fresh meat from a year of labor that would make even the most stalwart farmer turn his back on the land and find a job pushing paper across a desk. She's wearing a single black hand on her left wrist where a charm bracelet of Chinese horoscope animals used to be.

“Jacko,” I say, placing one hand over her chapped lips. “Jacko, don't say anything else. Don't let them make it worse for you.”

Jackie Juarez, once the woman who I thought would stop the world, slumps wordlessly into my arms, and sobs.

The door behind me slides closed, then opens again. I don't need to turn to check who it is I can smell the bastard.

“Morgan,” I say. Then I hear the slap, the surprised whine, the metallic click of a firearm being cocked.

This is another thing I know about the guns: you don't cock and aim unless you're ready to kill.

“Careful, Morgan,” I say, still holding on to Jackie. “You need him. You need his formula.”

He doesn't, of course; Morgan already has Lorenzo's notes. I'm only buying time.

And then it hits me: Lorenzo, dashing out of the upstairs lab to check his office, coming back and shaking his head to tell me the papers weren't there. Morgan demanding a formula by tomorrow.

“Soldier,” Morgan says, “put it away.”

I turn from Jackie toward Lorenzo, who stands stock-still, ready to take a bullet in exchange for a slap, and I realize Morgan can't possibly have taken the notes.

So, who the hell did?

Loneliness. Photo by Elena.

Life and Teachings of Jesus

The Life and Teachings of Jesus

About 70 years before the Jewish uprising against Rome, Jesus, the founder of Christianity, was born in Bethlehem, a town in southern Palestine. Information about the early life of Jesus comes from accounts written by Jesus' disciples after his death.  These accounts, called the Gospels, or good news, make up the first four books of the New Testament of the Bible.

According to the Gospels, Jesus grew up in Nazareth, studied with priests in the synagogue, and learned the trade of a carpenter. As a young man, Jesus began preaching to the poor. The Gospels also say that Jesus performed miracles such as healing the sick. Many people who heard Jesus or witnessed the miracles believed he was the Messiah. The Greek word for messiah was Christios. Followers of Jesus eventually became known as Christians.

The large crowds Jesus attracted when he preached worried Jewish and Roman authorities. Some Jewish officials considered him a troublemaker bent on challenging Hebrew laws. Others rejected Jesus's claims to be the Son of God. Denounced by his enemies, Jesus was arrested and taken before Pontius Pilate, a Roman official. Pilate saw Jesus as a threat to Rome's authority in Palestine. As a result, Jesus was condemned  to die. He was executed according to Roman customs by crucifixion, or being nailed to a cross to die of exposure.

In his teachings, Jesus stressed love for God and compassion for other people. A person's chief duties, he said, were to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart” and to “love thy neighbor as thyself”. In parables, short stories with simple moral lessons, Jesus taught people how to show kindness to one another. Jesus offered his followers a loving and forgiving God. He thought that earthly richers were unimportant and that people who were humble, merciful and unselfish, would be rewarded with eternal life.

The teachings of Jesus were rooted in Hebrew religious traditions. For example, Jesus preached obedience to one God, to the Ten Commandments, and to other Hebrew laws of the Old Testament. In addition, like the ancient Hebrew prophets, Jesus condemned injustice and criticized false pride. As a result, the Hebrew ethical world view became a fundamental part of Christianity.

In the New Testament, the Apostle John quotes Jesus as saying, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” The symbol of Christ as a shepherd appears in much early Christian art. Photo by Elena.

Changing Level of Conscientiousness

Can You Change Your Level of Conscientiousness?

Changing one's personality traits is never easy. They are thought to be enduring patterns that ultimately come from stable patterns of brain function, But in the Terman study, researchers found that people can indeed increase or decrease their conscientiousness over time. Many were able to do this and I have witnessed it in myself. As I have learned more and more about brain function and developed brain envy, I have personally developed better habits and my behavior has been more consistent. I feel much more in control of my own behavior than I did even a few years ago. I have seen others' conscientiousness deteriorate after a head injury, big drinking or drug use, being exposed to an environmental toxin, or at the onset of developing dementia.

Before discussing how to boost your level of conscientiousness, let's first define what it is. Conscientiousness concerns the way we manage our impulses. Impulses are not inherently good or bad. It is what we do with the, that makes them that  way. Sometimes we need to make a snap decision and cannot think about it over and over. Other times we want to be spontaneous and fun, especially when we are relaxing. But when it becomes a way of life, it can take a seriously negative too on your health. Giving in to immediate desires, like the doughnuts, often produces immediate rewards but undesirable long-term consequences. Impulsive behavior can lead to being fired from your job, divorce, drug or alcohol abuse, jail, or obesity, all of which have a negative impact on your health. Acting impulsively often brings regret because you failed to entertain all of your options. The accomplishments of an impulsive person are often smaller, more diffuse, and less consistent.

A hallmark of intelligence and what separates us from other animals is our ability to think about the consequences of our behavior before acting on an impulse. It is the internal dialogue that accompanies “Then what?” Effective decisions usually involve forethought in relation to your goals, organizing, and planning, which helps you not only live in the moment but to continue ten or even fifty years from now. “Being prudent” is another label for conscientiousness. It means being wise and cautious. If you are conscientious, you are more likely to avoid troubled situations and be perceived as intelligent and reliable by others. If you go overboard, of course. Others will think you are a compulsive perfectionist or a workaholic.

Your mind is powerful and it makes happen what it sees. Photo by Elena.

