A formal complaint is a written or verbal statement made by an individual or group expressing their dissatisfaction with a particular situation, person, organization, product or service. It typically involves specific details about the issue at hand and may request action to be taken in response to resolve the problem. A formal complaint can be filed through various channels such as contacting customer service, writing a letter or email, or filling out an official form. The process of filing a formal complaint is often used when other attempts to resolve an issue have been unsuccessful and may result in some type of disciplinary action, legal proceedings or resolution.