Fluvia

Complaints

Practise English for complaining and returning something

Complaining in another language gets abandoned too early, and that costs money. Here you face a manager in person, return something without the receipt, and dispute a charge by phone with someone who tells you twice that it is correct. Free, no sign-up.

Situations
3, the complaint, the return and the call
Who you meet
a manager, a shop assistant, customer service
The complication
the first no, which is scripted
Correction
as you speak, not at the end
Sign-up
none
Price
free

The three situations

  • Sorting out a billing problem

    You have to call about a charge that is wrong.

    Sam — a support agent handling a billing complaint

    State a complaint assertively, stay polite, and push for a resolution.

    Start →

  • Returning a faulty product

    You have to return something that arrived broken.

    Megan — a shop assistant at the returns desk

    Describe a fault clearly and insist politely on a fair outcome.

    Start →

  • Calling customer service about a bill

    There is a charge on your bill you did not agree to.

    Nicole — a customer service agent working from a script

    Get the charge removed, and keep going after the first and second refusal.

    Start →

The first no is rarely the last one

In all three the other person opens by saying no. Not because they are difficult, but because that is what people on a counter do: there is a script, and the script starts there. Whoever gives up at the first no pays the charge, keeps the faulty product, and walks out with the complaint unresolved.

What moves the conversation is not anger. It is saying what happened, when, what you expected, and what you want to happen now. And then saying it calmly a second time, which is where almost everyone falls away.

On the customer-service call you are told twice that the charge is correct before you are offered half of it back. That second attempt is literally the exercise.

Frequently asked questions

How do I complain in English without sounding aggressive?
With facts and one concrete request: what happened, when, and what you want them to do. "I'd like a refund" is firm and polite at once. Tone is not the problem; vagueness is.
Can I return something without the receipt?
Often yes, with a bank statement or the confirmation email. In the rehearsal the assistant says no at first, and you practise the sentence that opens the alternative.
What do I say when they repeat that the charge is correct?
Repeat your version with the same facts and ask for another look: "Could you check that again, or put me through to someone who can?". In the rehearsal it works on the second try.
Do I need a microphone?
Yes, it is a spoken conversation. It runs in a phone or desktop browser with nothing to install.

FROM WHAT YOU READ TO WHAT YOU SAY

Do not give up at the first no

Rehearse the second time you say it, which is the time almost nobody gets to.

Practise the complaint