Six Facets of Conscientiousness

1. True Confidence. You have a true feeling of being self-efficacious. You know you can get things done.
2. Organized, but not compulsive. Keep an orderly home or office and keep lists and make plans.
3. A high sense of duty. You have a strong sense of moral obligation.
4. Achievement oriented. Drive to be successful at whatever you do and have a strong sense of direction.
5. Persistence. You have the ability to stay on track despite the obstacles that might come your way.
6. Thoughtfulness. You are disposed to think through possibilities and the consequences of your behavior before acting.

Here are steps to optimize both your PFC and level of conscientiousness to boost the control you have over your life:

1. "Then what?" Always carry this question with you. Think about the consequences of your behavior before you act.
2. Protect Your Brain from Injury or Toxins. This should be obvious by now.
3. Get Eight Hours of Sleep. Less sleep equals lower overall blood flow to the PFC and more bad decisions.
4. Keep Your Blood Sugar Balanced Throughout the Day. Research studies say that low blood sugar levels are associated with lower overall blood flow to the brain, poor impulse control irritability, and more unfortunate decisions. Have frequent smaller meals throughout the day that each have at least some protein.
5. Optimize Your Omega-3 Fatty Acid Levels by Eating More Fish or Taking Fish Oil. Low levels of omega-3 fatty acids have also been associated with ADHD, depression, Alzheimer's disease, and obesity.
6. Keep a “One-Page Miracle”. On one piece of paper write down the specific goals you have for you life, including for your relationships, your work, your money, and your health. Then ask yourself every day, “Is my behavior today getting me what I want?” I call this exercise the One-Page Miracle, because it makes such a dramatic difference in the lives of those who practice it. Your mind is powerful and it makes happen what it sees. Focus and meditate on what you want.
7. Practice Using Your PFC. Self-control is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. This is why good parenting is essential to helping children develop self-control. If we gave in to our eight-year-old every time she wanted something or threw a temper tantrum, we would raise a spoiled, demanding child. By saying “no” and not giving in to tantrums. We teach the child to be able to say no to herself. To develop your PFC you need to do the same thing for yourself, practice saying no to the things that are not good for you, and over time you will find it easier to do.
8. Balance Your Brain Chemistry. Illnesses such as ADD, anxiety and depression decrease self-control. Getting help for these problems is essential to being in control of your life.
9. Try to use willpower to control your behavior when you sleep or brain chemistry is off, or when your omega-3 fatty acids or blood sugar levels are low, is nearly impossible.

(From Use Your Brain by Daniel G. Amen, M.D.)

Try to use willpower to control your behavior. Toronto, view from the 17th floor on 50 Hillsboro St. Photo by Elena.

Inner Child vs. Inner Adult

Boost Your PFC to Rein in Your Inner Child and Boost Conscientiousness

This information is designed to help you win the war in your head between the adult, thoughtful part of your brain (the PFC), which knows that you should do, and your pleasure, which are run by a spoiled, demanding inner child who always wants what he wants whenever he wants it.

Your brain's pleasure centers are always looking for a good time:

• They want to jump off a cliff.
• They love going fast on a motorcycle in the rain.
• They crave the ice cream.
• They want the double cheeseburgers.
• They will stand in line for the fresh cinnamon rolls.
• They focus on having the second piece of cake.

Left unchecked, your inner child is often whispering to you like a naughty little friend:

• “Do it now...”
• “It's okay...”
• “We deserve it...”
• “Come on, let's have some fun...”
• “You're so upright...”
• “Live a little...”
• “We already had one bowl of ice cream. Just one more won't hurt...”
• “We'll behave better tomorrow. I promise...”

Without adult supervision, your inner child lives only in the moment and he can ruin your life. I have a friend who shared her daughter-in-law got sick with the flu and had to remain in bed upstairs. Her four-year-old son decided to “take over” the house while his mother was otherwise occupied with a pounding headache, fever, and vomiting. When his father came home, there was ice cream melting in puddles on the kitchen countertop; the pots and pans were arranged in a pyramid formation in the middle of the floor; cartoons were blaring on TV at full volume; and clothes, toys, and blankets (made into tents and forts) were strewn everywhere. Absolute anarchy and chaos This is a great visual of what happens to your life when your PFC is not functioning: Your inner child takes over while your inner adult is napping. The resulting mess is something to behold.

To balance your pleasure centers, and tame your inner child, the PFC helps you think about what you do before you do it. It thinks about your future, not just about what you want in the moment. Instead of thinking about the chocolate cake, it is the rational voice in your head that helps you:

• Avoid having a big belly.
• Remember that “food is medicine” and that you'll be in a sugar-induced, cranky, sleepy mood an hour after eating that cake.
• Remind your inner child of delicious but healthier alternatives that will both taste good and nourish your body.
• Be concerned about your bulging medical bills.
• Say “no” and meant it.

When your PFC is strong, it reins in your inner child, so that you can have a fun, passionate, meaningful life but in a thoughtful life, measured, conscientious way. To live a long healthy life, it s critical to strengthen your PFC and put your inner child into time-out whenever he acts up.

It is also critical to watch your internal dialogue and be a good parent to yourself. Dr. Daniel G. Amen have taught parenting classes for many years and the two rods that embody good parenting, even for your inner child, are “firm” and “kind”. When you make a mistake with food or with your health, look for ways to learn from your mistakes but in a loving way.

(Use Your Brain by Daniel G. Amen, M.D., excerpt).

Inner Child and Inner Adult. Photo by Elena.