How to Get Your Complaints Resolved
Mary Levy, Federal Citizen Information Center
Say your new computer isn’t working right, but you can’t get the service your warranty promised…the sweater you ordered on-line never showed up, even after repeated inquiries…the new washer you bought is noisy and leaking.
If you feel that you’ve been ripped off and not received satisfaction, here are proven ways to get your problem resolved…
WHO TO COMPLAIN TO
Most consumer problems can be dealt with by talking with the salesperson or customer service representative. If this doesn’t work, ask for a supervisor or manager. Keep notes of whom you spoke with, the date and what was said.
If you get nowhere at the local level, go directly to the seller’s or manufacturer’s national headquarters. Many companies have a special customer relations department to resolve consumer complaints. The toll-free number or address for this department often appears on the product label or warranty.
Alternative: Find toll-free numbers by visiting companies’ Web sites (look for a “Contact Us” link). Or try the Federal Citizen Information Center Consumer Action Web site (www.consumeraction.gov/corpormain.shtml). It lists the names, addresses, and, in many cases, toll-free numbers of more than 650 corporate headquarters.
Because the name of the manufacturer or parent company is often different than the brand name, check the following books for contact information: Standard & Poor’s Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives…Standard Directory of Advertisers…Brands & Their Companies…Thomas Register of American Manufacturers…various Dun & Bradstreet directories. These should be available at the reference section of your local library.
WRITE A COMPLAINT LETTER
Lodging a complaint by means of a written letter or E-mail is a better way to start than calling because you will have a record of your communication. Include key information…
• What you bought.
• Serial/model number.
• Warranty terms.
• Name and location of the seller.
• Date of purchase.
• What went wrong.
• Steps you’ve taken to resolve the problem.
• How you want the problem resolved (e.g., money back or repair).
Important: Retain original documents (receipts and warranties). Include only photocopies with your correspondence.
WHERE TO TURN FOR HELP
If you have given the manufacturer a reasonable amount of time to respond—say, two weeks—but the problem is still unresolved, file a complaint with one or more of the following organizations…
•State or local consumer protection offices. These government agencies mediate complaints. Call before writing, and ask if the office handles the type of complaint you have and if there is a complaint form available.
Caution: Beware of “recovery services” that offer to get your money back—there is no charge for filing a complaint with a government agency.
Some federal agencies also help to resolve complaints. Find these agencies at www.consumeraction.gov/selected.shtml.
Examples: The Federal Maritime Commission (www.fmc.gov, 202-523-5807) advises passengers how to file claims against cruise operators—click on “Cruise Passenger Information.” The Department of Transportation Aviation Consumer Protection Division (202-366-2220, www.dot.gov/airconsumer) deals with airline complaints.
•State regulatory agencies that have jurisdiction over many businesses. For example, banks, brokerages, insurance companies and utilities are regulated at the state level. In some states, the utility commission regulates other services, such as moving of household goods. Find the appropriate agency by calling your state consumer protection agency.
•State and local licensing agencies. Doctors, lawyers, home-improvement contractors and auto-repair shops are required to register or be licensed. These agencies have the authority to take disciplinary action. Your state or local consumer protection office can identify the appropriate agency.
•Better Business Bureaus (BBBs). This network of nonprofit organizations tries to resolve complaints against businesses and charities. Records are kept as a source of information on unresolved complaints for the sellers’ or charities’ customers. Find a list of BBBs at www.consumeraction.gov/bbb.shtml. You can file a complaint on-line at the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. (www.bbb.org) or call 703-276-0100.
•Trade associations. Companies selling similar products or services often belong to an industry association that attempts to resolve problems between their members and consumers.
Examples: The American Moving and Storage Association (703-683-7410, www.moving.org) sponsors an arbitration service helping consumers resolve claims on interstate moves. The National Association of Security Dealers (301-590-6500, www.nasdadr.com) sponsors a third-party dispute resolution forum, including arbitration and mediation solutions, for the resolution of monetary and business disputes between investors and securities firms. For a list of trade associations, visit www.consumeraction.gov/trade.shtml.
•National consumer organizations. Some of these organizations assist consumers with complaints.
Examples: Consumer Action (415-777-9635, www.consumer-action.org,) offers a multilingual consumer complaint hotline. The Funeral Consumers Alliance (800-765-0107, www.funerals.org) will assist in mediating complaints. For a list of national consumer organizations, go to www.consumeraction.gov/resprt2.shtml.
•Media programs. Local newspapers and radio and television stations often have consumer action lines or hotlines that try to resolve consumer complaints. Some handle only the most serious cases or those that occur most frequently. Call for Action, Inc. (301-657-8260, www.callforaction.org) is a nonprofit network of consumer hotlines that operates in conjunction with broadcast partners to educate and assist consumers with problems. Their Web site lists hotlines in major markets staffed with trained volunteers who offer advice and mediate complaints at no cost to consumers.
•Dispute resolution programs. Some companies and industries offer programs to address disagreements between buyers and sellers. Mediation, arbitration and conciliation are three common types of dispute resolution, each having its own set of rules.
Helpful: Request a copy of the rules of any program before making any decision to participate. Check that participation in the program doesn’t place any restrictions on your ability to take other legal action.
•Small-claims courts. These resolve disputes over small amounts of money, usually less than $5,000. While the maximum amount that can be claimed varies from state to state, court procedures are generally simple, inexpensive, quick and informal. Typically, you do not need a lawyer. For state offices of consumer protection as well as other consumer information resources, visit the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators site at www.nacaa.net. Check your local phone book under the municipal, county or state government headings for small-claims court offices. When suing in small-claims court, ask the court clerk for information—deadlines, what proof you need, how to serve, etc.—that will help you prepare your case.
Note: Many small-claims courts have dispute resolution programs, which usually involve mediation, that help you avoid court. In mediation, the parties meet and, with the assistance of a neutral third-party mediator, discuss the situation and create their own agreement.
•Credit card disputes. By law, you have 60 days from the postmark of the first bill on which a charge appears to write to the creditor to dispute it. Disputable charges: Incorrect credit for payment…charges you didn’t make or ones for goods or services you didn’t receive or which were not as promised. If more than 60 days have passed at the time you learn of a charge, you may still be able to dispute it.
Bottom Line/Retirement interviewed Mary Levy, information and education director, Federal Citizen Information Center, US General Services Administration, Washington, DC, www.pueblo.gsa.gov.
(Article originally published Septembter, 2006)
Reprinted with the permission of:
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