---
aliases: ["Complaint Letter"]
tags: [pm-skills, skill]
skill: complaint-letter
description: "Write a firm, effective complaint letter that gets a resolution. Use when asked to write a complaint letter, complain to a company about a product/service, escalate poor service, or demand a refund/replacement. Produces a structured complaint — the facts, the impact, the specific resolution you want, and a deadline — in a firm, professional tone that's hard to ignore and easy to act on."
---

# Complaint Letter Skill

A complaint gets resolved when it's specific, reasonable, and makes the desired action obvious — not when it's
angry. This skill writes a letter that lays out the facts, states exactly what you want, and gives a clear
deadline, in a firm professional tone that a customer-service team can actually action.

## Working from a brief

Given "complain about a flight that was cancelled and they won't refund me", **write the full letter anyway** —
infer the standard facts and a reasonable resolution, and bracket the specifics (dates, order/reference numbers,
amounts) to fill in. Never hand back advice instead of the letter.

## Required Inputs

Ask for these only if they aren't already provided (else infer and bracket):

- **What went wrong** — the product/service, what happened, and when (dates, order/reference numbers).
- **The impact** — how it affected you (cost, time, inconvenience, harm).
- **What you've done** — prior contact and their response, if any.
- **What you want** — the specific resolution (refund, replacement, repair, apology) and any deadline.
- **Recipient & tone** — company/person, and how formal.

## Output Format

### Complaint Letter

A ready-to-send letter:
- **Header** — your details, date, recipient, and a clear **Re:** line with the order/reference number.
- **1. The issue** — what you bought/used, when, and exactly what went wrong (facts, dated, specific).
- **2. The impact** — the concrete consequence for you.
- **3. Prior attempts** — what you've already tried, if anything (shows you've been reasonable).
- **4. What you want** — the specific resolution, stated plainly, with a reasonable **deadline** for response.
- **5. Next step** — what you'll do if unresolved (escalate, regulator/ombudsman, review) — stated factually, not as a threat.
- **Close** — professional sign-off and how to reach you.

Provide a **short email version** too, and **notes** on anything to confirm.

## Quality Checks

- [ ] The facts are specific and dated, with reference/order numbers where relevant
- [ ] The requested resolution is concrete and reasonable — not vague dissatisfaction
- [ ] A clear, reasonable deadline for response is included
- [ ] Tone is firm and professional, not abusive (abuse gives them a reason to dismiss you)
- [ ] The escalation path is stated as a fact, not an empty threat
- [ ] Both a formal letter and a short email version are provided

## Anti-Patterns

- [ ] Do not vent without asking for anything — name the specific resolution you want
- [ ] Do not be abusive or sarcastic — it lets the recipient dismiss the complaint
- [ ] Do not omit reference numbers and dates — they slow or stall the response
- [ ] Do not make threats you won't act on — state real next steps factually
- [ ] Do not bury the ask — the resolution and deadline must be impossible to miss

## Based On

Consumer-advocacy correspondence practice — factual specificity, a concrete remedy, a reasonable deadline, and a stated escalation path.

---
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Apply the skill above to the following input:

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