Drafting a Polite Complaint Letter With AI Help

Gather your facts before you open the AI

Before you ask an AI to help, spend two minutes writing down the basics on a piece of paper or in your notes app. Think of it like packing a small suitcase — you only need the essentials. You want the product name, where you bought it (store or website), order or receipt number, date of purchase, and what went wrong in one short sentence. The more specific you are, the better your letter will be.

You'll know it worked when you can read those five details out loud in under 30 seconds. That's all the AI needs to get started.

Open your AI assistant and start a new chat

Open whichever AI assistant you normally use — on your phone, tablet, or in a browser tab. A "chat" here is just a conversation screen where you type a message and the AI replies, similar to sending a text. Start a fresh conversation so the AI isn't confused by anything else you've asked it before. Look for a button labelled "New chat", "New conversation", or a pencil / plus icon — it's usually near the top of the screen. Tap or click it, and you'll see a blank message box ready for you to type.

If you can't find a "new chat" button, look for the chat history list in the corner of the screen and tap the first option at the top — that's almost always "Start new chat".

You'll know it worked when you see an empty text box and a blinking cursor, with no previous conversation visible above it.

Tell the AI what you want and include your facts

In the empty chat box, type a short instruction describing what you need. In AI language, this instruction is called a prompt — it's simply the request you give the assistant. Write it like you're explaining the situation to a friend: include the facts you gathered in Step 1, explain that you want a complaint letter, and ask for a polite, calm tone. Then press Enter or tap the send / arrow button. The AI will think for a few seconds and then write a full letter draft for you on the screen.

You'll know it worked when the AI produces a complete letter with a greeting, a clear explanation of the problem, what you'd like to happen next, and a polite sign-off.

Read the draft and tweak anything that doesn't sound like you

This step matters more than people realise. Read the draft once out loud — yes, really out loud — and ask yourself: "Would I actually send this?" If any sentence sounds too stiff, too formal, or just not like the way you'd speak, simply reply to the AI with the change you want. For example, type "Make it a bit more friendly" or "Shorter please, around 100 words" or "Add that I've been a customer for 3 years". The AI will rewrite it instantly.

If a particular phrase feels off, copy just that sentence into your next message and ask for a different version. The AI will give you options.

You'll know it worked when you read the letter and nod, thinking "Yes, that's what I wanted to say."

Add any extra context the AI couldn't have known

AI assistants don't know your personal history with the shop, whether you've already contacted them, or if there's a deadline you need to meet. If anything like this applies, tell the AI in another short message and ask it to include the detail. For instance, if you've already sent one email and had no reply, mention it — the letter can then politely note that this is your second attempt. If you need a response within a certain timeframe (for example, before a warranty expires), say so.

You'll know it worked when the new draft includes your extra context in a natural place, not bolted on at the end.

Copy the finished letter and send it yourself

The AI cannot send emails for you — that's still your job, and rightly so. Highlight the final letter, copy it (Ctrl+C on a computer, or long-press and tap Copy on a phone), then open your email app and paste it into a new message. Address it to the shop's customer service email (usually something like [email protected] or [email protected] — check your receipt or the website's contact page). Add the subject line the AI suggested, or write your own such as "Order AU-94827 — faulty headphones, request for refund".

Before you hit send, do one final read-through with fresh eyes. Attach any photo of the fault if you have one, and keep the receipt handy in case they ask.

You'll know it worked when the email is in your outbox, addressed correctly, with the letter, your order number, and any photo attached.