Keep a record of date, time and name of any person you speak with about your complaint. If they are unable to resolve your complaint immediately, ask when you can reasonably expect a follow-up phone call.

Thank You End your conversation by thanking them for their help. If you have person’s name you are speaking with, address them by name, “thank you Angela”.

When problem is resolved to your satisfaction, you may even want to write a simple thank you note. People who work in customer service appreciate this more than you may realize.

If you don’t have time or patience to write a letter, here’s a great resource I found online: www.planetfeedback.com. You simply fill out a form on their site and they will compose a well-written letter you can then send to company. Better yet, they’ll even tell you best person to send it to. And it’s free.

Use these steps “to your credit” next time you have a complaint, and you’ll have greater success and results.

6. Have a bite to eat before you go if it’s a later meeting, and you would have to delay your lunch or dinner.

No reason to be distracted by hunger pangs

7. If you are a smoker and find it very difficult to go without a cigarette, you can make it easier by choosing a “smoking” meeting where, not surprisingly, smoking is allowed during meeting, ashtrays are provided, and you won’t go into a nicotine fit.

8. Try to arrive a few minutes before meeting is scheduled to start.

Most AA members are very friendly and glad to greet “new comers.” They’re there for same reason –alcohol was a problem, and they want to stop and stay stopped.

9. Realize that you are not required to say anything at all at a meeting.

It’s all up to you to say as much or as little as you wish. You don’t even have to give your name if you don’t want to.

10. Just take it a day at a time, or five minutes at a time.

And allow yourself to enjoy Fellowship.