- 1). Know the biggest offenders. Cable and satellite TV, credit cards and cell phones received the highest number of hidden fee complaints. Next in line are hotels, insurers, Internet service providers and retirement accounts followed closely by banks, airlines and grocers.
- 2). Focus on the kinds of companies that are more likely to negotiate, for example airlines and credit card issuers. Approximately 65 percent of the consumers who complained received a fee refund or reduction in interest rate.
- 3). Pick companies that charge fees that haven't been clearly disclosed up front. Hotel tack-on charges fit in this description. Also complain about penalties where the punishment didn't fit the crime like a bank overdraft fee for a small mistake that threw your balance into the red.
- 4). Be direct. If possible, go to the place of business. Ask for the manager. Explain that the overdraft policy was not disclosed. People generally are more willing to give a little more courtesy when they are face to face. The same approach will work over the phone. Remind them of how much business you've given them as a customer and politely suggest you'll take your business elsewhere if they don't work with you.
- 5). Email your complaint. Many customer service departments are set up to deal with email complaints. Find the email address for the complaint manager. The "contact us" button on the company's website is a good place to start.
- 6). Hold up the line and make a scene. This technique works well when a business is trying to move customers through lines and maintain a pleasant atmosphere, as in hotels. Hotels have tripled the amounts of charges and hidden fees in the past three years; for example a $10 to $15 resort fee even if you didn't use a towel at the pool. Simply raise your voice until you get what you want.
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