If you want to have a successful complaint, it helps to complain like Gerald. That’s the father-in-the law of this WSJ writer, and he’s able to perform daring feats of consumer action, like the time he got the hardware store to replace the $800 grill that stopped working a year after he bought it. Here’s how he does it:

Be extremely polite

Keep receipts and warranties for all major products.

Write down the name of salespeople who sold you the product.

Decide exactly what you want the resolution to be before calling

Start at the bottom, starting with the person who sold you the product.

Ask for “help speaking with someone with more authority” instead of asking for a manager, it’s less insulting.

If the call doesn’t work out, thank the person for their time. You never know when you’ll have to talk to them again.

(Photo: Getty)

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