When traveling, no matter how prepared, organized, or thorough one can be, inevitably some sort of hiccup will arise. Usually, it’s nothing more than a forgotten toothbrush or maybe a late flight. But what about the times when the stroller never arrives at the baggage claim? Or when staff from the “hospitality industry” treats you or your family rudely? Or when the hotel room smells like wet dog? Or when you find yourselves stranded overnight in a Las Vegas airport with an infant and no extra diapers?

Photo by Catherine Boley.

Believe it or not, all those things have happened to us! There are times when no amount of good intentions or excuses will suffice. You must complain.

I grew up with a father who knew how to complain effectively and concisely. He’d complain with grace, and calmly and patiently explain exactly what he wanted in a friendly and non-threatening way. He would get results every time! I admired that…diplomacy and action. Then, I married a man who would rather die of shame or eat a raw hamburger, than utter a single negative comment.

The dichotomy between these two men in my life is interesting because both are perfectly happy with their results. My dad gets his food the way he wants, and my husband doesn’t feel like he is a jerk. Some might argue that my dad is better off, but my husband would argue he doesn’t trust himself to not be a jerk, and thus saves us both some embarrassment. He now offloads the complaining part to me. Regardless, the complaint portion is important. How you complain often determines if you will get your needs met or if you will end up more frustrated than before.

LOST: One car seat. Photo by Catherine Boley.

Some tips on how to effectively complain when traveling.

Stay Calm

I know that sounds cliché, but it’s true. “You get more flies with honey.” Meaning, if you are polite and personable, people are more likely to do or give you what you want. If you’re complaining about a disgruntled service worker, calmly ask for a manager or someone else to help you with your needs.

Stick to the Facts

Keep to exactly what happened, what you need fixed, and the time frame in which you need it accomplished. Don’t over embellish your predicament, and don’t add lots of superfluous information.

Know your Rights

Read the fine print. Know if what’s happened violates the terms of your agreement, and if so, reiterate what you were promised.

Ask for Names

If the offending incident involves a service worker ask for their name and jot it on a piece of paper or on your cell phone. On the flipside, keep track of workers who help you resolve a problem. Being able to point out helpful people along the way helps to make your assessment of the incompetent folks more readily acceptable.  For example, our stroller bag never showed up at the SFO baggage claim last month. When I called later that afternoon to check on it’s status, I mentioned that I was very distraught with the airline for losing our stroller, but I was very pleased with the gate attendant, Sarah. She went above and beyond by not only changing our seat so we had plenty of space, but walked us onto the plane and helped carry the carseat to our row. The phone attendant gifted me another $250 voucher for the inconvenience (on top of the $100 they gave me at baggage claim), and the airline sent the stroller via service carrier an hour later. Awesome!

Call AND Write a Letter

If the issue cannot be resolved at the place of occurrence make sure to call and write a letter. Usually complaints can be resolved over the phone, but a letter means business (especially if you send it certified mail).