IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe a complaint you made and you were satisfied with the result

Describe a complaint you made and you were satisfied with the result

You should say:

When it happened

Who you complained to

What you complained about

And explain why you were satisfied with the result

 

SUGGESTED ANSWER

When it happened:

• Choose a recent situation in which you made a complaint and were satisfied with the result, e.g. “About a month ago, I made a complaint to the customer service department of a clothing store.”

Who you complained to:

• Describe the person or organization to whom you made the complaint and their role in the situation, e.g. “I spoke to a customer service representative on the phone who was able to assist me with my issue.”

What you complained about:

• Explain what the issue was and why it was important to you, e.g. “I had purchased a dress online that was supposed to be delivered within a week, but it had been over two weeks and I still hadn’t received it. I was worried that it had been lost or stolen, and I needed it for an upcoming event.”

And explain why you were satisfied with the result:

• Share the outcome of your complaint and why you were satisfied with how it was handled, e.g. “The customer service representative was very helpful and understanding. She apologized for the delay and offered to send a replacement dress with expedited shipping at no additional cost. She also provided me with a discount code for my next purchase. I was impressed by how quickly and efficiently my issue was resolved, and it made me feel like a valued customer.”

USEFUL PHRASES

• “About [time period] ago, I had to make a complaint about…”
• “I spoke to [person/organization] about the issue.”
• “The issue was [description of the problem] and it was important to me because [reason].”
• “Fortunately, the customer service representative was able to [solution to the problem] and even [additional benefit].”
• “I was satisfied with the outcome because it showed that the company values its customers and is willing to make things right.”