WASHINGTON—It sometimes seems retailers, service providers and other big bureaucracies will do anything they can to avoid interacting with you in person to resolve a complaint or conflict. But there are ways to use that to your advantage. In the new issue of AARP Bulletin, top professionals in customer care explain exactly what to do to get the good treatment and fair outcome you want and deserve, reveal whether loyalty to a company provides any tangible benefits, and detail when relying on human interaction might actually NOT be to your benefit.

Good customer care is an issue of great importance to older Americans, who may be stereotyped by customer-service representatives and so get lesser care than they should. Yet with age, interactions with insurance companies, government agencies like Social Security, and large financial institutions greatly increase. With our three-step guide to top-grade care, older Americans can learn effective ways to get their concerns addressed.

Using advice from consumer advocates, behavioral economists and customer service researchers, AARP Bulletin writers discuss the techniques that will help you get to the front of the queue. We also detail ways to avoid having to deal with customer service in the first place. And look for our Better Care Guides, containing information on how to make the most out of your high-stakes interactions with specific organizations like health insurance companies, Social Security, the IRS and the DMV.

In this month’s cover story, learn how to:

• Reach an actual client representative as quickly as possible,
• Create a useful log of your interactions,
• Advocate for yourself in stressful customer service situations,
• And much more.

PLUS:

Your Money

What a Will Won’t Do: Did you know a will can be overruled by other paperwork? In fact, most financial accounts—from retirement savings to everyday savings accounts—usually fall out of the scope of a will, leaving your loved ones at risk for loss if they aren’t named as the beneficiaries. In this month’s Bulletin, we offer tips on how you could  protect them (and yourself) as you plan.

Your Health

Ahhh, Relief: How to Reduce Muscle Aches: Feeling achy from a stiff office chair, bad night’s sleep or a little too much pickleball? Using household items such as tennis balls, foam rollers and socks, we show you easy ways to roll away aches, pains, and muscle tension, without a trip to the spa or masseur. Plus, a guide to the latest self-massage gear, including super-popular massage guns.

Fraud Watch

Tricky Texts: Getting texts or emails that seem suspicious? Phone-oriented scams are on the rise, but many fraudulent texts and emails leave a trail of clues that they aren’t for real. We break down what to look for and spot in a message before you hit ‘reply’ with any personal information.

Your AARP

Staying Connected: AARP’s presence on social media is both wide and deep. Find out about our highly successful ongoing feeds on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube, and how we create a unique experience in each channel.

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About AARP
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org, www.aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspanol and @AARPadvocates, @AliadosAdelante on social media.