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Price Should Include Good Service

by John Tschohl    

That’s the message John Tschohl, founder and president of the Service Quality Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been sending to the public since he published his third book, The Customer is Boss, in 1993. “If you have a complaint about a product or service, you should complain to the company,” he says. “If your complaint is resolved to your satisfaction, you know you are dealing with a company that values your business. If not, take your business elsewhere.” 

Tschohl practices what he preaches. When he had a complaint about a purchase he had made over the Internet, Tschohl not only canceled his purchase, he sent the company an e-mail in which he promised “never to do business with you again”--and he has kept that promise.

Companies doing business via the Internet present a special challenge for consumers. Most, says Tschohl, concentrate on the technology behind the Internet, which makes speed and convenience of prime importance, while ignoring the personal contact consumers want, particularly when it comes to having their questions answered. 

Many e-commerce companies, Tschohl says, do not make their telephone numbers or mailing addresses public. “Consequently,” he says, “if you register a complaint by e-mail, and it is ignored, it’s difficult to call the company and talk to a real person. If you are able to track down a telephone number, you’ll likely still have a problem because, while most Internet companies are owned, managed, and staffed by very bright people, many of those people lack the social skills necessary to communicate well on a personal level, particularly with customers.”

Whether doing business with a traditional company or an Internet company, Tschohl urges consumers to accept nothing less than good service. “If you don’t,” he says, “you will get what you deserve. If you have a complaint, but don’t pursue it to your satisfaction, you encourage the company to continue to provide inferior service. In this case, doing nothing means you are giving that company your stamp of approval. If we don’t make a call or send a letter, whether that be by mail, e-mail, or fax, we will get the service we deserve.”

Tschohl recommends that complaints be registered quickly and that they be sent to the president of the offending company. Last summer, Tschohl purchased a lawnmower and a service warranty from J. C. Penney Company. When he took the lawnmower in for servicing, however, the company did not pay the entire bill. Tschohl’s letter to the company’s Consumer Affairs Department was ignored, so he addressed his complaint directly to the president of J. C. Penney--and the situation was quickly resolved. 

“The entire process took 18 months,” Tschohl says. “If I had written to the company president immediately, the problem would have been solved much sooner.”

A good letter of complaint, he adds, consists of the following five elements:

A clear statement of the problem. For example, “You mistakenly debited my account $120.”

Facts that back up your complaint. Include a copy of an inaccurate bill, for example, along with the names of company representatives you have spoken with, the dates of those conversations, and what was said.

A request for specific action. You might want your bill credited, or seek a refund or repairs. Or, if you are merely upset about poor service, ask for an apology.

A deadline for a resolution to your problem. Set a specific date by which you want the problem solved. 

A warning. State that, if the situation is not resolved to your satisfaction, you will take your complaint to the group that oversees that company’s industry. That might be the Insurance Consumer Action Panel, or ecomplaints.com, an on-line consumer complaint site for the airline industry. You also can take your complaint to your Better Business Bureau, or to the local media.

“Good service is included in the price of the product or service you are purchasing,” Tschohl says. “You are the boss. You have the right to get good service--and you have the right to take your business elsewhere if you don’t get it.”


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John Tschohl is president of Service Quality Institute, speaks all over the world, is author of four best-selling books & a leading authority on customer service. TIME refers to him as a "customer service guru." Contact John at www.customer-service.com