Complaint Letter

비즈니스 작문 1

Lesson 22

Complaint Letter

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Lesson 22

COMPLAINT LETTER

Grammar Pattern

Business 25 min Speaking 75%

Warm-up

Discuss these questions with your teacher before reading.

  1. Have you ever written a formal complaint letter? What was the situation?
    공식적인 불만 서신을 작성한 적이 있나요? 어떤 상황이었나요?
  2. Do you think a written complaint is more effective than a phone call or a verbal complaint? Why?
    서면 불만이 전화나 구두 불만보다 더 효과적이라고 생각하시나요? 왜요?

Vocabulary

Key words and expressions from the reading.

draw your attention to /drɔː jɔːr əˈtenʃən tuː/
to formally direct someone's focus to a specific issue  |  ~에 주의를 환기시키다
"I wish to draw your attention to the washing facilities on the third floor."
detrimental /ˌdetrɪˈmentəl/
causing harm or damage  |  해로운, 불리한
"This must be detrimental to the health of employees."
contravention /ˌkɒntrəˈvenʃən/
an action that violates a law, rule, or agreement  |  위반
"In contravention of the laws relating to Health and Safety At Work."
inadequate /ɪnˈædɪkwət/
not sufficient or not good enough for the purpose  |  부적절한, 불충분한
"These inadequate facilities."
dissatisfaction /dɪˌsætɪsˈfækʃən/
a feeling of unhappiness or discontent with a product or service  |  불만
"I want to inform you of my dissatisfaction."
on behalf of /ɒn bɪˈhɑːf ɒv/
as a representative of; in the interest of  |  ~을 대신하여
"On behalf of the Accounts Department."
5 min

Reading

Read the passage with your teacher.
선생님과 함께 지문을 읽어보세요.

Grammar Pattern
Complaining to your employer
In this letter, the writer is complaining constructively about a health and safety issue, on behalf of himself and his colleagues. If you are in a union, you may wish to write to them, or send them a copy of the letter, in such a circumstance.
Accounts Department
Third Floor
6 February 2000
Ms. D Kenny
Personnel Manager
Fifth Floor
Dear Ms. Kenny,
I wish to draw your attention to the washing facilities on the third floor. Only one is provided for over one hundred male employees on this floor. There is usually neither soap nor clean towels available.
This must be detrimental to the health of employees and is certainly a waste of the Company’s money since much work time is lost in queuing for the use of these inadequate facilities. I believe this, in factto be in contravention of the laws relating to Health and Safety At Work.
I would be grateful if you would look into this matter urgently, with a view to providing adequate, well-maintained facilities.
Yours sincerely,
On behalf of the Acounts Department
John Harris
SAMPLE 2 COMPLAINING ABOUT A PRODUCT OR SERVICE
Your name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Date
Mr. (or Ms.) _______________________________ (if you have a contact name)
Company name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Dear Mr. (or Ms.) ___________________________:
I want to inform you of my dissatisfaction with (name of the product with the serial number, or the service performed). I purchased this item (or service) on (date of purchase) at (location of purchase).
My complaint concerns (the reasons for your complaint). To solve the problem, I would like (state the specific action you desire for satisfaction). I look forward to your reply and resolution of my complaint and will allow two weeks before referring it to the appropriate consumer agency. If you need to call me, my daytime telephone number is (area code and telephone number). Thank you for your assistance and cooperation in this matter.
Sincerely,
Your name
Enclosures (Include copies of all related records do not send originals.)

Korean Trap

Korean speakers often make this mistake when writing complaints.

❌ "I want to complain about your service. Your company gave me very bad experience."
✅ "I wish to draw your attention to a problem with your service. I was disappointed with my experience."

'불만을 제기하다'를 'I want to complain'으로 직접 쓰면 공격적입니다. 비즈니스에서는 'I wish to draw your attention to...' 또는 'I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with...'가 더 격식 있고 효과적입니다. 감정적 표현('very bad') 대신 구체적 사실을 쓰세요.

Discussion

Discuss these questions with your teacher after reading.

  1. The first sample letter complains about inadequate washing facilities at work. Notice the phrase "I wish to draw your attention to..." How does this professional tone differ from saying "I want to complain about"?
    첫 번째 샘플은 직장의 부적절한 세면 시설에 대해 불만을 제기합니다. "I wish to draw your attention to..."라는 표현에 주목하세요. 이 전문적 어조가 "I want to complain about"과 어떻게 다른가요?
  2. The letter mentions the issue may be "in contravention of the laws relating to Health and Safety." Why is citing regulations or laws effective in a complaint letter? Have you ever used this approach?
    서신에서 이 문제가 '산업안전보건법 위반일 수 있다'고 언급합니다. 불만 서신에서 법규를 인용하는 것이 왜 효과적인가요? 이 접근 방식을 사용해 본 적이 있나요?
  3. The product complaint template suggests including serial numbers and purchase details. In your experience, what information should always be included in a business complaint to get the best result?
    제품 불만 양식에서 일련번호와 구매 세부사항을 포함하라고 합니다. 최상의 결과를 얻기 위해 비즈니스 불만에 항상 포함해야 하는 정보는 무엇인가요?
  4. Korean culture often avoids direct confrontation. How do you balance being assertive in a complaint letter without being aggressive?
    한국 문화는 종종 직접적인 대립을 피합니다. 불만 서신에서 공격적이지 않으면서 단호하게 쓰는 균형을 어떻게 맞추시나요?

Lesson Summary / 수업 요약

Today's Topic: COMPLAINT LETTER

Level: Business (BIZ)

Review this lesson before your next class! / 다음 수업 전에 복습하세요!