Not satisfied with a service? Don’t think twice about sending a letter of complaint

For the greater good, consumers are encouraged to complain about poor service or product. But how does one initiate the process? And, furthermore, can a complaint be filed against an online retailer or business? Filing consumer complaints is about more than taking advantage of consumer rights. It’s about letting aggressive or dangerous businesses know they can’t get away with attempting to pull wool over the public’s eyes.

Not Satisfied With a Service? Time to File a Complaint

Whether it’s a poor customer support experience or a product that was misrepresented upon selling, a consumer has the rights — and should use them — to complain when they are not satisfied with a service. How does a consumer know if this dissatisfaction is a one-time mishap or a trend? Consumers should base their decision on whether or not to begin the process of taking consumer action on two things: firstly, how responsive was the customer service when contacted about the issue? And, secondly, are there more public reviews from other consumers on forums or review sites that state encountering the same (or even different) issues from this business or about this product? If this keeps happening and complaints seem to be the norm, it’s probably not the consumer: it’s obviously the business.

Filing a consumer complaint because one is not satisfied with a service has three simple steps: first, gather all the paperwork and receipts related to the service. Secondly, make the initial call or contact with the business, either through a letter, email or a phone call. At this point, consumers can also choose to simultaneously call state licensing boards, a consumer protection agency or local regulators. These two steps set the groundwork for further legal action, especially if the business fails to respond or responds aggressively (possibly with counter legal action).

Consumer Action in the Age of E-Commerce

An increasing number of consumers have, in the last two decades, made use of their rights to doggedly pursue manufacturers of dangerous products, especially those related to children or services that scam vulnerable individuals. If a consumer is simply not satisfied with a service, that’s one thing. But if a business continues to prey upon those it says its serves, then it has to be held responsible. But in the digital age, is this kind of accountability truly possible? Even if a consumer were to report that they were not satisfied with a service to the Better Business Bureau, what about online sellers who can hide behind a smokescreen of an Internet connection? Well, online purchases are just as viable for consumer action as physical or in-store purchases. Filing of complaints follow the same process but, in this case, the most important thing to do before even seeking customer support is to dispute the charge. Most online purchases are done with credit card (or third party payment apps) and these entities can stop or reverse a charge if there is no clear or satisfactory resolution. If the seller is simply unresponsive, this is an important step.

Responsible businesses understand that it’s not personal, so there are dispute resolution services built right into their practices. Often, this involves a third party who will try to resolve disagreements between buyers and sellers outside of court.