Instant Complaints: Here's a Wizard that Will Help You Make a Point

It seems obvious, but complaining about bad service can really make a difference.

Sometimes the best way to make a fuss is via social media, as Comcast recently learned. Other times it's best to start with a less inflammatory tactic by writing an old-fashioned letter or email. But sometimes it's hard to know the best way to structure that letter and you may not know where to send the complaint.

USA.gov, a portal to many government sites and services, has posted a handy five-step letter-writing wizard. The wizard includes a database of many corporate addresses, a feature that can save a bit of time.

I'm aware that most of us are altogether capable of writing a literate letter and searching for an address to send it. But sometimes it is hard to get motivated, and the easier a task is to accomplish, the more likely you are to do it.

Complaining often pays off and may make the company a bit less likely to abuse other customers. You'll see a sample letter below. If it doesn't work you can always rant on Twitter and Facebook.

One tip: Don't write the letter when you're at your angriest. The person reading it on the other end is less likely to respond positively to insults than to a reasonable sounding complaint. Yeah, that sounds a bit like Miss Manners, but hey, I met her once and she's a very smart lady.