At the risk of turning into an echo chamber, we want to point out that SmartMoney has a good list of five ways to escalate your customer service issue when the normal CSR route fails. Sure, we’re all about the executive email bomb here at Consumerist, but there are other viable paths you should consider as well—like turning to your local government, and not just for local businesses: “A problem with your communications provider, for example, may be resolved with a complaint to a common, but little-known town board — the cable access committee, which acts as a liaison between the government and the cable suppliers for that area. “

Aside from taking your issue to the executive level or turning to your local infrastructure, you can consider taking your story to the general public, via consumer advocacy sites like—oh, look! They mention Consumerist! Would you look at that! (We’d also suggest trying to contact local newspapers and TV news stations, like this man in Chicago did.) Rounding out the five strategies: file a credit card dispute or take the business to small-claims court, which is cheaper and easier than you might suspect.

“Extreme Measures for Customer Service Complaints” [SmartMoney]

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