I guess you’ve been hearing salmonella, melamine, and lead-contaminated products lately. In a business, there’s a saying that consumers are always right. It’s because consumers are the lifeblood of a business. They provide profits. They keep the business alive.

It’s always the right of every company to produce quality products for their consumers. One defective product can lead to tremendous losses of the company. But how do we deal if we, as consumers, get a terrible service or an inferior product from a company?

Stop settling for excuses. Here’s how to resolve consumer complaints effectively.

Go to the seller. Start with the store where you purchased the product, or the company that sold the service. If the first person you talk to with is not helpful, ask to speak with the manager. Keep moving up the chain of command until you find someone who will help you. If you can’t get anywhere with the local retailer, then speak to someone in the consumer affairs department of the company’s headquarters.

Notify the manufacturer. Complain to the company that made the product if you have a warranty or can’t get the seller to cooperate. Get the manufacturer’s name and a phone number for customer service from the label, warranty, or other paperwork you received with the item.

Remember that whether you contact the seller or the manufacturer, have this information handy:

(a) the product’s name and serial number
(b) date of purchase
(c) the history of the problem and how you have tried to solve it

Stay calm and be polite – but be firm! Insist on a resolution to your problem.

File a written complaint. Still not satisfied with the results? Write a complaint letter. Include all the facts of your case, and keep it clear and short.

Include you name, phone number and address so the company can contact you, as well as the product’s name and serial number.

Explain the steps you have already taken to resolve the issue, and what you would like the company to do now.

Enclose copies, never originals, of sales receipts, work contracts, warranties, cancelled checks, repair orders, and any letters you and the company have sent each other.

Send everything certified mail and request for a return of receipt. It costs a little but you’ll have proof down the road that the company received your letter.

Call in the big guns. If you’re still not satisfied with the results, then you may now call for authorities such as a lawyer, your local consumer protection office, and national consumer action department. They can offer different forms of assistance. They’ll even fight on your behalf. Contact them if your letter doesn’t work, and explain the situation.

Document everything. Finally, keep a log of all your dealings with the seller of manufacturer. Write down the names of everyone you speak with, the date and time, and what they told you. Make copies of all the letters or emails you and the company exchange as well as any documents related to the complaint. You may need this information if you go to court.

Remember that as consumers, we have the right for a quality product from these companies. We are the lifeblood of their business. A company with a quality product can be automatically be marketed by its satisfied consumers thru word of mouth.

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