Customer service is the pits, you say. You are not alone. One of the biggest gripes from consumers today is the poor service they receive at the hand of service providers. You need not be victimized by lousy service nor do you have to move heaven and earth to get what you want. Let's take a look at four options you can take to get the results that you want and deserve!

Uncooperative Telephone Personnel: Chances are if you have a complaint or a problem with a product, you will have to contact that company's Customer Service department. When calling, if you find a cooperative and caring individual, consider yourself fortunate. If you do not succeed in finding a cooperative and caring individual or the information that you receive from them is unacceptable, simply hang up and call back. More than likely you will get a person with a different attitude and a better answer. This works particularly well with insurance companies who have large customer service staffs on hand. Unfortunately, because of their sheer size, the training levels vary greatly. Do not let their internal problems set you back.

Write a letter or an email: Yes, companies still read letters, more so email messages if it is directed to the right person. Usually, the contact information is right on the box of the product or with the supporting paperwork [such as a users guide]. Search the internet if you need more information; join Hoovers.com if you want to get the president's contact information!

Tell a friend, no wait: tell 10 friends! If you are not getting satisfaction and you have decided that you are no longer going to use the company's product or services, tell ten friends. There is a maxim in customer service that management dreads: satisfied customers tell 3 of their friends, unsatisfied customers tell 10 of their friends. So, you don't have 10 friends? Get online and write product reviews for several of the comparison shopping sites. Be honest, open, and informative. Count on many more than 10 people reading your review!

Drop them. Sooner or later you may have to make the ultimate choice: to take your business elsewhere. In that case, let the company know that you will be leaving them [either by phone call, letter, or email] and switch to one of their competitors. Make sure you outline in your letter your complaint, the lack of satisfactory response on their end, and name the company whom you have chosen to provide the service that the other company failed to provide. You may get a call begging you to come back, not likely, but if you do only return to them if the company "makes good" on their past mistakes. Sweetening the deal with a special offer to you is even better!

Do not accept poor customer service as the norm today, even though in many cases it is. Effect change on the corporate level by methodically and politely following the steps outlined above. They may not "get it" right away but they will when shares of their stocks begin to decline and shareholders take notice.