Using a person name in a complaint

sallysaucer101

If I were to write a complaint about customer service is it ok to use the person who I was dealing with Name?

I am very annoyed about the matter and want to bring it to peoples attention but I want to check first if I can use the name not just on Boards but anywhere - say if I was to write to a newspaper or such!

Thanks,

Sally

Forest Master

Of course - the more specific you are (names, times, dates), the more credibility your complaint has.

sallysaucer101

There is not any grounds for defamation or whatever it is?

Forest Master

Not at all - you're making a complaint to the company involved - not a 3rd party. It can only be slander or defamation if you made the claim to a newspaper or something, and it turned out to be untrue or unsubstantiated. It's not in the public domain.

drunkmonkey

sallysaucer101 wrote: »

There is not any grounds for defamation or whatever it is?

There's grounds for defamation if you put their name around the internet and in papers without actually proving that they were wrong.

It's possible you could be some way wrong so be careful before you try and ruin someones business/career.

There's way's to address problems and most companies have a formal complaints procedure which you should have exhausted, there are also legal mechanisms you can try.

drunkmonkey

Forest Master wrote: »

Not at all - you're making a complaint to the company involved - not a 3rd party. It can only be slander or defamation if you made the claim to a newspaper or something, and it turned out to be untrue or unsubstantiated. It's not in the public domain.

Read it again, she wants to use boards/newspapers that's the way I read it.

Forest Master

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Read it again, she wants to use boards/newspapers that's the way I read it.

Sh*t - sorry - I thought she was just complaining to the company.

OP: Unless you have a recording of a conversation, I wouldn't mention any names!!

What I said was still correct, but I misread your intentions. Apologies.

BrianD

It would be both unacceptable and unwise of you to mention names of staff or the company without exhausting a formal complaints process with that company or organisation. Publishing names without doing so would leave you open to being pursued legally for libel. The person would be a position to claim that absolutely no complaint had been made against them and you have publicly damaged their good name.

tricky D

It may well be be defamation, so if you want to name and shame, do it on your own website, blog, whatever, instead of shifting risk onto other unconnected parties.

BrianD

OP - have written to complain to the company involved?

jor el

Whatever you do, DO NOT name this person on Boards. I would also warn against naming them in any written or verbal media. Doing so might result is a defamation case against you, and the publisher, and Irish libel laws are quite in favour of complainants.

Also, bear in mind that this employee may have just been following the guidelines laid down by their employer. CS representatives most often work off a script, and are not allowed to stray from it at all. You may not feel like you're getting anywhere, but that may not be this employee's fault.

If you have a complaint about an employee's behaviour, then you should submit a formal complaint to the company. In this case, name the representative that you were dealing with, as they will need to know who it was. Give all relevant detail, including dates/times and a summary of your call.

It would be foolish and short sighted of you to go naming and shaming the company and it's employees in any public forum before you exhaust their complaints process.

dudara

It would be a very rash move to publically name an employee. You may name the employee in private correspondance with their employer, but naming them in any public forum may leave you open to legal proceedings.

wmpdd3

Agree completely with the last 2 posts, consider too before you make a complaint that some customer service desks not only have CC TV but also audio recorders!

sallysaucer101

Thank you all for your replies. Complaint dealt with directly with the company. Seems I didn't have to mention any names! The mananger knew exactly who I was talking about!

Thanks again!