Product Description

How to get the best of shoddy shops, crooked car-dealerships, and heartless HMOs--without having to hire an attorney.
    
The Miss Manners of the consumer kvetch shows readers how to go postal, with complaint letters designed to melt the heart and sting the conscience of the most obdurate, negligent, or customer-hostile corporations.  

Drawing on her experience as a pen-for-hire for irate consumers--and on the advice of clients, attorneys, and CEOs--Ellen Phillips shows readers:              
- Who to write to, what to say, what to ask for  
- The names and addresses of over 600 major companies
- How to draft personal petitions covering everything from tenant-landlord disputes to workman's compensation
- Suggestions on what steps to take to avoid litigation
- Consumer Smarts for automobile buyers
- How to protect yourself from fraudulent business solicitations
- Navigating the courts to ensure the well-being of your family and children
- Help in getting proper coverage from your HMO
- And--because sometimes the world is on your side--how to write the perfect thank- you note.

Delightfully readable, easy to use, and filled with the addresses of hundreds of corporate customer relations offices and state and federal agencies, Shocked, Appalled, and Dismayed! is an essential resource for anyone who wants to reach out and scold somebody.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #273974 in Books
• Published on: 1998-12-22
• Released on: 1998-12-22
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

From Amazon.com
Rarely does a day go by when most of us do not have to deal with surly salespeople, cheaply made products, or vast and indifferent bureaucracies. Most of us endure this with a stoicism worthy of Seneca himself. After all, what's the use of complaining? It all seems to fall on deaf ears, anyway.

But the world needn't be like this, according to Ellen Phillips, consumer consultant and founder of Ellen's Poison Pen, Inc. Since 1988, Phillips has been helping frustrated consumers to get refunds and apologies from everyone from the corner druggist to massive insurance agencies. In her book, Shocked, Appalled, and Dismayed!, Phillips shares the secrets of writing letters of complaint that get results. The first few chapters cover the general dos and don'ts of writing effective letters of complaint (remain calm, use polite language), along with useful advice from legal experts (don't embellish, stick to the facts).

The chapters that follow target specific problems we all face at some time in our lives, ranging from getting bumped from a flight to the secrets of successfully dealing with your HMO. Each chapter contains bullet points, illustrative anecdotes, and a number of example letters, most of which were based on actual letters sent on behalf of Phillips's clients. On top of all this, Phillips also provides an appendix listing the names and addresses of over 600 major companies, government agencies, and consumer organizations. Phillips believes that we should get what we pay for, and after reading her book, you'll be able to stand up for your rights with confidence.

Ingram
The "Miss Manners" of consumer kvetch shows readers how to go postal, with complaint letters designed to melt the heart and sting the conscience of the most obdurate, negligent, or customer-hostile corporations.

About the Author
A consumer consultant, Ellen Haygood Phillips is the founder of Poison Pen, Inc. She lives in Alexandria, Virginia.

Customer Reviews

Every Amazon.com customer needs to get this book!
Anyone who has made enough transactions with Amazon.com can tell you, Amazon.com has its share of foul-ups. And when mistakes (that are bound to happen from time-to-time) do happen, the biggest errors occur in their customer service department. For me, I know that I have written e-mail after e-mail complaining about RUDE, ERRONEOUS and downright FRAUDULENT communication emanating from the unskilled and unsupervised excuse for a customer service department only to have other unskilled, unsupervised hacks respond. I kept explaining that I was not seeking compensation, I was trying to complain about Amazon.com's customer service, but Amazon.com either doesn't care or doesn't have a mechanism to care. My e-mails which always started, please forward this to so-and-so's supervisor never were. I can't wait for the follow-up to this book. "How To Write Letters Of Complaint to OUTSOURCED INDIANS WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE AMERICAN CONSUMER WANTS TO BE TREATED!!"

Xcellent
You may only need this book on occassion, but when you do you will be very glad you have it. It proved indespensible for me recently!

Common sense information
This book is great if you have no idea how to write a complaint letter. However, most of us have common sense, and know how to express that we are "shocked, appalled, and dismayed"! Also, this book discourages the use of certain words and phrases for no other reason than that the author doesn't like them, or thinks they are overused. This book does provide some useful information on how to contact people you may want to send a complaint letter to, but this information can easily be found on the web (for free).