Customer service is supposed to be there to make things better for us, but sometimes it's the exact opposite. Here are a few services that put the power back in your hands and make those problems a little less stressful.
For When You Want a Response
When you're not getting what you want from a business it might be time to complain. Most of you probably have a few complaints waiting up your sleeve right now. Instead of calling customer service and listening to robots pretend to care about you, take the complaint somewhere it might do some good. We've shared plenty of tips before, but these services can do a lot of the legwork for you.
Get a Company's Attention With GripeO
GripeO is a new service that uses social media to get a company's attention for you. You probably new Facebook and Twitter are a great way to get heard, but GripeO basically does all of that work for you. You fill out a form, they contact the companies using the optimal accounts and hashtags, and try to get a response. If they don't, your complaint goes up on their "Complaint Marketplace," where competitors can offer you discounts and coupons to keep you from going back to where you were mistreated. You can submit complaints on their web site or on your phone and tablet. GripeO is fairly new and we haven't tested it yet, but the idea is certainly intriguing.
Write Reviews and Get Responses at Measured Up
Measured Up uses a similar formula to GripeO, but through different channels. Instead of a complaint form, you write reviews and you can get responses directly from businesses. Thousands of businesses have partnered up with the service to deal with customer complaints and answer them directly. Verizon, Walmart, Best Buy, Lowe's, American Express, and many other heavy hitters use the service. On Measured Up, everything is visible to everyone and you can browse by category. As you browse, you can see whether or not issues have been resolved too.
Get in Touch with a Real Person with GetHuman
We've mentioned GetHuman a few times before, but it's still one of our go-to services. Just search for the company you're trying to contact and it'll provide the numbers that will get you in touch with an actual human and not a robot. It still requires you to negotiate on your behalf (unlike the above services), but at least it gets rid of one of the most annoying steps.
Go Straight to Executive Customer Service with CallRed
If you aren't getting your issue resolved through normal channels, it may be time to talk to "executive" support. We have a comprehensive guide on how to do so, but if you need a little help, CallRed lets you send a private message directly to the right people. That way, you can bypass all the nonsense and head straight for the higher-ups.
Skip the Robots with Please Press 1
If there is no number that will guarantee you a human, and you have to brave the robo-maze, Please Press 1 gives you the sequence of numbers required to finally get an actual person. All those menus can waste a lot of your time, and Please Press 1 will get you past them.
For When You Have to Deal With Debt
When you borrow money, either with credit or a loan, you can bet your bottom dollar that whoever you borrowed money from is going to go through hell and high water to get that money back. These companies can be ruthless, and if your debt ever makes its way to a collections agency, your phone will never stop ringing. If you're tired of dealing with their customer service, it may be worth your while to look into credit counseling services. These services can do the talking to banks and loan agencies for you and help you get your interest rates lowered. You can also handle this stuff yourself if you don't trust a company to make these calls for you or if you don't want to pay for the service. If you would rather handle it yourself, we can show you how it's possible to lower your credit card rate with a phone call, or help you decide whether a debt consolidation loan is right for you.
Get a Quick and Easy Financial Plan with ReadyForZero
We've gone into detail about ReadyForZero before. This webapp takes a look at your financial situation and, with some input from you, figures out a plan for you to pay off your debt. It will even show you how long it will take you to pay off your debt if you just make the minimum payment each month. It offers all the information you need without having to talk to a soul, and the best part is that it's free to use!
Get Free Counseling Services With Clearpoint
Formerly known as CredAbility, Clearpoint offers many services and can be reached 24/7. We've talked about them before and were pleased that many of their services are free, instead of other similar services with upfront fees. They can talk with you about budget and credit issues, foreclosure protection, and they also have a financial dictionary. You can get a hold of them via telephone or live chat on their web site.
Get Financial Education With AAA Fair Credit Foundation
Fair Credit is another top-rated credit counseling service that offers resources on how to handle your debt. They are ready to answer questions about what you can do about debt and help you see your financial reality.
Get the Information You Need from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
If you're just looking for information on credit, loans, or financial aid for college, the CFPB offers plenty. You can also submit big-time complaints about financial products or services that you feel have done you wrong. The CFPB has a lot of resources that can help you when you're dealing with these kinds of companies. We've even pointed out some sample letters they offer that you can use to get debt collectors off your back.
For When You Want to Lower Your Bill
Bills are no fun. You can always call up companies on your own and try to get your bills reduced, but if you don't have the time or the patience, these services will take a stab at getting those costs down without too much work from you—so you can use your hard earned cash on something else.
Get a Discount with BillCutterz
Previously mentioned BillCutterz does the heavy lifting for you when you don't feel like negotiating. Just give them some details about your bills, and they'll talk to the companies on the phone to get your bills lowered. They are expert negotiators and, while they take 50% of the savings, it requires much less time and effort on your part.
Get a Negotiating Script With Negotiate It
iOS: If you don't want to hand over part of your savings but need help negotiating, there is a middle ground: Negotiate It. We've taken a look at the app before, and the idea is simple: it provides you with the number to call and a script to read while you're on a call with customer service that can help you get a discount on your bills. All you have to do is follow along.
For When You're at Your Wit's End
When all else fails, the best thing you may be able to do is help prevent others from running into the same problems as you. If you've tried everything and you're still not getting what you want, there are still a few places you can go. Pissed Consumer and Ripoff Report let you post visible complaints so others may be able to avoid sharing the same fate as you. It might also be smart for you to peruse their complaints and reviews for businesses you're considering. Consumerist is a great resource to check out for news and stories about less than stellar consumer interactions. Lastly, if you've tried it all and you've come up with nothing, we can show you how to get their attention with an email to a corporate executive.
Getting in touch with customer service to get what you want can be one deep, dark tunnel. It can be easy to lose your cool! Try and stay calm as best you can, but if you need some help we have some tips for that. Good luck!
Photo by filitova (Shutterstock).
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